Playing chess helps children develop focus and attention span, visual memory, and problem solving skills. Chess is extremely popular in Massachusetts and there are many opportunities to play at various venues and tournaments across the state.

Here we provide great local chess clubs where your kids can take lessons, learn moves, meet peers, and practice with competitive players.

Tournament sections are based on age, grade, rating, or a combination these factors. Players select a section upon registration and will only play against opponents in that section.

How to Select a Section for a Chess Tournament

Players who have never played in a USCF-rated tournament should select a novice section. When there are multiple novice sections – for example Novice Under 800 and Novice Under 450 – the “Under 450” refers to the player’s rating. The Novice Under 450 would be a good section for a first tournament, especially for young students. Scholastic players with a rating below 800 would be eligible to enter the Novice Under 800, regardless of age or school grade.

Chess Tournament Format

After general announcements, tournament staff post pairings for the first round. The pairing list includes each player’s name, chess piece color, and board number. Players will proceed to their board. At that time, spectators, including parents and coaches, need to remain outside of the play area. At the conclusion of each game, players report their results to staff. And, since chess tournaments are not single elimination, all players await the next round.

Membership Requirements

USCF-rated tournaments require players to be an active member of the US Chess Federation, the governing body for chess in the US. Also, for tournaments in Massachusetts, players may be required to be a member of the Massachusetts Chess Association.

Additional Resources

• Use Motherly Life’s free directories to find a chess class or summer chess camp
• Check out our primer on how Kids Benefit from Chess Beyond Just Winning a Game
• Massachusetts Chess Association
• US Chess Federation, the official governing body for chess players and supporters in the United States
• A quick start guide to learn how to set up the board, move the pieces, check and get out of check, and scoring
• Story Time Chess, a storybook-based game that teaches children as young as 3 how to play chess
• Proficient players can enjoy detailed video analysis of select chess games played by Grandmasters and world champions