Our history
From youth chess in Moosach via Schachfreunde Gern to Munich's youngest chess club — the key milestones along our way.
- Beginnings
Roots in Moosach youth chess
The story begins with youth chess work in the north of Munich around Moosach — closely tied to schools such as the Gymnasium München/Moosach. From this enthusiasm for chess with children and teenagers, the later club grew.
- 2018
Founded as Schachfreunde Gern
The club is founded as a neighbourhood club in the west of Munich — the youngest chess club in Munich, both in history and in average age.
- 2020
Chess boom & online chess
During the coronavirus years chess experiences a boom. The club gains many new members from all over Germany and broadens its training: from now on both online and in person.
- from 2020/21
School chess begins
Around this time our school chess starts — first online during the pandemic, later directly at the schools. To this day a centrepiece of our youth work.
- Feb 2021
Renamed to Schachfreunde München e.V.
A whole week of events celebrates it all: the 100th member, the club's first titled player (FM Jan Juptner) and the new name, signalling ambitions beyond the neighbourhood.
- Mar 2021
Entry in the register of associations
The final step is complete: Schachfreunde Gern officially becomes Schachfreunde München e.V. (register number 208109 at the Munich register of associations).
- May 2021
German U10 vice-champions
A sensation at the very first appearance: at the German youth club championship in Magdeburg, the U10 surprisingly takes the vice-champion title.
- Oct 2021
First Bavarian U12 champions
The U12 becomes Bavarian champion for the first time and qualifies convincingly for the German club championship — another highlight of a strong generation.
- Jul 2023
Second Bavarian title — now the U14
A year after the U12, the U14 also becomes Bavarian team champion: at the final round on 4 July 2023 the young side is the clear winner and can even afford to rest top player Tugrul Türel on the closing day. The second Bavarian youth team title for Munich's youngest club.
- since 2023
Schachfestival München
Our sister club, Schachfestival München e.V., hosts the international Munich Chess Festival — with the Whitsun Open, the Wolfgang Unzicker Memorial, the youth open and more. It is responsible for tournament organisation.
- Dec 2023
Trophy at the German U10 club championship
The 2013 generation also shines in the U10 in Magdeburg, taking 5th place and a trophy at the German club championship.
- Dec 2024
Our girls on the podium
The girls' team storms to 3rd place in the U12 age group at the German club championship — onto the winners' podium.
- Jul 2025
District champions & promotion to the Regionalliga
On the board things keep climbing: in May the first team finishes the season as Munich district champion and is promoted to the Regionalliga — for the first time Munich's youngest club plays at supra-regional level. The youth keep pace too: at the Bavarian team championship in July the U16 fights all the way to the title decider and finishes runner-up just behind Augsburg — earning qualification for the German club championship.
- Jul 2026
Cup win, double champions and a FIDE Master
A year of titles: in May the club wins the Munich team cup for the first time, in July the U14 and U16 both become Bavarian team champions in Kelheim — the U16 thus claiming the title that had narrowly eluded it as runner-up a year earlier —, and young talent Tugrul Türel wins the German Amateur Championship in Dresden, earning the lifelong title of FIDE Master (FM).