Reports | April 06, 2009 22:30

Introducing: Amsterdam Chess Cafe Laurierboom (video)

LaurierboomIf you're visiting Amsterdam in the near future, don't forget to drop by at Laurierstraat 76, in the Jordaan area, close to the Anne Frank House. It's currently the best place to play a friendly game of chess, with excellent background music (mostly rock and jazz), a beer beside the board and, yes, it's still possible there: to smoke a cigarette. A video report on the cafe, and the 64-player Knockout Tournament it's hosting this spring.








By coincidence, both me (Peter Doggers) and co-editor Arne Moll will be playing our first round tonight at the Laurierboom. So if you happen to be in the neighbourhood, do come along!

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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Comments

ChessGirl's picture

ChessGirl

4 years 1 month ago

Cool!!! And the background rock+jazz is a very big plus :)

thegreatbakker's picture

thegreatbakker

4 years 1 month ago

Very nice movie about a chess bar. Love the rock sound in it as well. Wish you guys good luck in the tournement.

hans dampf's picture

hans dampf

4 years 1 month ago

ah so cool. Great bar
I will drop by after spring break :)

The Closet Grandmaster's picture

The Closet Grandmaster

4 years 1 month ago

That brings back nice memories for me! I was there in '07 - http://closetgrandmaster.blogspot.com/2007/12/back-from-amsterdam.html

- TCG

Arne Moll's picture

Arne Moll

4 years 1 month ago

Actually, it's my second round already, Peter! :-)

patzerboy's picture

patzerboy

4 years 1 month ago

Is this a different place to the place in the Jordaan where there were pictures of the polgars? I heard the old guy died and the cafe closed there.

Peter Doggers's picture

Peter Doggers

4 years 1 month ago

Yes. That one was called Gambit - Gerard mentions it in the video. The chess sets and pictures also moved to the Laurierboom!

Buri's picture

Buri

4 years 1 month ago

I wish we had places like this over here in Canada :(

patzerboy's picture

patzerboy

4 years 1 month ago

That's great Peter I played at Gambit while visiting Amsterdam as a tourist, with the very same chess sets in the video. Nice place, good to see the tradition has carried on.

CAL|Daniel's picture

CAL|Daniel

4 years 1 month ago

good luck in the tourney peter!

Erik's picture

Erik

4 years 1 month ago

Buitengewoon toevallig, daarom reageer ik nu toch even.

Ik zocht afgelopen weekend een leuke club om lid van te worden, en ik kwam uit bij de Laurierboom. Aan de website en hun programma te zien zijn ze erg actief, zowel 'IRL' als op het net. Ik ben daar dus zeker te verwachten in de nabije toekomst, om een kijkje te nemen, en om eens te kijken of ik na al die jaren nog steeds een beetje schaken kan...

Erik.

PS Ik keek op: http://www.laurierboom.nl/

Dan's picture

Dan

4 years 1 month ago

Buri, there is great coffeehouse chess in Vancouver. You're in the wrong city.

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