● Our Story
Meet Coach JB
Chess found JB before he could even read.
Growing up in Monterey County, JB had a tough start in school. He struggled. He fell behind. And somewhere in that uncertain stretch of childhood, before he'd cracked the code of reading, he learned to play chess.
He's convinced it saved him.
Not in a dramatic way, but in the quiet, compounding way that real things work. Chess gave him the ability to focus. To sit still with a hard problem. To think before he moved. And when he finally did learn to read, he caught up fast. The mental muscle was already there. Chess had built it.
That early experience left a mark that never faded.
By middle school, JB loved the game deeply, but was already running out of people to play with. When you get good, it stops being fun to play against people who aren't there yet. It's no fun for either side. What JB wanted was a chess culture — a community of players who could push each other, challenge each other, and grow together. It didn't exist around him then.
So he decided to build it now.
Today, JB is a trusted local realtor with roots running deep in Monterey County, this place has always been home. In 2022, he and his wife put down new roots in Carmel Valley, drawn in by the warmth of the community, the neighborly spirit, and the genuine kindness of the people here. It moved him. And it inspired him to give something back.
Coach JB founded Carmel Valley Chess Club with one conviction: that chess does something for people that very few things can. It holds up a mirror. Every move on the board is yours, the brilliant ones and the blunders. You learn to take full credit for your wins and full ownership of your losses. You develop the rare habit of asking yourself hard, honest questions. That kind of self-knowledge doesn't come easy, and it doesn't come from many places.
Chess offers it every time you sit down at the board.
The club JB built is for anyone who wants that, beginners finding their footing, seasoned players looking for worthy competition, and everyone in between. A place where a game he has loved his whole life can do what it has always done best.
Bring people together. And show them something true about themselves.
● Our Mission
At Carmel Valley Chess Club, our mission is simple: to create a warm, welcoming space where players of all ages and skill levels can discover the joy of chess, grow their minds, and find their people. We believe that every child deserves a place where they feel seen, challenged, and celebrated.
Our Philosophy
We believe chess is so much more than a game.
Every time a child sits down at the board, something remarkable happens. They learn to slow down and think. They discover that mistakes are part of the process. They build patience, focus, and creative problem-solving skills that will serve them for a lifetime — in the classroom, in relationships, and in everything they pursue.
But just as important as the learning is the feeling. The feeling of belonging to something. Of walking into a room and being greeted by familiar faces. Of finding your people over sixty-four squares and a shared love of the game.
At CV Chess Club, we trade pressure for possibility and competition for connection — while still celebrating growth, achievement, and the thrill of a hard-fought match. Whether your child is moving a pawn for the very first time or preparing for their next tournament, they will always find a home here.