Most male Saigonese can play chess or Chinese chess (cờ tướng) and commonly gather to play in coffee shops around Saigon. If you fancy a quiet place with less talk, more chess and an average cup of coffee, maybe the “chess coffee” on Thép Mới Street, Tân Bình District is suitable for you. This street-side chess cafe will not guarantee players fluent in English, but since chess is a language in itself, you’ll be just fine. Chinese chess is preferred.

Other places to play chess are:

Bookworm's Coffee

4 Do Quang, Pham Ngu Lao, D1

+84 28 3838 9487

Genius School of Chess

http://genichess.edu.vn/

20 Nguyen Ba Huan, Thao Dien, D2

+84 898 985 411

For information on activities in Saigon go to Gaming in Ho Chi Minh City