National K-12 Grade Championships Underway in Spokane

All photos by Hiedi Bulkley.

The first two rounds of the 2025 National K-12 Grade Championships are in the books. Over 1,350 players across 13 grade levels competed in Spokane, WA on Friday, and now they’re gearing up for the grueling triple-round day beginning at 9 a.m. PST (and 9:30 for grades K-1: see full schedule). Follow the action live on the US Chess Twitch channel with WGM Sabina Foisor (see full streaming schedule).

Magesh Panchanathan during Friday morning's simul.

Friday began with a pair of simultaneous exhibitions in the morning, with 30 players squaring off against Guest Grandmaster Magesh Panchanathan and several more dueling US Chess’s Director of Marketing and Communications NM Bryan Tillis.

Franc — A number of players joined Friday morning's simuls against Panchanathan (above) and NM Bryan Tillis (R), including an Interim Executive Director.

Christopher Anderson during Friday's opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, Christopher Anderson led a musical rendition of the National Anthem, followed by introductory speeches from a number of top US Chess brass.

From left: US Chess President Kevin Pryor, Interim Executive Director Franc Guadalupe, Director of Events Pete Karagianis, Women's Committee Co-Chair Maureen Grimaud and Executive Board member Leila D'Aquin, and Chief Arbiter Karen Pennock.

One guest who could not be there in person was Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, who recorded a special message to he participants. As you’ll learn below, Ferguson has quite a personal history with chess, and was even a regular at national scholastic competitions in his youth:

After the introductory remarks, we were off to the races with the first round of the seven-round event. Each game is played at a time control of game-in-90 minutes with a ten-second delay.

color — A bird's eye view of the playing hall and a selection of players from Friday's games. Email [email protected] with any player ID's.

With no “under” sections in this tournament, the first few rounds featured large ratings discrepancies on the top boards. But as any tournament player can attest, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a few upsets and many more games that are much closer than the ratings would suggest.

This was exactly what happened on Friday, with most, but not all, of the top seeds reaching 2/2 scores and several more experiencing some scares or having to come up with some nice flourishes to put their opponents away. All highlights below are courtesy of WGM Sabina Foisor.

In the 12^th Grade section, top-seeded FM William Safranek (NY) leads a group of 11 players with 2/2 scores.

Third-seeded Amogh Tripathi (OH) played two of the most interesting games of the day, first winning a game where his opponent missed an absolutely astonishing queen sac, and then losing to Arko Chakrabartiroy (NY) in a 359-point upset:

15 players are unblemished in the 11^th Grade section, including top-seeded IM Erick Zhao (PA) and his two nearest rivals: CM Logan Shafer and WIM Iris Mou.

Washington’s own FM Stephen Willy leads the 16 players with 2/2 scores in the 10^th Grade section, and both of his wins were noteworthy:

Second-seeded Sebastian Suarez (CA) is only 14 points lower-rated than Willy, however, and if this attack is any indication, he will be a tough match-up if the two eventually meet:

FM Aditeya Das (NY) leads the 11 players with 2/2 scores in the 9^th Grade section, which was also home to one of the day’s biggest upsets:

22 players boast 2/2 scores in the 8^th Grade section, led by top-seeded Vijay Srinivas Anandh (TX):

24 players are still 2/2 in the 7^th Grade section, including top-seeded FM Ethan Guo (CA) and his nearest rival Elliott Goodrich (NY):

In the 6^th Grade section, 29 players are still 2/2, led by Ariv Debmisra (PA). 33 players are 2/2 in the 5^th Grade section, including top-seeded Reyansh Paragiri (CA). But, after a nice geometrical tactic in Round 1, second-seeded Advik Manchanda (TX) was held to a draw by Washington’s own Riaan Babbar in Round 2:

Top seeds remain in the lead in the 4^th Grade section, where 34 players remain 2/2 including top-seeded Aayansh Samanta (PA) and Sriansh Katta (NC), the latter of whom put on a clinic after Black’s materialistic move below:

Top-seeded Brian Ye (CA) leads the 31 players with 2/2 in the 3^rd Grade section. Mehmet Yilanli (OH) is 359 points higher-rated than the next unblemished player in the 2^nd Grade section, leading a group of 28 players with 2/2. Also, a shoutout to New York’s Miroslav Toth (1070) who defeated Californian second-seed Kaihan Liu (1628) for a 558-point upset.

With so many of the top seeds winning, we’ll see much tighter match-ups ratings-wise in Saturday’s games, including clashes of top players as early as Round 4 or 5, depending on section size.

Between rounds, side events included an All-Comers Blitz with ChessKid’s FM Mike “FunMasterMike” Klein, a lecture in the Girls Club Room with WGM Zoey Tang, and a lecture from GM Panchanathan.

MP1 — Panchanathan came back after Friday morning's simul to give the weekend's first lecture on Friday afternoon.

MP2 — Panchanathan came back after Friday morning's simul to give the weekend's first lecture on Friday afternoon.

Today’s docket includes a lecture with GM Michael Rohde at 11:30 a.m. in Room 401B, an All-Comers Blitz with Rohde in Exhibit Hall C at 2:30 p.m., and a full day of events in the Girls Club Room with Tang.

Zt1 — WGM Zoey Tang met with players and gave a lecture on Friday in the Girls Club Room.

Zt2 — WGM Zoey Tang met with players and gave a lecture on Friday in the Girls Club Room.

Plus: check out the “Preparing for International Youth Events” seminar in Room 401 B at 10 a.m. and the Scholastic Meeting in the same room at 1:45 p.m.

Finally, it’s not too late to register for the Friends and Family tournament, with registration open at Chess Control until 10 a.m. and the first round beginning at 10:30 a.m.

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