Event Overview
CHESS WARRIORS, GET READY.
THE METROS NYC K–12 CHAMPIONSHIP IS BACK IN TIMES SQUARE!
2nd Annual New York Metro Area Scholastic Chess Championships
January 2–3, 2027
New York Marriott Marquis • Times Square
Exciting news for Official Chess®! The organizer of the Metros is now a Delegate to the US Chess Federation, nominated by the New York State Chess Association.
Following our historic inaugural event, which drew nearly 1,450 players to the heart of Manhattan, we are back for Year Two!
Thousands of young chess competitors will gather at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square for an unforgettable weekend of championship chess. Whether you are a kindergartener playing in your first rated tournament or an elite high school player competing for a Championship title, the Metros offers an extraordinary weekend of competition, learning, community and growth.
With 17 sections ranging from absolute beginners to Master level players from across the country, there is a section at the Metros for every scholastic chess player.
FOLLOW OFFICIAL CHESS® ON INSTAGRAM
https://www.instagram.com/officialchessglobal/
SECURE YOUR TICKETS NOW ↓
https://officialchess.org/event/2027-new-york-metro-area-scholastic-chess-championships-saturday-sunday-january-2-3-2027/
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Eligibility: Open to K–12 students from anywhere.
Eligibility By Section:
- High School Sections: Grades K–12
- Middle School Sections: Grades K–8
- Elementary Sections: Grades K–5
- Primary Sections: Grades K–3
- K–1 Sections: Grades K–1
PRE-SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY
Per US Chess Federation scholastic guidelines, pre-schoolers may play in any “K–X” section. Pre-schoolers may continue to play as Kindergartners or in K–X sections in subsequent years until they start first grade.
Location: New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square • 1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
Dates: Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3, 2027
FORMAT
17 TOTAL SECTIONS
Customized for every age, grade and rating. Choose the experience that best fits your player.
5 CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONS • TWO DAYS
6-round Swiss System • G/70 d5 • Saturday and Sunday
Open to any rating for the full Championship experience.
12 UNDER SECTIONS • ONE DAY
5-round Swiss System • G/30 d5 • Rating-capped sections
Play either Saturday or Sunday. You can also play on both Saturday and Sunday in two separate Under sections if you are eligible.
Half-Point Byes: Maximum of 2. Half-point byes must be requested before the start of Round 2.
TEAM ROOMS
SCHOOLS, ACADEMIES, COACHES & TEAM ORGANIZERS: PLEASE RESERVE EARLY!
Based on demand at previous tournaments, all the Team Rooms WILL sell out. Please email Click here to show mail address as soon as possible to reserve a space for your team.
Secure a dedicated private or shared space where players, coaches and families can gather between rounds, review games, prepare, eat, relax and celebrate.
Official Chess® will do everything possible to accommodate as many schools, academies and teams as we can.
- Private Team Rooms accommodating approximately 60–85 people
- Larger private Team Rooms accommodating approximately 120 people
- Rooms that may be combined for larger groups
- Shared arrangements for smaller teams when appropriate
Team Rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Email Click here to show mail address to reserve your Team Room.
NY MARRIOTT MARQUIS OVERNIGHT ROOM RATES
Special tournament hotel room rates are TBD and will be announced once finalized.
Please check event page back for updates or follow Official Chess® on Instagram for the latest hotel information.
ALL-STAR CAST
The tournament is under the direction of one of the most qualified and distinguished tournament teams available.
Sunil Weeramantry
Special Tournament Advisor
Founder, National Scholastic Chess Foundation • NY State Chess Association Hall of Fame • Former Chair, US Chess Federation Scholastic & Education Committees
David Hater
Chief Tournament Director • 2,800+ sections TDed
Executive Board Member, US Chess Federation • Senior Executive, Continental Chess Association • US Chess National TD • FIDE International Arbiter • Retired Army Colonel
Jabari McGreen
National Tournament Director • Thousands of sections TDed
Charles Hatherill
National Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed
FIDE National Arbiter • International Arbiter
Stephen Lorimor
National Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed
FIDE National Arbiter
Noreen Harkins Davisson
Senior Tournament Director • 3,600+ sections TDed
FIDE National Arbiter
Hector Rodriguez
Club Tournament Director • 850+ sections TDed
President, The Right Move Chess Federation
Ronald Young
Local Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed
Mikhail Koganov
Local Tournament Director • 100+ sections TDed
Vice President, Connecticut State Chess Association
Brandon De La Rosa
Club Tournament Director • 250+ sections TDed
…and more to come!
