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On March 15, 2025, the CPS Elementary Chess Championship took place at Westinghouse High School, bringing together 126 players from 23 schools for an intense day of strategic battles. The competition was fierce, with the city’s best young chess players displaying skill, resilience, and determination to claim the championship titles.

From tactical sacrifices to brilliant endgame finishes, every round was a test of strategy as players fought for the top spots in their respective divisions. After a day of mind-bending matchups, the final standings emerged, crowning this year’s CPS K-8 Champions.

🏅 K-4 Individual Champions – Daniel Yang – Decatur Classical

🏆 K-4 Team Champions– Edison RGC

🏅 K-6 Individual Champions – Ryan Huang – Lenart RGC, Shrihaan Bathula – Decatur Classical, & Collin Chhay – Decatur Classical

🏆 K-6 Team Champions – Decatur Classical

🏅 K-8 Individual Champions – Alec Shao – Whitney Young Academic Center

🏆 K-8 Team Champions – Whitney Young Academic Center

A huge congratulations to all the winners and participants for an outstanding display of skill and sportsmanship! Special thanks to all the coaches, parents, and tournament staff who made this event possible.

For detailed standings, please visit the official results page.

🏆♟️ Get Ready for the CPS K-8 Championship This Weekend! ♟️🏆

The stage is set for an exciting weekend of chess as students from across Chicago compete in the CPS K-8 Championship! This prestigious tournament brings together the city’s top young players for a day of strategy, competition, and sportsmanship.

To all the participants—stay focused, think ahead, and play with confidence! No matter the outcome, every move you make helps you grow as a player.

🔹 When: March 15
🔹 Where: Westinghouse High School
🔹 Who: CPS K-8 students ready to showcase their skills!

Best of luck to all competitors! 🏅 Make your best moves and enjoy the game.

MORE INFORMATION

🌸♟️ Join Our Spring Online Chess Tournament! ♟️🌸

Are you ready to test your skills and compete with other chess enthusiasts? We are thrilled to host our Spring Online Chess Tournament – a perfect opportunity to sharpen your strategy and enjoy a competitive, friendly chess environment!

Tournament Highlights:
✨ 5-round individual Swiss
✨ 2 sections: Elementary (K-6) & Middle/High School (7-12) sections
✨ Awards for 1st-3rd place in each section

Tournament Details
📅 Dates: Monday, March 31
🕙 Start Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Online – Join from anywhere!
🏆 Who Can Join: Open to all CPS students in grades K-12 who have a ChessKid account associated with the CPS City-Wide Chess Club

Celebrating Our Outstanding CPS Chess Coaches! 🎉

Chess in Chicago wouldn’t be the same without the dedication and passion of our incredible coaches! At the CPS K-8 North & South Playoffs, we had the honor of recognizing three exceptional individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Chicago Public Schools’ Academic Chess Program.

🏆 Toby Baker (Skinner North School) – Coach of the Year Award
Presented in appreciation for dedicated service as a Chess Coach with the Chicago Public Schools’ Academic Chess Program.

🏆 Howard Fishbein (Dirksen School) – Tom Larson Award
Presented in recognition and appreciation for contributions towards the success of the Chicago Public Schools’ Academic Chess Program.

🏆 Aaron Gonzalez (Daley School) – Sylvia Nelson Jordan Award for Excellence
Presented to a chess student for their excellence both on and off the chessboard.

Congratulations to these well-deserving honorees for their hard work, leadership, and commitment to growing chess in Chicago! Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many students. 👏♟️

The 2025 CPS K-8 North & South Playoffs brought together Chicago’s top young chess players for a thrilling competition! Players demonstrated skill, strategy, and determination, battling for a chance to advance to the CPS K-8 Championship on March 15.

🔥 Congratulations to all the teams and individuals who competed! Special recognition goes to those who secured their spots in the Championship—your hard work and dedication are paying off!

A big thank you to coaches, families, and volunteers who made this event possible. Your support continues to grow the game of chess and empower students across the city!

📊 Final standings & list of advancing players/teams

ADVANCING TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS

SECTION	TEAMS	INDIVIDUALS
PRIMARY K-4 SOUTH	STEM MAGNET SHERIDAN CARSON	LUCIO LOFRANCO – SADLOWSKI ROLAND FINLEY – WELLS YANNIS CHEN – KELLER EZRIEL ANNANG – LENART
PRIMARY K-4 NORTH	EDISON RGC DECATUR BEAUBIEN	EUCLID ESCOTO – SKINNER NORTH AVERY VILLADIEGO – MCPHERSON ISAAC MENDOZA – BATEMAN NIMALAN MANMATHASIVARAM – SKINNER NORTH
INTERMEDIATE K-6 SOUTH	KELLER SHERIDAN LENART	MIA CAMPUZANO – SADLOWSKI ALAN RUIZ – CARSON DAISY BARRERA – GALLISTEL LOGAN LEPE – KINZIE
INTERMEDIATE K-6 NORTH	SKINNER NORTH DECATUR EDISON RGC	LIAM KANE – PEIRCE MAKSYM STETSENKO – DIRKSEN NATHAN REINA – BATEMAN WYLIE BRYANT – BRENTANO
JUNIOR HIGH K-8 SOUTH	SHERIDAN KINZIE CALMECA	LATRINA MANGUN – HENDRICKS LEE SANDOVAL – STEM MAXWELL KOZLOWSKI – MT GREENWOOD MALACHY MCGUIRE – KELLER
JUNIOR HIGH K-8 NORTH	WHITNEY YOUNG AC LINCOLN SKINNER NORTH	GABRIEL JAEL – BATEMAN ADITYA VIJAY ANANDH – DIRKSEN SHANE VEALE – EDISON MUNTHER KURDI – BRENTANO

👑 Calling All CPS Chess Queens! 👑

The largest and most prestigious girls-only chess tournament in the U.S. is back in Chicago! Open to all girls under 18 years old, this event features six sections:
👧 Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, & Under 18

📅 April 4-6, 2025
📍 Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, IL

Organized by Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, Kasparov Chess Foundation, and U.S. Chess Federation , this tournament is an unforgettable experience where young female players compete, connect, and celebrate chess!

⚠️ IMPORTANT CPS STUDENT INFO:
This is a non-CPS tournament. CPS Academic Chess will only be covering the entry fee and U.S. Chess membership for CPS students who want to participate. Students must cover all other expenses (travel, hotel, food, etc.). See the event page for more details and the discount code to receive free entry.

🛑 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: NOON ON MARCH 26! 🛑

🔗 Registration and details

We are thrilled to announce the exceptional achievements of our Chicago Public Schools (CPS) chess teams at the 2025 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Chess Finals, held on February 14-15 at the Peoria Civic Center.

Our CPS teams demonstrated remarkable skill and dedication throughout the tournament. Notably, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School secured the State Championship, showcasing their commitment to excellence in chess. Additionally, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School achieved a commendable tied for second place [fourth-place finish on tie-breaks], further highlighting the strength of our CPS chess programs.

These accomplishments reflect the hard work of our students and the unwavering support from parents and coaches. Your dedication plays a pivotal role in fostering a thriving chess community within our schools.

Other CPS team placements out of 128 teams:

• Lane Tech – 12th
• Northside Prep – 15th
• Jone College Prep – 22nd
• Taft HS – 57th
• Mather HS – 60th
• Lincoln Park HS – 67th
• Kelly HS – 70th
• Brooks HS – 81st
• Hancock HS – 88th
• Acero Garcis HS – 118th

For a complete overview of the tournament results, please visit the IHSA’s official page:

ihsa.org.

Once again, congratulations to all our participants. We look forward to continued success in future competitions.

This past weekend, 673 players from 142 schools competed in the largest and most prestigious US Chess-rated scholastic tournament in Illinois! Of these players, 527 came from 68 Chicago Public Schools, showcasing the incredible depth of talent in our city.

As Chicago’s official chess championship, we are proud to recognize the top individuals and teams from Chicago in each championship section as our City Champions:

🏅 Team Champions:
🏆 Lane Tech H.S. – K-12 Division
🏆 Whitney Young A.C. – K-8 Division
🏆 Skinner North – K-6 Division
🏆 Skinner North – K-4 Division

🏅 Individual Champions:
👑 Dario Pjevic (Lane Tech H.S.) – K-12 Division
👑 Isaac Chan-Osborn (Home-Schooled) – K-8 Division
👑 Bishrelt Munkhsuld (Bateman Elementary) – K-6 Division
👑 Liam Graff (Skinner North) K-4 Division

A huge thank you to SBB Research Group Foundation for their generous support in making this event possible! Your commitment to education and youth development helps us continue to provide meaningful opportunities for Chicago’s young chess players.

Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and schools for an incredible tournament! 🎉 Your dedication and hard work continue to make Chicago a powerhouse in scholastic chess.

VIEW THE FINAL STANDINGS

SCHOOL	# PLAYERS
Acero Garcia High School	7
Back of The Yards IB HS	5
Bateman Elementary	13
Beaubien Elementary	10
Bell Elementary	7
Brentano Math & Science Academy	26
Brooks Academic Center	1
Brooks College Prep Academy HS	17
Burbank Elementary	9
Calmeca Acad Elementary	14
Carson Elementary	12
Chicago Academy Elementary	11
Chicago Academy High School	14
Decatur Classical Elementary	20
Disney Magnet School	2
Edison Regional Gifted Center	30
Englewood STEM High School	4
Gallistel Language Academy	18
Goode STEM Academy HS	3
Haley Academy	3
Hampton Fine & Perf Arts School	7
Hancock College Preparatory HS	4
Hawthorne Scholastic Academy	3
Healy Elementary	1
Hendricks Community Academy	2
Hubbard High School	2
Hughes L Elementary	5
Jones College Prep High School	2
Keller Gifted Magnet School	14
Kinzie Elementary	13
Lane Tech Academic Center	1
Lane Technical High School	11
LaSalle Language Academy	1
Lenart Regional Gifted Ctr	1
Lincoln Elementary	10
Lindblom Math & Science Acad	1
Linne Elementary	12
Logan Square	4
Marsh	1
McPherson Elementary	7
Moos Elementary	1
Mount Greenwood Elementary	9
Nightingale Elementary	11
Payton College Preparatory HS	4
Peirce Intl Studies School	8
Prescott Elementary	1
Ravenswood Elementary	1
Rickover Naval Academy High Schl	1
Sadlowski Elementary School	4
Sauganash Elementary	1
Schmid Elementary	7
Sheridan Math & Science Academy	29
Skinner North Elementary	26
Skinner West Elementary	2
Solorio Academy High School	5
South Loop Elementary	17
Spry Community School	2
STEM Magnet Academy Elem	20
Taft Academic Center	1
Taft High School	9
Talman Elementary	9
Telpochcalli Elementary	2
Urban Prep Chtr Acad Bronzeville HS	6
Von Steuben Metro Science HS	1
Waters Elementary	3
Wells Preparatory Academy	3
Whitney Young Academic Center	11
Whitney Young Magnet High School	5
Wildwood Elementary	1
TOTAL	528

📢 Calling All CPS Academic Elementary Chess Players! ♟️🏆

The CPS North and South K-8 Playoffs are almost here! 🏁 Get ready to compete against the best young chess minds in Chicago and battle for a chance to advance to the CPS Elementary K-12 Championship on March 15!

Who can participate?
Each school registered as a CPS Academic Chess school may send up to 15 players to compete. Visit the event page for details on how to register.

📅 Registration Opens: February 10
⏳ Registration Closes: February 19 at Noon

Be sure to register on time to secure your spot!

This is your chance to test your skills, challenge yourself, and move one step closer to becoming a CPS Chess Champion! Don’t miss it!

🔗 Click for Complete Details

♟️ Join Our Presidents Day Online Chess Tournament! ♟️

Are you ready to test your skills and compete with other chess enthusiasts? We are thrilled to host our Presidents Day Online Chess Tournament – a perfect opportunity to sharpen your strategy and enjoy a competitive, friendly chess environment!

Tournament Highlights:
✨ 5-round individual Swiss
✨ 2 sections: Elementary (K-6) & Middle/High School (7-12) sections
✨ Awards for 1st-3rd place in each section

Tournament Details
📅 Dates: Monday, February 17
🕙 Start Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Online – Join from anywhere!
🏆 Who Can Join: Open to all CPS students in grades K-12 who have a ChessKid account associated with the CPS City-Wide Chess Club

THIS TOURNAMENT WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLINE THROUGH CHESSKID.COM. VIDEO ON HOW KIDS JOIN A CHESS TOURNAMENT

Celebrate MLK Day by making bold moves that inspire change and progress!