2026 National K-12 Grade Championships, Friday December 11 – Sunday December 13, 2026 (Grade Nationals)

About this event

https://new.uschess.org/k12-2026-championships/daily-schedule

https://new.uschess.org/us-chess-grade-k-12-national-championships-2026

https://new.uschess.org/national-events-calendar

Thursday, December 10 – Sunday, December 13, 2026 Rosen Shingle Creek · 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819, United States

• Event type: National Championship Event

• Sections: 13 — one for each grade, Kindergarten through 12th Grade

• Format: 7 rounds of Swiss-paired G/90;d10 in all sections

• Membership: US Chess membership through December 2026 is required

• Hotel: Reserve by 11/17/26 for the lowest rate

• Organizer: US Chess · 931-200-9477

Quick links: Register for the main event · Book your hotel room · Daily Schedule · Sections and Prizes

Main Event Entry Fees

Entry fee Amount Until

Early Entry Fee $105 Monday, 10/26/2026, 11:59pm EST

Regular Entry Fee $160 Monday, 11/09/2026, 11:59pm EST

Late Entry Fee $235 Monday, 11/30/2026, 11:59pm EST

Late Online Entry Fee $360 Thursday, 12/10/2026, 8:00am EST

Late Onsite-Only Entry Fee $400 Friday, 12/11/2026, 10:00am EST (only at Chess Control)

Service Charges and Refunds

• $40 for withdrawal/refund requests after Monday, 10/26/2026, 11:59pm EST

• $40 for section change requests after Monday, 11/09/2026, 11:59pm EST

• $40 for roster change requests after Monday, 11/09/2026, 11:59pm EST

• No refunds after Thursday, 12/10/2026, 11:00am EST (11am Thursday of event weekend)

Main Event Round Schedule

All times are EST and end times are approximate. Grades K-1 play in Suwanee; Grades 2-12 play in Gatlin BCD.

Opening Ceremony: Friday, December 11, 12:30pm – 1:00pm (Gatlin BCD)

Round Day Grades K-1 Grades 2-12

Round 1 Fri, Dec 11 1:30pm – 4:30pm 1:00pm – 4:30pm

Round 2 Fri, Dec 11 5:30pm – 8:30pm 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Round 3 Sat, Dec 12 9:30am – 12:30pm 9:00am – 12:30pm

Round 4 Sat, Dec 12 1:30pm – 4:30pm 1:30pm – 5:00pm

Round 5 Sat, Dec 12 5:30pm – 8:30pm 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Round 6 Sun, Dec 13 9:30am – 12:30pm 9:00am – 12:30pm

Round 7 Sun, Dec 13 1:30pm – 4:30pm 2:00pm – 5:30pm

Awards Ceremony Sun, Dec 13 ~5:30pm ~6:00pm

Main Event Information

• Grade sections: Players must play in their corresponding grade section (Scholastic Regulations Section 4).

• Rules: US Chess Official Rules of Chess (7th edition) and the 2026-2027 US Chess Scholastic National Tournament Regulations.

• Pairings: Based on the December 2026 Rating Supplement.

• Rating review: All player ratings are reviewed by the Rating Review Group / Tournament Review Group (Scholastic Regulations 4.6.3). Reviewed ratings and recommendations for pre-registered players will be posted the week before the event.

• Equipment: Chess sets and score sheets are provided. Players must bring clocks and know how to set, pause, and operate them.

• Badges: US Chess will issue badges to all participants. Badges will be required to enter the defined playing area. ( Badging info )

• Accompanying Persons: Each participant registration in the tournament is allowed a single Accompanying Person. ( Register for an additional accompanying persons badge )

• Chess Control (service, registration and help desk): on-site bye requests, withdrawals, questions and customer support.

• Times, locations and floor maps: on the Daily Schedule or from Chess Control. ( Venue/Floor Maps )

Event listing: FIDE Rated: No · Online Event: No · Residency Restriction: No · Handicap Accessible: No

Awards and Prizes

• Main event awards are presented on stage after all games are completed (ceremony times are in the round schedule above).

• Prize details for all main event sections: Sections and Prizes .

• Side event awards are presented before rounds start in the main playing hall.

• Questions about awards or early pick-up: Chess Control.

