Flash Report: 2023 National Elementary Championship Results

Over 2,100 players from 38 states competed in Baltimore, Maryland to determine the nation’s top elementary school players; New York schools win all four team championships.

See our recap report on Monday, May 15, which will include photos. In the meantime, see photos and videos on Twitter via @USChess and #ESChessChamps.

The 2023 National Elementary School (K-6) Championship took place from May 12-14 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland. A total of 2,103 players from 38 states participated in this annual event that identifies national champions in four championship sections: K-1, K-3, K-5, and K-6. We had 717 teams take part, including 81 from the host state of Maryland and 161 from New York, which was the state with the most players. New York made the most of this representation, winning all four championship team titles.

(Note: Where co-champions are listed, they are in tiebreak order.)

California's Nathan Yan emerged victorious in the K-6 Championship (photo Caroline King)

In the K-6 Championship, Nathan Yan (6th Grade, Harker Middle School, San Jose, CA) is the champion.

Anderson School of New York, NY won the K-6 Team Championship.

Three of the K-5 Co-Champions: Andrew Wu (L), Anson Leong, Krishna Rallabandi (not pictured: Sharath Radhakrishnan) (photo Caroline King)

Four players tied for first in the K-5 Championship. All are National Elementary School K-5 Co-Champions: Sharath Radhakrishnan (4th Grade, Westlake Elementary School, Westlake, OH); Krishna Rallabandi (5th Grade, Wesley Chapel Elementary, Monroe, NC); Anson Leong (4th Grade, PS 188 Kingsbury, Oakland Gardens, NY); Andrew Wu, (5th Grade, Polo Ridge Elementary, Charlotte, NC).

Tag Young Scholars, New York, NY, won the K-5 Team Championship.

The K-3 Championship Co-Champions are Ted Wang (3rd Grade, St. Thomas School, Medina, WA) and Lev Shangin (3rd Grade, The Speyer Legacy School, New York, NY).

The North Carolinian was all smiles after his clear first in the K-1 Championship (photo Caroline King)

In the K-1 Championship, Asher Kirschbaum (1st Grade, Ravenscroft, Raleigh, NC) is the champion.

The Speyer Legacy School of New York, NY won the K-3 and K-1 Team Championships.

Many other winners in numerous sections below the championship sections were also identified. These winners are properly identified as, “Winner of the <X> section at the National Elementary School (K-6) Championship.” For a full list of winners, please see here: http://www.uschess.org/results/2023/elem/

US Chess Executive Director Carol Meyer also notes, “This year we were delighted to have two programs from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania attend as part of our Title I School Grant initiative: Girard Academic Music Program and S. Weir Mitchell Elementary School. This program reflects US Chess goals and delivers on our mission to empower people, enrich lives, and enhance communities through chess as we bring chess to students who might not be able to access the game without this support. Our donors’ generosity underscores the chess community’s commitment to meeting the needs of students who come from underserved communities.”