NorCal House of Chess, formerly known as Newark Chess Club, began in a small room inside the Newark Public Library in 2008 and has since grown into one of Northern California’s most popular chess centers. Over the past 15 years, it has hosted numerous chess celebrities, including former Women’s World Champion GM Susan Polgar, IM and author Jennifer Shahade, top California player and Olympiad coach GM Varuzhan Akobian, Bulgarian GM Dejan Bojkov, Australian GM Ian Rogers, and former youngest U.S. GM Ray Robson. Voted the #1 chess club in the country in 2015, NHC has also won the USAT Nationals three times. Its headquarters in South Fremont offers a spacious and welcoming environment for players of all ages. Membership comes with many benefits, such as tournament discounts, free lectures from Grandmasters and International Masters, access to books and media, coaching referrals, and the chance to compete on national teams. NHC has produced numerous top 100 U.S. players, state and national champions, international medalists, and even the youngest FIDE Master in the world.