More than 50 chess players packed the Livingston Senior/Community Center on Aug. 15 to celebrate four years of Chess & Bagels. The free weekly program pairs Saturday morning competition with fresh bagels, and the anniversary drew a crowd of all ages.
The milestone brought a special guest: grandmaster Mackenzie "Mac" Molner, a Montclair native who challenged players to blitz games throughout the morning, the West Essex Tribune reported. Trivia contests ran between matches, and every attendee left with a prize.
Bagel Nosh, the Livingston shop on West Mount Pleasant Avenue, supplied the food.
Molner earned his grandmaster title in 2013 and has won the New Jersey State Chess Championship twice, in 2008 and 2017. He runs the GMac Chess Academy, which serves communities including Millburn and Short Hills, according to his academy's website.
A weekly tradition
Livingston residents Inna Yelisevich and her husband, Slav Levin, founded Chess & Bagels in 2022. The couple was honored by the Livingston Township Council after the program's third anniversary, according to a township Facebook post.
The group now averages about 50 players each Saturday. "I get fresh bagels from a local bagel shop every time," Yelisevich said in an April profile in the New Jersey Jewish News, describing the routine she and Levin have kept up week after week.
The program's Facebook group lists more than 1,500 members. A suggested donation of $5 helps cover bagels and coffee.
How to join
Chess & Bagels meets every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave. All ages and skill levels are welcome. The center's Recreation & Senior Services office can be reached at 973-535-7925.
Upcoming community events
- Chess & Bagels, Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave. Free; $5 suggested donation for bagels and coffee.
- Free arts program for special needs residents, ongoing in Livingston. Details at the township Recreation & Senior Services office.
