Should I join a chess club?
If you enjoy chess and want to play people rather than a screen, yes. A club gives you opponents at your level every week, players who can help you improve, and the chance to play team chess.
Online chess is quick and always available, but most online games are fast and anonymous. At a club you sit across the board from the same people week after week, play with a clock, and go through the game together afterwards. That is how most players improve.
A club also opens up competitive chess. Dún Laoghaire Chess Club runs blitz and rapid tournaments and a club championship, and has four teams in the Leinster leagues. You do not need a rating to play for a team.
If you are not sure, try it. Your first night is free, sets and clocks are provided, and there is normally someone at the club to welcome you and find you a game. We meet every Wednesday, 19:30–22:30, at the Eblana Club in Dún Laoghaire.