Program Type: Special Event

International Chess Master, co-founder of Chess.com, and renowned chess advocate Daniel Rensch will be at Q Boutique, gift shop at the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries, signing copies of his highly anticipated memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life. Described as Educated meets The Queen’s Gambit, this powerful and deeply personal book dives into his upbringing in an abusive cult and how chess ended up saving his life. Copies of Dark Squares are available for purchase both in-store and online at qboutiquestl.com.

Danny Rensch is an International Master and Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com. After a successful scholastic chess career, Danny joined Chess.com as a co-founder in 2009. He directs the company’s content, media partnerships, and professional chess events. Danny is an accomplished commentator and broadcaster who used to establish Chess.com’s streaming and creator programs. He has channeled his lifelong passion for playing and teaching chess to advance Chess.com’s mission of growing the game and helping people enjoy their lives through chess. With over 200 million registered users, Chess.com is the leading platform for playing and learning chess.

Join us for the exhibition opening of Reading Between the Lines: Chess & Literature, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, 5-8 pm. Enjoy complimentary admission, valet, cocktails, and appetizers by Brennan’s.

Kings and pawns, struggles for power, and tales of adventure, friendship, and romance. For centuries, writers have used chess as a way to tell remarkably varied stories, from narratives of players aspiring to the top levels of the game to battles with life and death as the stakes. The World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries’ newest exhibition, Reading Between the Lines: Chess and Literature, features rare books, artwork, and artifacts related to novels, poetry, authors, and poets spanning the eighteenth century to the present. Highlights include a chess table and other artifacts owned by The Queen’s Gambit author Walter Tevis, and J. Allen St. John’s paintings illustrating the adventure story The Chessmen of Mars. Other notable works include printmaker Barry Moser’s illustrations for Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, and German artist Elke Rehder’s woodcuts depicting scenes from Stefan Zweig’s book Schachnovelle, as well as chess-themed artwork depicting classic stories like George Orwell’s Animal Farm by Alessandro Gallo and Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick by Jessica DeStefano and Richard Felix. Enjoy activities in our play and create space.

Free admission and complimentary cocktails and valet.

RSVPs required. Email [email protected] for more information or to RSVP.

Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

You’re invited to the opening reception of Chess Variants: Transforming Tradition on August 7, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. Step into a vibrant gallery filled with rare chess sets, expert insights, and playable variants that challenge the traditional rules—from alternate starting positions to multi-player boards.

Chess Variants: Transforming Tradition is an exciting, interactive exhibition exploring the rich history of chess and the imaginative ways it has been reinvented around the world. Sit down, learn the moves, and play the games yourself in dynamic spaces designed for hands-on discovery and live programming with games created by chess legends such as World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan and Klara and Laszló Polgar! Whether you’re a seasoned player or brand new to the board, this is your chance to experience chess like never before!

Free admission and complimentary cocktails and valet.

RSVPs required. Please email [email protected] for more information or to RSVP.

Strategy Across the Board is the Saint Louis Chess Club’s and World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries’ premier annual fundraising event, dedicated to expanding the impact of chess education and community outreach in the Saint Louis region, bringing together chess enthusiasts, community leaders, and supporters for an evening of strategy, inspiration, and giving back. 

This year’s theme is “Master of the Arts,” featuring Saint Louis-based Artists Stan Chisholm, Michael Drummond, Charlie Houska and Yuko Suga. Enjoy sublime music from Co-Emcees and World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries Music Directors Brian Owens and Brian Woods, mixing and mingling during cocktail hour, dinner, and a live auction. Black tie optional.

Proceeds directly fund the Club’s Scholastic Chess Programs, teaching critical thinking, problem-solving, and life skills to students of all ages, as well as the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries’ exhibitions, Music Series, and community programming. Join us and help make a lasting difference—one move at a time!

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsors Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield & Rex Sinquefield and Edward Jones, Event Co-Chairs Eddie & Kathy Williams, and Auctioneer Fletcher Lane.

Join us for a special edition of the Saint Louis Chess Club’s “Ladies’ Knight” program, led by Woman Grandmaster Thalia Cervantes. Thalia will lead a lesson, and WCHOF Curator Shannon Bailey will speak about our newest exhibition, Charles Houska: Master of Play! This program is for women and girls of all ages, open to all skill levels, and complimentary for STLCC and WCHOF members. Refreshments provided.

Celebrate 314 Day in Saint Louis chess-style with a sale, refreshments, and more! In the Q Boutique, select chess items are just $3.14 each from March 14-16 (in-store only).

Visit the World Chess Hall of Fame’s exhibitions, “Paws and Pawns: Exploring Animal Chess Sets“ and “Crown Jewels: Donation Highlights,” with complimentary admission. The Saint Louis Chess Club will showcase the American Cup from March 15-16 with viewing parties and online coverage.

Join us for refreshments and fun activities, including STL-themed coloring sheets! Stop by to watch the exciting American Cup tournament at the Saint Louis Chess Club while enjoying complimentary desserts and refreshments.

BROWSE 314 DAY SALE!

(In-Store Only)


BROWSE 314 DAY MERCHANDISE

4652 Maryland Avenue

Saint Louis, MO 63108 

[email protected] | 314-367-WCHF (9243)

A real-life “Queen’s Gambit,” this captivating memoir tells the story of one of the most renowned women in chess history. Born to a poor Jewish family in Cold War Budapest, Susan Polgar would become the highest-rated female chess player on the planet and the first woman to earn the men’s Grandmaster title — chess’ highest designation.

Doors at 6:00 p.m.

Event at 7:00 p.m.