COACHES CORNER
NO PERSONAL COACH? NO TEAM ROOM? WE HAVE YOU COVERED!
Upgrade your registration to “Entry PLUS” at checkout.
You do not have to come from a huge chess program or school to enjoy the benefits of on-site coaching.
Dedicated Master-level players and professional coaches will be on site in the Coaches Corner to provide real-time game reviews, strategic insights and personalized advice between rounds.
- Gain real-time insights while your moves and reasoning are still fresh.
- Identify critical mistakes and missed opportunities before your very next round.
- Turn each tournament game into an immediate learning opportunity while building both short-term results and long-term chess skills.
The Masters (Subject to change at any time)
John Fedorowicz
World Chess Hall of Fame Grandmaster • Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School Chess Coach
Jon Edwards
Current Correspondence Chess World Champion • Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
Jay Bonin
International Master • The Indisputable Iron Man of Chess
Eric Fleischman
Original Life Master • Candidate Master • National Master
Abimbola “Ayo” Osunfuyi
FIDE Master • National Master
…and more to come!
🎟 ENTRY COSTS
☀️ CURRENT PRICING • SUMMER EARLY BIRD
Through September 30, 2026
Basic:
$100 one-day / $125 two-day
Entry PLUS, including Coaches Corner:
$140 one-day / $185 two-day
SUMMER EARLY BIRD PRICING WILL BE THE LOWEST ENTRY PRICING OFFERED FOR THE 2027 METROS.
There will not be a lower promotional price later. Families who register on or before September 30, 2026 can lock in the best available pricing for the tournament.
SUMMER EARLY BIRD BONUS: Anyone purchasing on or before September 30, 2026 will not be subject to the $15 cancellation/refund fee if they later need to cancel, provided the cancellation request is received before the November 15, 2026 refund deadline.
Register early with added flexibility while securing the lowest prices that will be offered.
Prices will increase after Septemebr 30, 2026. Check event page for schedule which is subject to change.
IMPORTANT - PLAYING IN MULTIPLE SECTIONS
Playing in TWO Under sections, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, WILL BE ALLOWED.
Please treat them as two separate tickets and purchase the entries separately.
Players competing in any of the two-day Championship sections will be limited to that one section for the weekend.
RATINGS
December 2026 Published US Chess Regular Ratings will be used.
Unrated players are allowed in all sections.
SECTIONS, TIME CONTROLS & ROUND START TIMES
TWO-DAY CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONS
| Section | Time Control | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Championship | G/70 d5 | Sat 9:30 AM | Sat 1:00 PM | Sat 4:00 PM | Sun 9:00 AM | Sun 12:30 PM | Sun 3:30 PM |
| Middle School Championship | G/70 d5 | Sat 9:30 AM | Sat 1:00 PM | Sat 4:00 PM | Sun 9:00 AM | Sun 12:30 PM | Sun 3:30 PM |
| Elementary Championship | G/70 d5 | Sat 9:30 AM | Sat 1:00 PM | Sat 4:00 PM | Sun 9:00 AM | Sun 12:30 PM | Sun 3:30 PM |
| Primary Championship | G/70 d5 | Sat 9:30 AM | Sat 1:00 PM | Sat 4:00 PM | Sun 9:00 AM | Sun 12:30 PM | Sun 3:30 PM |
| K–1 Championship | G/70 d5 | Sat 9:30 AM | Sat 1:00 PM | Sat 4:00 PM | Sun 9:00 AM | Sun 12:30 PM | Sun 3:30 PM |
Awards: Approximately 7:00 PM Sunday
SATURDAY-ONLY UNDER SECTIONS
| Section | Time Control | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School U1700 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Middle School U1300 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Middle School U900 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Primary U1000 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Primary U600 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| K–1 U400 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
Awards: Approximately 6:00 PM Saturday
SUNDAY-ONLY UNDER SECTIONS
| Section | Time Control | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School U1800 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| High School U1400 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| High School U1000 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Elementary U1500 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Elementary U1100 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Elementary U700 | G/30 d5 | 9:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
Awards: Approximately 6:00 PM Sunday
LATENESS & WITHDRAWALS
Players are allowed up to 30 minutes of lateness.
