Game clubs in Toronto.
13 clubs, and when they meet. Most meet on weekday evenings, around Downtown, Danforth, North York. Most are free to join. Subscribe to this calendar →
What to expect.
Game nights in Toronto come in a few shapes: open board game evenings at a café or pub where you pull something off a shelf, chess clubs that run casual and rated nights, trivia with fixed teams, and tabletop RPG groups that look for new players between campaigns. Almost all run on a fixed weeknight.
Most are free or ask you to buy a drink. Turn up, say you are new, and someone will deal you in.
All 13 game clubs in Toronto.
A to Z, in each club's own words. Every one links to the club, and every day and time is the one the club publishes.
Long-running Monday club at 918 Bathurst with a casual 'skittles' room open all evening alongside its rated weekly tournaments. Pay for a single night or join annually.
Mondays, time varies · The Annex · $12 · annexchessclub.com →Thursday open board game night in the play space at Face to Face Games on the Danforth, organised through the Geekz United meetup. Host brings games; bring your own too.
Thursdays, 6pm · Danforth · Free · meetup.com →Friday-night casual board games in a church hall at 30 Leeds St (near Bathurst and Dupont), with 40-plus games supplied and rules taught, then a pub social afterwards. Non-profit, alcohol-free at the hall.
Fridays, 6:30pm · $10 · meetup.com →Free weekly Magic: The Gathering Commander meetups at the Face to Face Games store on the Danforth, Monday and Friday evenings; bring a Commander deck.
Mondays and Fridays, 6pm · Danforth · Free · facetofacegames.com →Weekly Wednesday euchre night in the back of Stout Irish Pub on Carlton, roughly 15 players a week. You should already know euchre or a trick-taking game.
Wednesdays, 7:30pm · Cabbagetown · $5 · meetup.com →Free casual chess in the Reading Room at Hart House every Friday from late afternoon until 11pm; sets provided and drop-ins welcome at any point in the evening.
Fridays, 4pm · Downtown · Free · harthousechess.com →Small Wednesday-evening board game meetup at Yonge Burger on St Clair East; bring a game or play what's brought, all experience levels.
Wednesdays, 7pm · Midtown · Free · meetup.com →Free weekly drop-in for hobby and Euro-style board games at Mitchell Field Community Centre, a short walk from North York Centre station. No RSVP needed; 8-15 people most weeks.
Tuesdays, 5:30pm · North York · Free · meetup.com →Casual five-round blitz tournament plus open casual boards at Left Field Brewery every Tuesday night. Boards open at 8pm, rounds from 8:30pm, and you can just turn up.
Tuesdays, 8pm · Liberty Village · $10 · meetup.com →Community chess club at Birkdale Community Centre on Thursday nights, built around multi-week rated Swiss tournaments; you can join a tournament already in progress.
Thursdays, time varies · Scarborough · $130 · scarboroughchessclub.ca →Large long-running weekly open gaming night at 401 Games downtown (Yonge and College), 40-60 players; games are pre-arranged through a weekly survey so sign up ahead.
Wednesdays, time varies · Downtown · Free · torontoboardgamers.ca →Free weekly Go (baduk/weiqi) play at The 519 community centre on Church Street every Sunday afternoon; boards provided, beginners can get taught.
Sundays, 1pm · Downtown · Free · sites.google.com →Weekly competitive-but-friendly Scrabble club in the Seniors Clubhouse at Earl Bales Park, three timed games a night. Newcomers get an orientation if they arrive at 6:30.
Wednesdays, time varies · North York · $5 · torontoscrabbleclub.com →
Questions people actually ask.
Do I need to bring a game?
Usually not. Open game nights have a library or a pile of regulars' games, and chess clubs have boards. If a group wants you to bring something, the listing or their page says so.
I only know the basics. Will that be a problem?
No. Open nights are built around teaching, and chess clubs post a casual night alongside any rated play. Tabletop RPG groups tend to be the one place where a short message first helps, because a table has a fixed number of seats.
Is there a cost?
Mostly a drink or a small table fee at a café. Chess clubs sometimes charge a few dollars a night or a modest yearly membership. It is always in the listing.
Every listing links straight to the club. Know a game club in Toronto we don’t? Add it.