A surge of interest in chess sparked by the 2020 Netflix hit The Queen's Gambit has led an Orange business owner start a new chess club.
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Nic Drage, of hobby store Games n More said the mini series about a female chess prodigy had put the game in the spotlight.
"We've had a lot of people coming in and asking "is there anywhere in town we can play?'"
"There used to be a chess club in Orange but it's been dormant for a number of years now from what I can gather, so we felt it was the right time," he said.
The Colour City Chess Club will run every fortnight from 1pm-3pm on a Saturday afternoon at the Games n More shop in the Orange Central Square Shopping Centre.
The first meeting will be held on May 21.
Open to all ages and skill levels, the club will match people with similar skill levels, who can then sit down and play at one of the eight boards available.
In chess, anybody can become good enough to be a grandmaster.
Mr Drage said the beauty of chess was that unlike so many other competitive sports, natural talent was not a pre requisite to reaching an elite level.
"So if you want to go to the Olympics as a sprinter, you need to be naturally gifted if you're going to get there.
"Whereas in chess, anybody can become good enough to be a grandmaster.
"With enough study and practise and dedication anybody can get to the top level."
Mr Drage said the club would also provide an opportunity for younger players to hone their skills for the NSW Junior Chess League Winter Tournament in Orange on July 16.
For more information visit the Colour City Chess Club Facebook page.
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