Presentations (Gatlin BCD)

• Puzzle Championship Winners — Fri, Dec 11, 5:15pm – 5:30pm

• Blitz Individual Winners — Sat, Dec 12, 8:45am – 9:00am

• Bughouse Winners — Sat, Dec 12, 1:15pm – 1:30pm

• Blitz Team Winners — Sat, Dec 12, 5:45pm – 6:00pm

• All-America Team — Sun, Dec 13, 8:45am – 9:00am

Side Events

Bughouse Tournament

When: Thu, Dec 10, 11:00am – 2:00pm Where: Gatlin BCD Format: 6 double rounds of G/5 Registration: On-site only at Chess Control, Thu, Dec 10, 9:00am – 10:00am Event info

National Puzzle-Solving Championship

When: Thu, Dec 10, 3:00pm – 4:00pm Where: TBD Registration: Online only – 2:00pm (Chess Control) Event info

Blitz Tournament

When: Thu, Dec 10, 5:00pm – 8:00pm Where: Gatlin BCD Format: 6 double rounds of G/3+2 Registration: Online+Onsite – 4:00pm (Chess Control) Register online · Event info

Special Guest GM Simul Exhibition

When: Fri, Dec 11, 9:00am – 12:00pm Where: Gatlin A Format: Tandem simul Register online · Event info

Friends & Family Tournament

When: Sat, Dec 12 Round 1: 10:30am – 12:00pm Round 2: 12:30pm – 2:00pm Round 3: 2:30pm – 4:00pm Round 4: 4:30pm – 6:00pm Where: Gatlin E5 Format: G/30;d5 Registration: Online; the schedule also lists registration (onsite only) Sat, Dec 12, 9:00am – 10:00am at Chess Control Register online · Event info

Special Guests and Extras

Live commentary: Every round will have live commentary, with WGM Sabina Foisor’s coverage on Twitch at twitch.tv/uschess .

WGM Jennifer Shahade

• Puzzles & Book Signing — Thu, Dec 10, 4:00pm – 6:00pm (Gatlin A)

• Blitz & Book Signing — Fri, Dec 11, 10:00am – 12:00pm (Gatlin A)

• Lecture — Sat, Dec 12, 4:00pm – 5:00pm (Gatlin E4)

• Book Signing — Sun, Dec 13, 10:00am – 12:00pm (Gatlin A)

WGM Katerina Nemcova

• Round 1 Game Analysis — Fri, Dec 11, 2:00pm – 4:00pm (Gatlin)

• Round 2 Game Analysis — Fri, Dec 11, 6:00pm – 8:00pm (Gatlin)

• Round 3 Game Analysis — Sat, Dec 12, 10:00am – 12:00pm (Gatlin)

• Round 4 Game Analysis — Sat, Dec 12, 2:00pm – 4:00pm (Gatlin)

• Round 5 Game Analysis — Sat, Dec 12, 6:30pm – 8:30pm (Gatlin)

• Round 6 Game Analysis — Sun, Dec 13, 10:00am – 12:00pm (Gatlin)

• Round 7 Game Analysis — Sun, Dec 13, 2:30pm – 4:00pm (Gatlin)

• “All Comers” Blitz — Sun, Dec 13, 4:00pm – 5:00pm (Gatlin A)

Seminars and Meetings (Gatlin E4)

• My First Tournament Seminar (optional) — Fri, Dec 11, 9:30am – 10:30am

• Preparing for International Youth Events Seminar — Sat, Dec 12, 10:00am – 11:00am

• Scholastic Meeting — Sat, Dec 12, 1:45pm – 2:45pm

Also on site: The skittles room, chess store and apparel vendor: TBD. All Girls Club events: TBD; hours will be posted on-site.

Hotel and Contact

Rosen Shingle Creek 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819, United States Book your room now — reserve by 11/17/26 for the lowest rate.

Organizer: US Chess · 931-200-9477 General questions, including pre-event withdrawals and refunds: contact the email address listed on the official event announcement .

Helpful Links

• Event hub

• Daily Schedule

• Sections and Prizes

• Venue/Floor Maps

• Rules, regulations and information

• 2026-2027 Scholastic Regulations

• Official Rules of Chess, 7th edition

• Advanced Entries

Details from US Chess’s event announcement and Daily Schedule as of November 10, 2026.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exact Original Announcement from Organizer Pasted Below:

US Chess Grade (K-12) National Championships 2026

National Championship Event

Rosen Shingle Creek

Thursday, December 10, 2026 – Sunday, December 13, 2026

Event Overview

US Chess Grade (K-12) National Championships 2026

Rosen Shingle Creek. 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819.

