Playing Chess in Marseille: Clubs and History
Marseille brings together two extremes of French club chess: by its own account the second-oldest chess club in France, the Echiquier Marseillais 1872, and, in Marseille-Echecs, the country's largest club, which even became French team champion in 2011. 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 Marseille
The Fédération Française des Échecs (French Chess Federation) runs the clubs in the region. The following selection shows clubs whose opening hours are publicly listed. A dash means the club does not publish the time permanently, so it's worth checking the club's website.
| Club | District | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Echiquier Marseillais 1872 | 1st arrondissement | Daily except Sunday, 3:00–8:00 pm |
| Marseille-Échecs | – | – |
The complete list of all member clubs is kept by the Fédération Française des Échecs. Please check each club's website for current dates – opening hours regularly shift during school holidays.
A note for a first visit: the Echiquier Marseillais 1872 is based in the Brasserie des Danaïdes on Place Stalingrad and is open six days a week – unusually generous opening hours for a club of this size, with around 50 members. Marseille-Échecs describes itself as the largest training club in France and offers tiered courses ranging from “Baby-Chess” for the youngest to competitive training for advanced players.
Playing chess outdoors: chess tables and meeting spots
A municipal directory of public outdoor chess tables could not be confirmed for Marseille. The most reliable way to find an open game remains the Echiquier Marseillais 1872, one of the few clubs that is open practically every day.
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. In a city with as many cafés and brasseries as Marseille, it's also worth checking whether a board is already waiting at the table you've chosen.
Tournaments and open events
Shortly after its founding in 2005, Marseille-Échecs launched its own international chess festival, and it won the French team championship (Top 12) in 2011 and the French Cup in 2012 – with grandmasters such as Étienne Bacrot and Arkadij Naiditsch in its ranks, the club was regarded as the best in France at that time. Alongside this, the Fédération Française des Échecs organizes the regional championships, in which the Echiquier Marseillais 1872 also takes part with teams in Nationale 3 and the women's Nationale 2.
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
After financial cutbacks in 2013, Marseille-Échecs focused consistently on youth work – with success: the club has won several French youth titles and in 2022 even produced the U10 world champion. Courses start in the first week of September for children and the first week of October for adults. The club also points out that chess is recognized in France as an optional subject for the baccalauréat.
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.
Marseille and chess history
The Echiquier Marseillais was officially registered on 17 March 1919 as “L'Echiquier et le Damier Marseillais”, with Victor Biron as its first president. In 1967 the club added “1872” to its name in memory of an even older Marseille chess society, although its exact founding history is not fully documented – the club today describes itself as the second-oldest chess club in France. In 1943, during the German occupation, the club had to vacate its usual premises, which were handed over to the occupying forces. More than 21 presidents have led the club since 1919, including Robert Tsalikian on several occasions, who is credited with saving the club around the year 2000.
Marseille-Échecs took a completely different and much younger path: formed in 2005 from the merger of two local clubs, it reached France's top 16 as early as 2006 and, with recruited grandmasters such as Bacrot and Naiditsch, won the national team title in 2011. After municipal funding was withdrawn in 2013, the club consistently refocused on youth development – a strategy that reached its high point so far in 2022 with a world champion of its own in the U10 age group.
These two very different club histories – the tradition-rich Echiquier Marseillais with more than a hundred years of uninterrupted activity and the young but highly successful Marseille-Échecs – show how diversely chess culture can develop in a major city like Marseille: one side geared towards continuity and open doors, the other towards targeted sporting development and international top players.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I play chess in Marseille without a membership?
Most easily at the Echiquier Marseillais 1872 in the Brasserie des Danaïdes, open every day except Sunday from 3:00 to 8:00 pm.
Which Marseille chess club is suitable for beginners?
As France's largest training club, Marseille-Échecs offers tiered courses ranging from “Baby-Chess” to competitive training.
Are there public outdoor chess tables in Marseille?
A municipally documented setup could not be confirmed. The more reliable option is the almost daily club activity of the Echiquier Marseillais 1872.
Which club has been the most successful in Marseille's history?
Marseille-Échecs won the French team championship in 2011 and the French Cup in 2012, with grandmasters such as Étienne Bacrot in its ranks.
From 1872 to today: Marseille's chess tradition you can hold in your hands
Anyone who has played with borrowed equipment at a Marseille 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 long history of the Echiquier Marseillais 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. Schachatelier is a Berlin brand. Take a look around.
Read more about chess culture in Lyon and in the German capital in our articles Playing chess in Lyon and Chess and Berlin.
