Maybe your child just learned to play chess and wants to find new opponents and places to play. While there are a lot of opportunities to play chess across the county, it can be difficult to find a game if you do not know where to look. Another way to get involved is to help your state affiliate or even USChess!

Find Clubs!

A chess club can be a great place to find players at your skill level to play with for fun and improvement. Some clubs are at schools, churches, libraries, and there are even dedicated club facilities in some cities. We recommend that you start by looking at the USChess Federation’s list of clubs in your state.

Another way to find local chess clubs is to do an internet search for “chess club” and include where you live. This can be a good way to find clubs that do not actively play rated chess or are otherwise not affiliated with the USChess Federation.

If you are still having trouble finding a club, you can start one at a local school, library, church, or other location. USCF Sales offers many products that can help a club get off of the ground: Chess Club Starter Kits, demonstration boards, and plastic chess sets are available at a great discount. You can also buy Starter Kit packages that include a rulebook, selected instructional books for scholastic players, or chess clocks.

Find Tournaments!

If your child is looking for challenging games where he or she can win trophies, prizes, or even college scholarships, scholastic tournament chess might be a great fit for you. As with clubs, there are numerous events across the country – you could probably play every weekend if you wanted to! The US Chess Federation hosts several National events each year. They also publish a list of events held by other organizers across the country. This is a great resource for finding tournaments. Other options for information include finding the website for your state-level affiliate or local chess club.

You can also become a tournament director and run your own events! We offer a full range of tournament director supplies that can help you run a smooth event.

Find your State Affiliate!

The official US Chess affiliate for each state can be a great resource for getting involved in scholastic chess. While most states have a single affiliate for the entire state, some states are divided by geography.