U.S. Chess Center

05/06/2026

Last month's DC Area-Wide Scholastic Tournament was a huge success. Nearly 200 students representing more than 100 schools registered for the event. Not only were DC, Maryland, and Virginia represented, nine students from Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, made the trek to compete. Berkeley Springs High School won the trophy for the top high school. Georgetown Day School in the District of Columbia was the top middle school, and Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, took top elementary school honors. We expect this to become an annual event.

https://chessctr.org/2026/04/29/area-wide-scholastic-is-a-huge-success/

Thanks also to The Big Chair Chess Club and DC Chess Association for their support of the event.

04/30/2026

We were pleased to sponsor the D.C. Area-Wide Scholastic Tournament, held on Saturday, April 25, at the Washington Convention Center downtown. It was nice that the The Big Chair Chess Club and the D.C. Chess Association contributed to the effort. Nearly 200 students representing more than 100 schools registered for the event.

Read more: https://chessctr.org/2026/04/29/area-wide-scholastic-is-a-huge-success/

03/30/2026

We agree!

Parents want their kids to develop skills that matter. Critical thinking. Focus. Emotional resilience. The ability to solve problems independently. Chess delivers all of this. In fact, recent resea…

02/25/2026

We're partnering with Montgomery County Recreation to offer a chess class at the Baurer Drive Community Recreation Center starting March 12th. Register here: https://mdmontgomeryctyweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=507196645

11/24/2025

We will not hold Saturday Open Play this weekend (SAT November 29th) due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

09/19/2025

Check out the latest from our blog "Notate": https://chessctr.org/2025/09/19/american-chess-magazine-worth-supporting/

Our founder, David Mehler, recommends American Chess Magazine. In its most recent issue ( #46) it published an article he wrote about the Alex Sherzer Memorial Mid-Atlantic Masters.

08/05/2025

Come join us for a FREE tournament for ALL AGES at Westfield Montgomery Mall this Saturday, August 9th starting at 12:00 Noon.

The U.S. Chess Center, in partnership with the Chess Alliance, is pleased to present a FREE chess tournament at Westfield Montgomery Mall in the Chess Lounge (see map below) from 12:15pm until 4:45pm on Saturday, August 9th. There is no cost to participate in this tournament and players may play one or more games. There will be two sections for this tournament: A Youth Section ( #1) for Rising 8th graders and younger [0-13 years old]; and a High School / Adult Section ( #2) for Rising 9th graders and older, including adults [14 - 100+ years old]. We will present awards to the top players. Space is limited, however, so please register in advance and arrive by 12:00pm to ensure your place. Drop-ins and on-site registration will be allowed; however, we can only accommodate a maximum of 50 players at a time.

Pre-register here: https://register.chessctr.org/a/westfieldmontgomery

05/08/2025

REGISTER NOW for Summer 2025 Chess Day Camps
Learn chess with the most experienced chess teachers available

https://chessctr.org/summercamps/

Camp Week #1: June 23 – June 27, 2025
Orange Hunt Elementary School in Springfield, VA
Rising Grades 2-7 (All Levels: Beginners to Advanced)

Camp Week #2: June 30 – July 3, 2025 [ No Camp on July 4th ]
Takoma Park Middle School in Takoma Park, MD (Map)
Rising Grades 3-9 (All Levels: Beginners to Advanced)

Camp Week #3: July 7 – July 11, 2025
Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean, VA (Map)
Rising Grades 2-7 (Beginners to Intermediate)

Camp Week #4: July 14 – July 18, 2025
Colvin Run Elementary School in Vienna, VA (Map)
Rising Grades 3-9 (Intermediate to Advanced)

Camp Week #5: July 21 – July 25, 2025
Haycock Elementary School in Falls Church, VA (Map)
Rising Grades 3-9 (Intermediate to Advanced)

Camp Week #6: July 28 – August 1, 2025
Greenbriar West Elementary School in Fairfax, VA (Map)
Rising Grades 3-9 (All Levels: Beginners to Advanced)

Our Summer Chess Day Camps consist of chess instruction and play, as well as recreational activities. Camp starts at 9:00am ET and ends at 3:00pm ET. Aftercare (until 5:00pm ET) is available for an added fee. Campers will need to bring/pack a bag lunch each day. Since 1992, we have been providing challenging instruction and making chess fun for students. Our nationally certified chess teachers are experienced with all levels of ability. Camp will be challenging and interesting for all and our focus is on improving chess skills through practice and lessons. The teachers place more emphasis on learning than on winning. Good sportsmanship is the key to having fun.

Thousands of students have participated in our camps, with many enjoying camp so much that they return year after year and dozens continue to play at a master level. Our students have won more than a dozen national championships, hundreds have earned academic college scholarships, and more than 20 have become national masters. There will be about one teacher per ten students and enrollment is usually capped at about 32 campers for each week. Depending on the week and camp location, students rising into grades 2-7 or grades 3-9 are welcome.

https://chessctr.org/summercamps/

04/27/2025

Players have started coming to the chess tent at the Kensington Day of the Book Festival.

Until 4:00

01/29/2025

Announcing a new FREE afternoon chess class for students in grades 2-8 at the Bauer Drive Recreation Center in Rockville, MD on Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00pm starting February 6th.

The program is free to Montgomery County students in grades 2-8. Space is limited and registration is required.

Register now at: https://mdmontgomeryctyweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=377129438

01/06/2025

We are excited to announce a new program -- for adults -- in partnership with the Friends of Cleveland Park Library and the DC Public Library:

Cleveland Park Library Chess Club for Adults
Wednesdays: January 8 - May 28, 2025
5:30 - 6:30pm

Come learn and play chess at Cleveland Park Library (CPL) on Wednesdays from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. This program is only for adults and is made possible with the support of the Friends of Cleveland Park Library and the DC Public Library.

If you are new to chess and will be learning with us, we expect you at all club meetings, as lessons build from the previous lessons. However, casual and experienced players are welcome any time to play or get help improving their skills.

Chess Club for Adults is free, but space is limited, and registration is required.

REGISTER for the CPL Chess Club for Adults here: