US Chess

05/12/2026

We love to see US Chess-affiliated clubs featured in the local news! Thanks to the Cape Gazette for featuring the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Chess Club, which meets at the Lewes Public Library in Delaware's cape region.

This new club was put together earlier this year by local Realtor Ellis Richman, who learned about a chess club at a nearby library and asked why his town didn't have its own club. This attitude is what we need to we love.

On a cold Saturday at the beginning of May, kids and adults alike sat down in the Lewes Public Library and had themselves a nice game of chess. The chess days are put on by the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Chess Club. Anyone willing to play is free to drop in. The man behind the new club is local Realto...

05/12/2026

FM Megan Paragua won the Southeastern Regional Women's and Girls' Chess Championship on Saturday, May 9. Thanks to a US Chess grant, the regional event offered an enticing prize fund that attracted participants from around the country, including Paragua (NY) and Dr. Alexey Root, WIM, from Texas. Root wrote about her experiences in the Metro Atlanta area and the collaborative spirit of this event. Read more on Chess Life Online (link in comments). Photos by Alexey Root.

05/10/2026

The 2026 National Middle School (K-8) Championship will take place May 15–17 at the Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Round Rock, TX.

One of this year’s featured guests is Grandmaster Julio Sadorra, 2013 U.S. Open Co-Champion and four-time member of the Philippines Olympiad Team, where he competed on Board 1 in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2024. GM Sadorra currently serves as Director and Head Coach of the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) chess program, mentoring international titled players as they balance high-level chess and academic achievement.

Throughout the championship weekend, participants will have the opportunity to attend exclusive Grandmaster events, including simultaneous exhibitions, lectures, and “All Comers” Blitz events. If you are on site, stop by!

Featured GM Julio Sadorra Events:

Friday
• Simul Exhibition — 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM — Kalahari Ballroom E
• “All Comers” Blitz — 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM — Kalahari Ballroom E

Saturday
• Lecture: The Science of Defense — 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM — Cypress
• “All Comers” Blitz — 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM — Kalahari Ballroom E

Sunday
• Lecture: Facing Chess Giants — 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Cypress
• “All Comers” Blitz — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM — Kalahari Ballroom E

For tournament information, registration, and event details, visit:
https://new.uschess.org/nms-championships-2026

05/08/2026

Over 70 girls competed in the first Fremont All-Girls Chess Championship in Fremont, CA on April 26.

Thanks to a grant from the US Chess Women's program, the organizers were able to offer all participants — including 14 girls playing in their first-ever rated tournament — free entry.

Now on Chess Life Online, read Chief TD Pranavi Pramod's report on her experiences organizing this event, which featured special guests from FEMchess, numerous coaches, and even a former mayor of Fremont!

Did we mention that Pranavi is only 13 years old, making her one of the youngest TDs in the country?

05/06/2026

Curious about some of the discussions taking place at this year's Delegates Meeting? In Tim Just's latest column, he takes a look at some proposed changes to the rulebook.

https://new.uschess.org/news/just-rules-rulebook-wanna-bes

The 2026 U.S. Open is less than three months away! If you will be representing your state as a delegate, now is time to submit any advance motions.

Please submit your Advance Delegate Motions (ADMs) for the 2026 Advance Agenda by May 8, 2026 by 5 p.m. EDT.

05/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the record-breaking National Elementary School Chess Championship this past weekend in Baltimore.

Our full report, with pictures of all our new national individual and team champions, is now available on CLO. Keep an eye out for even more photos from the awards ceremonies.

Pictured are our eight individual champions and co-champions. Top: Winsley Wu, Grant Weyman, WFM Aimee Yang, and Steven Liu (K-6 co-champions), and Aarav Karthik (K-5) champion. Bottom: Mehmet Yilanli (K-3 champion), and K-1 co-champions Aidan Wang and Isaac Xiong.

05/05/2026

From May 1-3, the 2026 National Elementary Championships brought together over 2,600 of the country’s best young chess players for one of the biggest scholastic tournaments of the year. Those three days at the Baltimore Convention Center were a great look at why these events matter: Thousands of children ages 5-12 got to compete on a national stage and make new friends from other parts of the country all while immersing themselves in their favorite pastime.

All weekend, these kids were analyzing their games with their coaches, friends, and Silver Knights Chess Academy Staff. They were waiting in line for an hour for a chance to play one of our special guest grandmasters. Chess boards were a fixture at tables at every restaurant in the Inner Harbor. Everywhere you turned, there was more chess!

There was plenty to do outside of the main tournament hall. The National Elementary Blitz and Bughouse Championships kept things moving fast, and several special guests joined us throughout the weekend. GM Elshan Moradiabadi and WGM Katerina Nemcova ran a tandem simul and multiple "All Comers Blitz" events. IM Danny Rensch stayed busy with a lecture and book signing, while WGM Jennifer Shahade also did a simul and signed books for the kids. In the Girls Club Room, guests WFM Laura Smith and Rochelle Ballantyne played games, coached players, and taught lessons that ensured every girl in the tournament had a safe, supportive environment. For those who weren't in Baltimore, WGM Sabina Foisor provided commentary and analysis of the games on the US Chess Twitch channel (twitch.tv/uschess) and for Chess Life Online (https://new.uschess.org/2026-scholastics).

We want to thank all the players, parents, and coaches who made the trip, along with the tournament directors and volunteers who kept the event running. Thanks also to everyone watching the livestream. Your presence helped create a great environment for the competition.

Finally, thanks to our sponsors, Silver Knights Chess Academy and GT Anywhere, for supporting this championship. If your organization is interested in supporting future national events, you can reach us at [email protected].

📸 Caroline King

05/04/2026

The 2026 U.S. Open is less than three months away! If you will be representing your state as a delegate, now is time to submit any advance motions.

Please submit your Advance Delegate Motions (ADMs) for the 2026 Advance Agenda by May 8, 2026 by 5 p.m. EDT.

05/03/2026

Flash Report: 2,535 players competed in the 2026 National Elementary School Championships from May 1-3 in Baltimore, MD. Eight players and five schools won national championships across four grade-based (K-6, K-5, K-3, and K-1) sections.

Players and teams from New York combined for seven national championships, and New York players made up over 48% of the overall field!

05/03/2026

Attention attendees: Join us in Hall EF for a special book signing/meet and greet with US Chess Ambassador WGM Jennifer Shahade at 1 p.m.