Pasadena Public Library is inviting young chess players to a free strategy session this Friday, offering children an accessible entry point to a game that research increasingly validates as a powerful tool for intellectual development.
The Chess Knights program will gather at La Pintoresca Branch Library starting at 4 p.m. on December 5. The session is free, requires no prior experience, and welcomes both beginners and experienced players.
“Kids, cultivate strategy and critical thinking while you’re having fun playing chess and making friends! Never played chess? No problem, come and learn!” the program’s official description reads.
Chess Knights has been building momentum throughout 2025. The program conducted regular sessions over the summer, then hosted a tournament on August 9 with separate age categories for children ages 5 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 18. The program has expanded to other branches, including a November 14 session at Lamanda Park Branch Library.
Tim McDonald, Pasadena’s Director of Libraries & Information Services, continues to expand the library system’s youth programming initiatives.
Research supports the program’s educational value. A July 2025 study published in “Frontiers in Developmental Psychology” found that chess instruction effectively exercises children’s attention, memory, logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
La Pintoresca, built in 1930, serves what the city describes as “the most highly populated service area of any Pasadena Branch.” The facility houses 33,568 volumes and provides 6,225 square feet of community space.
Chess Knights will run on Friday, Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 744-7268 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/library/calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D190996221.
