Capital Pool Checkers – Washington, D.C. - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place
Capital Pool Checkers is permanently closed.

AO Edited

Capital Pool Checkers

Washington, D.C.

The former home of elite checkers battles of the Capital Pool Checkers Club.  

View all photos
Original location at 813 S St., NW. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Original location at 813 S St., NW. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
New home at 1750 Columbia Avenue. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Original location at 813 S St., NW. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
34
51
Top Places in Washington, D.C.
Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega
Washington, D.C.
Watergate Steps
Washington, D.C.
The Old Patent Model Museum
Washington, D.C.
 See All

Founded in 1982 by a group of players looking to build community, the Capital Pool Checkers Club expanded from a nearby barbershop into the space it called home near the corner of 9th and S streets in Northwest Washington D.C.

Initially, club members played anyone they wished in a casual format. However, over time the club evolved and players were separated into divisions based on their skill level. Competition was friendly, yet fierce.

The club now boasts some of the most formidable players on the circuit with a full panoply of colorful nicknames, such as “The Shark,” “The Hawk,” “Butt Kicker,” “Champion,” and “The Razor,” club president Talmadge Roberts. According to Roberts, players are often better known by their handles than their actual names.

The club lost its home in March 2021 when the landlord decided to sell the property but the organization was taken in by an educational non-profit. The group allowed the club to rent space in a vacant storefront on the ground floor of the building it owns on Columbia Road in Adams Morgan.

Know Before You Go

As of October 2021, the original location at 813 S St. NW is still standing and features a black and white checkers mural that is worth a look.

clubs games sports history & culture
Nearby
Howard Theatre
0.15 miles
'Encore'
0.18 miles
Edwin P. Goodwin House
0.18 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Howard Theatre.
Washington, D.C.

Howard Theatre

Through the decades, Black music stars have performed at this historic hub for music and the arts.
'Encore'
Washington, D.C.

'Encore'

Washington D.C.'s most famous pianist, composer, and bandleader still tickles the ivories outside Howard Theater.
Edwin P. Goodwin House
Washington, D.C.

Edwin P. Goodwin House

This house was once the location of Frelinghuysen University.
Evans-Tibbs House
Washington, D.C.

Evans-Tibbs House

The former home of Lillian Evans Tibbs and her grandson, Thurlow Evans Tibbs Jr., whose prodigious contributions to music and art spanned more than 90 years.
Related Places
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Birthplace of Sports Illustrated Monument

The story of the country’s most famous sports magazine began at a historic Myrtle Beach golf club.
The playing fields
Durham, England

"Cat" Ball Court

These courts are the only ones of their kind in the world, made for a unique ball game that dates back to the 1700s.
View of the Ping Pong club from the street at night.
Atlanta, Georgia

Switchyards Ping Pong Stadium

The only subterranean ping pong table in Atlanta.
The manicured green
San Francisco, California

Golden Gate Park Lawn Bowling Club

The oldest lawn bowling club in the United States.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web