Click Here to book your room now! Reserve by 11/17/26 for the lowest rate.

• Click here for the main event website for the US Chess Grade (K-12) National Championships 2026

• Click here for all tournament rules, regulations, and information

• Be sure to read the 2026-27 US Chess Scholastic Rules and Regulations for all terms and conditions of the event.

• General Questions, including withdrawals and refunds: contact nationalevents@uschess.org

• US Chess will issue badges to all participants. Badges will be required to enter the defined playing area.

• Each participant registration in the tournament is allowed a single Accompanying Person

• Please Click here to read about the badging process.

Each player’s rating will be review by the Rating Review Group, per the US Chess Scholastic Rules and Regulations.

CLICK HERE (link will be made active the week before the event) for the reviewed ratings and rating recommendations of pre-registered players.

Main Event Entry Fees

• $105 until Monday, 10/26/2026 , 11:59pm EST – Early Entry Fee

• $160 until Monday, 11/09/2026 , 11:59pm EST – Regular Entry Fee

• $235 until Monday, 11/30/2026 , 11:59pm EST – Late Entry Fee

• $360 until Thursday, 12/10/2026 , 8:00am EST – Late Online Entry Fee

• $400 until Friday, 12/11/2026 , 10:00am EST – Late Onsite-Only Entry Fee – ONLY at Chess Control

Service Charges

• $40 Service Charge for all Withdrawal/Refund Requests after Monday, 10/26/2026, 11:59pm EST

$40 Service Charge for all Section Change Requests after Monday, 11/09/2026, 11:59pm EST

$40 Service Charge for all Roster Change Requests after Monday, 11/09/2026, 11:59pm EST

NO Refunds after Thursday, 12/10/2026, 11:00am EST (11am Thursday of event weekend)

Main Event Information

• This US Chess Scholastic National Tournament adheres to the US Chess Official Rules of Chess and the 2026-2027 US Chess Scholastic National Tournament Regulations

• Each Grade (Kindergarten through 12th Grade) has its own section

• Players must play in their corresponding Grade section (Scholastic Regulations Section 4)

• All sections will play 7 rounds of Swiss-paired G/90;d10

• Players will be paired according to the December 2026 Rating Supplement

• All player ratings will be reviewed by the Tournament Review Group (Scholastic Regulations 4.6.3)

• Chess Sets and score sheets are provided.

• Players must bring clocks.

• Players are expected to know how to set, pause, and operate their chess clock

•

Click here for a helpful video on how to set your clock

• US Chess membership through December 2026 is required.

• All on-site Bye requests, withdrawals, questions, and customer support can be handled at “Chess Control” (service, registration, and help desk)

Awards and Prizes

• Click Here – for all information about Prizes for all sections in the Main Event

• Awards will be presented on-stage once all games have been completed.

• Check the Schedule for times and locations of the awards ceremony for your section.

• Side Event awards will be presented prior to the start of rounds in the main playing hall. Check the Schedule for times and locations of the awards ceremony for your side event.

• Questions about awards, early pick-up, etc.? See the Chess Control help-desk at the event.

Misc. Information

• Check the Schedule for times and locations of all events.

Questions about times, locations, floor maps, etc.?

• Click here for the main event website for the US Chess Grade (K-12) National Championships 2026

• Or, see the Chess Control help-desk at the event.

• General Questions, including pre-event withdrawals and refunds: contact nationalevents@uschess.org

Registration for other events:

• Click here for information about the US Chess Grade (K-12) National Championships 2026. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• Click here for information about the K-12 Grades 2026 – Bughouse Tournament. Registration is on-site only at Chess Control.

• Click here for information about the K-12 Grades 2026 – Puzzle-Solving Championship. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• Click here for information about the K-12 Grades 2026 – Blitz Tournament . CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• Click here for information about the Special Guest GM Simul Exhibition . CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• Click here for information for the K-12 Grades 2026 – Friends & Family Tournament . CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• Click here for information for the K-12 Grades 2026 – Additional Accompanying Persons badges . CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for an additional accompanying persons badge.

Further inquiries should be directed to Click here to show mail address

Address: 9939 Universal Blvd. Orlando , FL 32819 United States

Sections: 13

Grand Prix Points:

Prize Fund:

FIDE Rated: No

Handicap Accessible: No

Residency Restriction: No

Online Event: No

Organizer Overview

US Chess

Email: pete.karagianis@uschess.org

Phone: 9312009477

Website: https://new.uschess.org/

From US Chess Federation