The Chola Chess Club, which started in Chennai on 2 May 2026, is now expanding to two more cities. The club will open new centres in Bengaluru and Pune, both located inside Phoenix Mall properties. The inauguration of both new centres will take place tomorrow, 19 September 2026 (Saturday), from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Going forward, both centres will be open every Saturday at the same time.
Where in Bangalore?
Ground Floor of Phoenix Mall of Asia, near Costa Coffee, 239/240, Bellary Road, Yelahanka.
Where in Pune?
3rd Floor of Phoenix Avenue of Stars, 207, on Pune–Nagar Road, Clover Park, Viman Nagar.
Both venues will now be known as the Chola Phoenix Chess Club. This is a natural next step for the initiative. The first Chola Chess Club was a joint effort between Chola Chess (the CSR arm of the Cholamandalam Finance Group), ChessBase India, and Chess Gurukul, run by GM R.B. Ramesh and WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy. That launch drew a crowd of 145 players on its very first Saturday! India's talented young player Sarbartho Mani was the chief guest for the event.
The idea of pairing chess with mall spaces isn't new to you if you are familiar with the Phoenix ChessBase India Chess Club in Mumbai, which has run almost every Saturday since 2022. The idea behind such chess clubs is simple: free entry, boards and pieces provided, and a welcoming space for players of every age and level.
With Pune and Bengaluru joining in, the Chola Phoenix Chess Club now becomes a multi-city project.
If you are in Bengaluru or Pune this Saturday, there is no better excuse to walk into your nearest Phoenix Mall, pull up a chair, and start playing chess!