After that time, the player will be considered a no-show and will forfeit the game for that round.
The forfeiting player will also be considered withdrawn from the tournament and will not be paired for the following round unless the player or parent contacts Chess Control before the next round's pairings are posted.
AWARDS
EVERY PLAYER RECEIVES KEEPSAKES TO MEMORIALIZE THEIR HARD WORK
EVERY PLAYER RECEIVES A FULL-SIZED CUSTOM RECOGNITION MEDAL WITH SPINNING INSERT!
EVERY PLAYER RECEIVES A FREE PACK OF OFFICIAL CHESS® TRADING CARDS!
Additional packs will be available for purchase from Chess Control.
INDIVIDUAL PODIUM TROPHIES
The number of podium trophies awarded in each section will be based on the size of that section.
Larger sections will receive more podium trophies, allowing us to appropriately recognize outstanding performances while accounting for the number of players competing in each division.
Every podium trophy will be a Championship-caliber triple-post design or larger.
The final number of podium trophies awarded in each section will be announced based on registration levels.
TIE TROPHIES
Individual players who finish with the same score as the final podium trophy winner in their section but place lower due to tiebreaks will still receive a special “Tie For” Trophy.
For example, if podium trophies are awarded through 25th place, any additional player who finishes with the same score as the 25th-place trophy winner will receive a “Tie For 25th Place” Trophy, regardless of final tiebreak position.
Official rankings will continue to use the published tiebreak system, while exceptional tournament scores are still recognized.
In accordance with US Chess Federation scholastic guidelines, “Tie For” Trophies and Class Prize Trophies must be picked up at Chess Control and will not be presented during the formal Awards Ceremony.
“Tie For” Trophies and Class Prize Trophies apply only to Individual Awards and do not apply to Team Awards.
CLASS PRIZES
Class Prize trophies will be awarded to the top 2 eligible players at each threshold, using tiebreaks.
In each Under section, there will be up to three rating thresholds, stepping down in 200-point increments below the section ceiling.
For example, the High School U1800 section will award Class Prize trophies to the top two eligible players at:
- Under 1600
- Under 1400
- Under 1200
Players who receive a Podium Trophy are not eligible for an additional Class Prize Trophy.
CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION CLASS PRIZE THRESHOLDS
High School Championship: Under 1800 • Under 1600 • Under 1400
Middle School Championship: Under 1700 • Under 1500 • Under 1300
Elementary Championship: Under 1700 • Under 1500 • Under 1300
Primary Championship: Under 1400 • Under 1200 • Under 1000
K–1 Championship: Under 800 • Under 600 • Under 400
IMPORTANT: These ratings are used only to determine Class Prize trophies. They are NOT rating restrictions for entering Championship sections. Every Championship section is open to all eligible players regardless of rating.
“Tie For” and Class Prize Trophies must be picked up at Chess Control and will not be presented during the formal Awards Ceremony.
TEAM AWARDS
- Scoring: Top 4 individual scores from each school. Teams of 2 or 3 are welcome but will naturally be at a scoring disadvantage.
- Team Podium Trophies: At least 5 will be awarded in every section, with more added based on the number of participating teams.
- Top Team Trophies: 50-inch quadruple-post designs built for school display.
- Individual Keepsakes: Members of winning teams will also receive smaller commemorative trophies to take home.
“Tie For” Trophies and Class Prize Trophies are Individual Awards only and do not apply to Team Awards.
BONUS WINNER PRIZES
Top finishers in every section will receive discounts toward entry into the following year's Metros:
- 1st Place: 25% off entry fees
- 2nd through 5th Place: 15% off
- 6th through 10th Place: 10% off
Discounts are calculated from the following year's Early Bird pricing.
