Playing Chess in Lyon: Clubs and History
Lyon made chess history in 1990: it was in this city that Garry Kasparov played part of his World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov – organized by the then Lyon Olympique Echecs, whose roots go back to 1905. This guide collects what is actually accessible in today's club scene. Where something could not be verified, it is not listed here.
Chess clubs in Lyon
The Fédération Française des Échecs (French Chess Federation) runs the clubs in the region. The following selection shows clubs whose game night is publicly listed. A dash means the club does not publish the time permanently, so it's worth checking the club's website.
| Club | District | Game night |
|---|---|---|
| Ste Foy Échecs | Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon | Tuesday & Friday 5:30–8:30 pm, Wednesday 3:30–8:30 pm |
| Lyon Olympique Échecs | – | Wednesday (classes), Saturday (tournaments) |
The complete list of all member clubs is kept by the Fédération Française des Échecs. Please check each club's website for current dates – game nights regularly shift during school holidays.
A note for a first visit: with three sessions a week and its own branch in La Tour de Salvagny, Ste Foy Échecs offers comparatively many opportunities to play. Lyon Olympique Echecs combines some of its chess classes with music and painting and, with more than 120 participating children last year alone, has one of the largest youth sections in the region.
Besides these two addresses, the Fédération Française des Échecs lists other Lyon clubs such as Echecs Club de Lyon, which emerged from the restructuring of the former Echiquier Lyonnais in the 1990s and is now active in several of the city's arrondissements. Anyone looking for a particular playing level or neighbourhood will usually find a suitable address through the federation.
Playing chess outdoors: chess tables and meeting spots
A municipal directory of public outdoor chess tables could not be confirmed for Lyon. The most reliable way to find an open game remains one of the club evenings, above all the three weekly sessions at Ste Foy Échecs.
Anyone wanting to play on the go is best served by a foldable travel set that fits in any bag and is ready to use at almost any table. Several cafés and bars in the city have also made a name for themselves as informal meeting places for chess players, even though no regular club activity takes place there.
Tournaments and open events
Lyon Olympique Echecs regularly holds Saturday tournaments, aimed at players who want to gain competitive experience alongside regular club play. Ste Foy Échecs organizes monthly themed tournaments on Fridays following the youth class. Alongside these, the Fédération Française des Échecs organizes the regional championships over the course of the season.
Anyone entering a tournament for the first time should know beforehand what equipment is required. The dimensions are not a matter of taste but are regulated – see our article on the official tournament chess standards.
Chess for children and teenagers
Lyon Olympique Echecs offers a broad programme for young players: holiday courses combine chess with music and painting, complemented by Saturday youth tournaments and a dedicated schools programme (“Échecs et scolaires”). Ste Foy Échecs runs its own chess school for everyone aged 5 and over, with classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon and on Wednesdays in La Tour de Salvagny.
Getting started at home requires little at first: a board of a sensible size and pieces that smaller hands can grip well. Which square size suits which king height is covered in our article on chessboard size.
Lyon and chess history
Lyon's chess history goes back to the 1840s, when the American master Schulten took on the local champion, Colonel Levêque. In 1862 the first Lyon chess circle was founded at the Café Maderni, before the Cercle Lyonnais des Echecs (CLE) was established in 1905 – by 1911 it already had 130 members, more than most clubs in France at the time. World Champion Emanuel Lasker visited the club in 1912, Alexander Alekhine gave no fewer than three simultaneous exhibitions between 1932 and 1937, and in 1983 another former world champion, Boris Spassky, came to Lyon.
In 1968 the club, by then known as Echiquier Lyonnais, moved into its clubhouse on Place Bellecour, right in the heart of the city. In the 1970s Lyon experienced a first golden generation with talents such as Laurent Monnard, Francis Meinsohn and Maurice Bessenay, who also made the club visible internationally.
In 1989 the club merged with Oyonnax-Dortan Echecs to form today's Lyon Olympique Echecs, backed by Mayor Michel Noir – an ambitious project with professional teams and world-class players that reached its peak in 1990: Lyon hosted part of the World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, one of the most significant duels in chess history. Financial difficulties in the 1990s, triggered by reduced municipal support, subsequently led to fundamental restructuring and to the emergence of rival clubs such as Echecs Club de Lyon. Nevertheless, the Kasparov–Karpov chapter remains the city's greatest international moment in chess to this day – a story that hardly any other French city outside Paris can match.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I play chess in Lyon without a membership?
Most easily through the open club evenings, for example on Tuesdays or Fridays at Ste Foy Échecs or on Wednesdays at Lyon Olympique Echecs.
Which Lyon chess club is suitable for beginners?
Ste Foy Échecs runs its own chess school for everyone aged 5 and over, with three sessions a week. Lyon Olympique Echecs also offers holiday courses for beginners.
Are there public outdoor chess tables in Lyon?
A municipally documented setup could not be confirmed. The more reliable route is through the city's open club evenings.
Which historical event shaped chess in Lyon the most?
In 1990, Lyon hosted part of the World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, organized by what was then Lyon Olympique Echecs.
From Kasparov to today: Lyon's chess tradition you can hold in your hands
Anyone who has played with borrowed equipment at a Lyon club evening quickly notices the difference to a well-made set of their own. For a regular game night, our handcrafted wooden sets are a good fit – solid wood, visible grain, pieces with noticeable weight. Anyone wishing to honour the great history of chess in Lyon, from Lasker to Kasparov, will find boards with character and patina among our collectors' pieces. And for a gift to a club member after a tournament win, it's worth looking at our engraved sets: a dedication in the wood outlasts any trophy. Soho Chess is a Berlin brand. Take a look around.
Read more about chess culture in Paris and in the German capital in our articles Playing chess in Paris and Chess and Berlin.
