This is absolutely the best place in the east bay to learn chess! They offer classes on Friday nights in a few locations around the bay, which give children the opportunity to learn then play in a USCF rated tournament game each week. The instructors are fabulous with kids, the classes keep the kids engaged while teaching them the basics up to championship level. My son is a state and national chess champ and we owe a lot of his progress to the Berkeley chess school.