New Jersey State Chess Federation - NJSCF

08/04/2026

The New Jersey State Chess Federation joins the US Chess community in mourning the passing of FM William “Bill” Goichberg (1942–2026).

Bill’s decades of leadership, vision, and dedication transformed American chess through his work with US Chess and the Continental Chess Association. From pioneering scholastic chess to organizing many of the nation’s premier tournaments, his impact will be felt for generations to come.

Our thoughts are with Bill’s family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of FM William "Bill" Goichberg.

The founder of Continental Chess Association, Goichberg was an influential, innovative, and essential member of the American chess community for many decades. Read Continental Chess's statement here:

https://www.chesstour.com/

Photo: Goichberg in 1985 holding a beautiful inlaid chessboard gifted to him by Steve Doyle with an inscribed brass plate stating "to William Goichberg for Distinguished Service to Chess." Photo by Eddis from US Chess Digital Archives.

US Chess's statement: https://new.uschess.org/news/bill-goichberg-1942-2026

02/21/2026

🚨 NJSCF: TOURNAMENT SUSPENDED🚨

The 2026 New Jersey Elementary and Middle School Championships have been SUSPENDED due to the upcoming severe weather event.

We are currently reviewing all options regarding a potential new date and/or location for the event. We expect to provide an update within 48 hours.

Please continue to check your email and visit njscf.org for official updates as they become available.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. Stay safe.

— New Jersey State Chess Federation

02/04/2026

Now is the time to submit your favorite club to be nominated for this year's club of the year!

12/15/2025

New Jersey is proud of all our youth players who represented our great state this weekend in Spokane, Washington. NJ had top three finishers in 1st, 8th, & 9th grade.

A special congratulations to our New Jersey first grader, Lavin Donadi, who tied for first place with 6.5 out of 7 points.

Another special congratulations to Millburn High School students Bobby Qian, Ryan Zhu, and David Zhang, who captured the top team award for 9th-grade with 15/21 points.

Well done to US Chess and to the tournament directors and staff who help make these major events possible.

11/04/2025

Update: The NJTCL meeting has been moved to November 9 at 8pm to give more schools the opportunity to participate.

Are you affiliated with a New Jersey high school? Get involved with the New Jersery Teachers Chess League, a fun league in which chess clubs train teachers to play each other. Study well -- the school's honor is at stake.

10/21/2025

🎥 Live Grandmaster Commentary with WGM Sabina Foisor!

Tune in for NJSCF’s 140th Anniversary GM Invitational, a historic celebration of 140 years of New Jersey chess — streamed live from Morristown, NJ!

🎙 WGM Sabina Foisor will provide exclusive live commentary on every round at:
👉 twitch.tv/sabinafoisor

🗓 Tournament Schedule (Eastern Time)

♟️ Round 1: Wed, Oct 22 – 6:30 PM

♟️ Round 2: Thu, Oct 23 – 12:30 PM

♟️ Round 3: Thu, Oct 23 – 6:00 PM

♟️ Round 4: Fri, Oct 24 – 12:30 PM

♟️ Round 5: Fri, Oct 24 – 6:00 PM

♟️ Round 6: Sat, Oct 25 – 12:30 PM

♟️ Round 7: Sat, Oct 25 – 6:00 PM

♟️ Round 8: Sun, Oct 26 – 10:30 AM

♟️ Round 9 (Final): Sun, Oct 26 – 4:00 PM

🏆 Closing Ceremony: Sunday, Oct 26 — 30 minutes after the final round

Join us for world-class chess, live insights, and a celebration of NJ chess excellence!

10/20/2025

On October 20th the NJSCF and the chess world learned the tragic news of the passing of GM Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025). GM Naroditsky was a popular streamer and talented chess player. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time.

(Photo from US Chess via SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

10/19/2025

Are you affiliated with a New Jersey high school? Get involved with the New Jersery Teachers Chess League, a fun league in which chess clubs train teachers to play each other. Study well -- the school's honor is at stake.

10/14/2025

The New Jersey State Chess Federation (NJSCF) is helping out the Livingston High School Chess Club as they invite all New Jersey high school faculty advisors, club officers, and interested administrators to an informational session for the inaugural New Jersey Teachers’ Chess League (NJTCL).

Similar to PogChamps, the NJTCL is a unique statewide online chess league where high school teachers are mentored by their students and compete in a low-pressure, high-excitement tournament.

All games will be broadcast on Lichess with live commentary and analysis from experienced high school chess players around the state. The tournament will be in a Swiss format, with a rapid time control and a total of four rounds. Opposing schools will have their teachers play twice in each round.

We hope for the schools to start the mentorship schedule ASAP (in the winter) and the ultimate tournament in the Spring of 2026.

Why Attend?

NJTCL promotes a platform that allows high school chess clubs to simultaneously lead at their own schools and collaborate with others across New Jersey.

Prizes: All participating teachers and chess clubs will receive certificates and state recognition. The NJTCL Champion is awarded an official plaque, while the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive honorable mentions and a commemorative trophy.

Access to Materials: If your school needs chess sets, clocks, or other resources, the NJSCF can grant them.

Next Steps: Get all the details on the November schedule and the easy sign-up process for your school!

As of now, the NJTCL is planned for approximately 12 schools to keep the schedule manageable, but more schools may enter depending on interest. If your school is interested but is unable to attend the Informational Meeting, please let us know.

Information meeting: Sunday, November 2nd, 2025 at 8 pm.

For the online meeting link, contact Claire via Instagram at , or via e-mail at [email protected].

09/23/2025

Just a heads up that you advanced planners may want to start thinking about your teams for the World Team East next February. Regitration will begin December 1st.

Details along with a link for discounted hotel reservations is available on the NJSCF site here...

WORLD AMATEUR TEAM & U.S. TEAM EAST. 6SS, 40/100, SD/30 delay 5. Location: Parsippany Hilton, 1 Hilton Ct., Parsippany, N.J. 07054. Chess Rate valid until 1/17/26 Reserve Room