Celebrate National Chess Day!

Update September 14, 2023: See the bottom of this article for a list of events held on National Chess Day, and please contact us if you would like your event listed here.

This year’s National Chess Day falls on Saturday, October 14. As an individual, community club, nonprofit, small business, or state affiliate, there are many ways to express your love for chess! Host a tournament, a special club meeting, a chess festival, a community lesson, volunteer locally, or just play a game or two with friends. Connect with us to share your event details, see what others are doing, and find ideas and resources.

For any event that includes “National Chess Day” in the event title and is held on October 14, US Chess is offering:

• A free email blast. Make sure that “National Chess Day” is part of your subject line. On the payment screen, select “No charge.” Also, make sure the demographic you are sending this to is reasonable; generally, this will be local or regional. Do not send to the entire membership.
• Free ratings fees. Use the payment code NCD2023FREE. This is case sensitive.
• Free online TLA. Online TLAs are always free, of course, not just for National Chess Day. But we want to make sure you are aware of this option too as you promote your event. See “How to Create a TLA” on this page.  

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Photo by Scott Wilhelm

National Chess Days Past: In 2015, Madison City Chess League in Alabama observed their National Chess Day weekend by inviting GM Alexander Stripunsky to Huntsville (known as Space City) to give a simultaneous under the Saturn V Rocket at the US Space and Rocket Center's Davidson Center for Space Exploration.  

Another way to celebrate National Chess Day is by making a gift to US Chess! What better way to celebrate National Chess Day than by sharing your passion and love for the game? Your donation will help ensure that the chess programs and events that you care so much about will continue for years to come and advance our mission to “empower people, enrich lives, and enhance communities through chess.” To make a tax-deductible gift to US Chess, just click on DONATE at uschess.org, and choose the program or fund that you would like to support. Thank you for the impact you are making on so many lives, and for your commitment to US Chess!

Please feel free to send your best photos to our Communications team through John Hartmann for possible use in Chess Life, Chess Life Kids, and Chess Life Online. On social media, use the hashtag #NationalChessDay.

Please direct any questions to Dan Lucas. Here’s to a successful National Chess Day for all! 

National Chess Day Events

Note: all events are October 14 unless otherwise noted

Gulf Coast October Open, A National Chess Day Event
October 13-15, 2023
Event site: Embassy Suites Hotel 
Address: 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive, Estero, FL 33928 
Email: Click here to show email address
Website: http://www.bocachess.com 

Fairbanks National Chess Day Tournament
Event site: University of Alaska, Wood Center, Carol Brown Ballroom 
Address: 1731 S Chandalar, Fairbanks, AK 99709 
Email: Click here to show email address 
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ChessFairbanks/ 

2023 FSCL National Chess Day
Event site: Hialeah Gardens High School 
Address: 11700 Hialeah Gardens Blvd, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018 
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 786 755 3725 
Website: https://www.fsclchess.org

Emmorten National Chess Day Tournament
October 14-15, 2023
Event site: Bel Air Armory
Address: 37 N Main St, Bel Air, MD 21014
Website: https://emmortonrec.com/activities/chess/?la-experienceLevel=Chess&la-hasCustomFilters=true 
Email:  Click here to show email address

Farmington Open Chess Tournament
Event site: Farmington Community Center
Address: 127 Middle St, Farmington, Maine 04938
Email: Click here to show email address
Website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRodKUTIYFvIR-BklkpUVOl-wkndVeM04T_iU5I7fobJpqoA/viewform 

First Annual Tulane Quick Championship
Event site: Kendall Cram Room, Lavin-Bernick Center, Tulane University
Email: Click here to show email address
Website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/tulanequick 

6th Annual Women & Girls Regional Chess Tournament
Event site: Washington Hilton Hotel
Address: 1919 Connecticut Avenue Washington,DC. 20009
Email: Click here to show email address
Website: https://chessempowersgirls.org/tournament-registration 

3rd Annual Susan E. Kantor Fall Open National Chess Day Chess Tournament
Address: 1398 Livingston Road, Crossville, TN 38555
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: (931) 200-9038
Website: http://www.cumberlandcountychessclub.org

2023 Illinois Quick Chess Championship
Event Site: Joliet Junior College, Building J, lower floor.
Address: 1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 8156505960
Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/squarehopperchessevents/

