The Mechanics' Tuesday Night Marathon (TNM) has a rich tradition that dates back at least 50 years. The idea of playing serious chess one night a week has appealed to a broad range of players from Senior Master to beginners, who find the time commitment fits their schedule quite comfortably. Today we think of seven rounds as the normal duration for a TNM, but that has not always been the case. In 1975 they played 12 rounds per tournament. Recently the Marathon switched to having sudden death for the second time control. It was probably the last tournament in the world to still feature adjourned games, the rest of the chess community having given up the practice years ago due to the rise in playing strength of computers. The Mechanics' Institute still has several hundred adjourned move envelopes, which will no doubt become collector's items.
The TNM not only provides strong competition for players ranging in strength from Master to beginner, it's also very affordable with an entry fee of $50 for seven USCF rated games. The Marathon is a perfect fit for those who can't commit an entire weekend to chess. No matter what your strength, the Tuesday Night Marathon might be the right tournament for you!
The modern-day Tuesday Night Marathon brings the entire chess community together through our live broadcast of 10 boards across all sections and live commentary from FM Paul Whitehead. Our broadcasts bring the Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club into the homes of viewers across the world in celebration of club chess in its purest form. Our TNM is truly for everyone, from beginner to master, and our section format provides competitive games each and every week!
Abel Talamantez, Chess Director, Mechanics’ Institute
IM John Donaldson, former Mechanics’ Institute Chess Director
Testimonials
"Thanks as always for putting on such a great tournament. Looking forward to the next one." Joel C.
"Thank you so much for running just another successful event. Chess community really owes you for the energy and efforts you put into making Bay Area a United States' premier chess hub." Felix G.
"I really enjoyed playing the last four weeks. How do I sign up for the next one?" Paul K.
2021 Tuesday Night Marathon schedule - coming soon!