2026 Spring Championship Tournament & Party

We’re about to host a very unique chess social…and it’s all going down at a fantastic new spot!
Chess Social + Tournament + Concert
♟
On April 18th, something unusual happens at Sid the Cat: two worlds collide under one roof! In one room, a full-blown concert pulses. In another, dozens of minds are locked in silent, dramatic battle over 64 squares.
♟
Here’s the deal:
We will be hosting our Spring Chess Tournament from 4–8pm. It’s real. It’s competitive. There will be strong players, clocks ticking like tiny time bombs, and a respectable number of people going all in.
♟
But let’s be clear:
The majority of attendees are not coming for the tournament,
they’re coming for what happens after!
At 8pm, the whole thing loosens its collar. The tournament ends, the crowd expands, and the space transforms into a full-blast chess social! Games everywhere. Music in the air! Drinks flowing! Strangers becoming rivals, then becoming friends! You can drift in, play a few games, disappear into conversation, come back and drink some more beers mid game.
♟♟♟♟♟
April 18th, 2026
at Sid the Cat Auditorium
1022 El Centro St. South Pasadena 91030
4pm-8pm Tournament
8pm-12am Chess Social
Free and Convenient Parking
♟
♟
♟
A few words about Sid the Cat: @sidthecat
We are SUPER excited to be hosting an event at South Pasadena’s newest venue! Sid the Cat is a fantastic and successful live music promoter group, who have been holding (an impressive amount of) shows for over a decade. They decided to go all in, and crowdfunded a new space for live music and community. They bought and renovated the old South Pasadena School district building, which is over a hundred years old. It is huge, and beautiful!
♟♟♟♟
$25 if you want to enter the (optional) tournament (and yes, that includes access to the concert if you feel like wandering in).
Please arrive at 4 to check in.
Registration link in our bio.
6 rounds, 10min+0
Shout out to IM Levon Altounian for acting as our Tournament Director!
♟
Some people will come for the music.
Some will come for the chess.
The bold pals will do both.
See ya there!