2023 National Chess Day Scholastic
Event Site: Riverchase Galleria - Food Court
Address: 2000 Riverchase Galleria Birmingham, AL 35244
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 3348680271
Website: http://www.CaesarChess.com

Scholastic and Open National Chess Day Event
Event Site: Scooter’s Coffee
Address: 1515 S 204th St STE 101,Elkhorn, NE 68022
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 6303623047
Website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/ChessRockerzT10

Scholastic Chess and Quads at Meadowdale Public Library
Address: 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield, VA
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 7578464805
Website: http://www.vachess.org

Elizabethtown National Chess Day Tournament
Event Site: Family Buffet
Address: 121 Towne Drive, Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 12702723061
Website: https://new.uschess.org/elizabethtown-national-chess-day

National Chess Day Scholastic
Event Site: Houston Chess Studio
Address: 250 Patton St, Suite H HOUSTON, TX 77009
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 281-844-4139
Website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/OctScholastic

1st UVM Fall Open
Event Site: Old Mill #325
Address: 94 University Pl. Burlington, VT 05405
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 802-380-6791
Website: Register here 

Summit Chess Club Tournament
Event Site: More details coming soon
Address: Carmel, Indiana
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 4632480190
Website: https://facebook.com/iNikhilMurugan

43rd Allegheny Chess Congress
Event Site: Levinson B Conference Hall
Address: 5738 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 412-421-1881
Website: https://pittsburghchessclub.org/event/43rd-allegheny-chess-congress/

1st Annual Annapolis National Chess Day Tournament
Event Site: American Legion Post 141
Address:  1707 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401  
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 2025579516
Website: https://new.uschess.org/1st-annual-annapolis-national-chess-day-tournament

2023 Farmington Open
Event Site: Farmington Community Center
Address: 127 Middle St, Farmington, ME 04938
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 7192352672
Website: http://www.farmingtonchess.org

2023 Downtown Memphis National Chess Day Tournament
Event Site: Memphis Chess Club
Address: 195 Madison Ave Suite 101, Memphis, TN 38103
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 7318685755
Website: https://www.memphischessclub.com/

National Chess Day at the $3,000 North Central Open
Event Site: Country Inn & Suites
Address: 1250 S. Moorland Rd, Brookfield, WI
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 262-782-1400
Website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/2023NCO

Chess In 1 Day
Event Site: Teachers College, Columbia University
Address: 525 W 120th Street New York, NY 10027
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tc-reunites-tickets-692001935417
Email: Click here to show email address
Site: chessin1day.com

Spirit and Soul Festival National Chess Day Tournament
Event Site: Macdonald Avenue Richmond, CA
Website: click here

Sequoyah K-12 Open
Event Site: Sequoyah High School
Address: 17091 S Muskogee Ave, Tahlequah, OK 74464
Email: Click here to show email address
Website: https://www.ochess.org/tournaments/k12october

2023 Thad Rogers Georgia Class Championships
Event Site: The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel – Northlake
Address: 4156 LaVista Road
Tucker, GA 30084
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 770 316 8483
Website: https://www.georgiachess.org/event-5395263

MCCL National Chess Day Blitz
Event Site: Madison Public Library
Address:142 Plaza Blvd
Madison, AL 35758
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 256-509-5820
Website: https://madisonchess.com

Tunnelvision XIII
Event Site: Columbia First Nazarene
Address: 901 St Andrews Rd
Columbia, SC 29210
Email: Click here to show email address
Phone: 803-569-0938
Website: https://columbiatunnelvision.com/tv13-registration

CHESS DAY USA Free $500 Prize 3+0 Arena
Event Site: https://lichess.org/team/csca-open-events
Email: chess.CSCA@gmail.com
Phone: 860-593-0225
Website: https://new.uschess.org/chess-day-usa-30-arena-lichessorg

Lexington October Scholastic
Event Site: The Lexington School
Address: 1050 Lane Allen Rd, Lexington, KY 40504
Email: mark.schwarcz@yahoo.com
Phone: 201-334-2959
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lexington-october-scholastic-chess-tournament-a-national-chess-day-event-tickets-730042616117?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Adults-Only Arlington Quads
Event Site: Salvation Army Education Town and Family Center
Address: 712 W. Abram St.
Arlington, TX, 76011
Website: https://arlingtonchess.com/events/37