CANCELLATIONS & CHANGES
To keep this massive championship running smoothly and on time, please submit all adjustments as early as possible. Deadlines are strictly enforced.
SECTION CHANGES
- Through November 30, 2026: Free
- December 1 through December 26: $20 section change fee
- December 27 through December 31: $40 section change fee
NO SECTION CHANGES WILL BE PERMITTED AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2026. NO EXCEPTIONS.
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
- Standard Refund Policy: $15 cancellation/refund fee
- Summer Early Bird Exception: Anyone who purchased on or before September 30, 2026 will not be charged the $15 cancellation/refund fee, provided the cancellation request is received by the refund deadline.
- Final Refund Deadline: December 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET
NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED AFTER DECEMBER 15, 2026 AT 12:00 PM ET.
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES
- Boards and pieces will be provided. Please bring your own chess clocks.
- Notation books are permitted.
Notation is required for all sections EXCEPT K–1 U400 and K–1 Championship.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electronic devices include cell phones, smart watches, tablets, computers and other devices capable of communication or chess analysis.
Before each round begins, all electronic devices must be completely turned off and stored in a bag or placed face-up on the table.
Silent, vibrate and airplane modes do not qualify as off.
Once the round begins, players may not use or carry electronic devices during their game, including while leaving the tournament room or using the restroom.
Devices may only be turned back on after the player has completely exited the tournament room.
ONE-WAY TRACKING DEVICES: One-way tracking devices, including AirTags and certain wrist trackers, may be permitted but are subject to inspection by tournament staff.
- A.I. or any electronic eyeglasses are strictly prohibited in tournament rooms. Please bring non-electronic glasses if prescription lenses are medically needed.
PARENT & CHAPERONE GUIDELINES
- Parents are not allowed in tournament rooms during games. Please do not open tournament-room doors while games are in progress, as doing so can disrupt players.
- Parents must actively chaperone children between rounds.
K–5 HOLDING AREA
For the safety of all young participants, staff will be stationed at the K–5 Holding Area for any young player who cannot find a parent and is not comfortable walking back to the Team or Skittles Room alone.
If a parent cannot be located, staff will contact the parent to alert them that their child has completed the game.
Please keep your cell phone on and accessible throughout the tournament and make sure your child has your phone number written down, such as in their notation book.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
By registering your child for the tournament, you acknowledge and agree that photographs and/or video footage may be taken during the event by authorized staff, media representatives or partners for promotional and educational purposes.
These images and videos may be used, without compensation, in publications, promotional materials, websites and social media platforms associated with the New York Metro Area Scholastic Chess Championships, Official Chess®, its organizers and affiliated partners.
PLAYER NAMES & RESULTS
All players will have their names displayed in tournament results and reports, as is customary with any US Chess Federation rated event.
ENTRY & SAFE PLAY
Official Chess® reserves the right to refuse entry or revoke any registration at its sole discretion, or as required or permitted under applicable US Chess rules and regulations, including Safe Play policies and sanctions.
Updated US Chess Sanction List
TIEBREAK METHODS
Rankings are determined using standard US Chess tiebreak systems in the following order:
1) Modified Median
Total opponent scores, with appropriate adjustments for byes and withdrawals, while disregarding the least-significant, typically lowest-scoring, opponent.
The player with the highest total has, in theory, faced opponents with the strongest overall tournament performance.
2) Solkoff
Total opponent scores, including all opponents.
3) Cumulative
The sum of the player's running tournament score after each round.
Because each round's score is added to previous rounds, players who score points earlier in the tournament generally receive a higher Cumulative score than players who earn the same number of points later.
4) Opponents Cumulative
Sum of opponents' cumulative scores.
Individual events only. Not applicable for Team tiebreaks.
5) Coin Flip
DON't MISS OUT ON THE BIGGEST CHESS EVENT IN NYC
The inaugural Metros showed just how special this tournament can be when the scholastic chess community comes together in one of the greatest venues in the world.
Now it is time for Year Two.
More players.
More schools.
More academies.
More teams.
More chess.
On January 2–3, 2027, thousands of Chess Warriors are taking over Times Square again.
We cannot wait to see you there!
1535 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
United States