We believe in nurturing our students' passion for chess and providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills in competitive tournaments, and boy do we have a lot of students in NC! Here is a list of chess tournaments happening in North Carolina every year that we recommend our students participate in:
And of course, if you’d like to improve your skills before attending any of the tournaments remember you can learn from any of our Masters.
The NCCA is the state affiliate of the US Chess Federation and the main organizer of chess tournaments and events in North Carolina. The NCCA hosts several state championships and open tournaments throughout the year, such as:
NC Open: This is the oldest and most prestigious chess tournament in North Carolina, dating back to 1948. It is held every year during Thanksgiving weekend. The NC Open has four sections: Championship, U2200, U1800, and U1400. Each section has five rounds of 40 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move. There are cash prizes for each section and trophy prizes for scholastic players.
NC Closed: This is an invitation-only tournament for the top players in North Carolina. It is held every year in October, usually in Burlington. The NC Closed has one section with five rounds of 40 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move. There are cash prizes for the top three players and despite being invitation-only, it’s a good place to meet with the community and enjoy high-level matches
NC Super Senior (65+): This is a tournament for senior players who are 65 years old or older. It is held every year in July, usually in Wilson. The NC Super Senior has one section with four rounds of 45 minutes per player per game. There are cash prizes for the top three players.
The NCCA also organizes scholastic tournaments for K-12 students, such as:
NC K-12 Girls State Chess Championships: This is a tournament for girls only, held every year in March, usually in Raleigh. It has four grade-level sections: K-3, K-5, K-8, and K-12. Each section has four rounds of 30 minutes per player per game.
NC K-12 State Scholastic Championships: This is a tournament for all K-12 students, held every year in April or May, usually in Raleigh or Charlotte. It has four sections by grade level: K-3, K-5, K-8, and K-12. Each section has five rounds of 30 minutes per player per game. There are trophies for the top three players and teams in each section.
You can find more information and register online for these tournaments at the NCCA website.
The CCC is a non-profit organization that promotes chess education and culture in the Charlotte area and has a number of elite players, one of them being Grandmaster Daniel Naroditskiy. They offer a variety of chess programs and events for players of all ages and levels, from beginners to masters.
One of the most exciting opportunities that the CCC provides is the chance to participate in official US Chess national events. The CCC hosts several national tournaments throughout the year. Here are some of the most popular:
National Online Scholastic Quick Championship: The OSQC is a completely open K-12 scholastic tournament held online on lichess, over a single weekend. It has four sections: K-12, K-8, K-6, and K-3. Each section has seven rounds of 20 minutes plus 5 seconds increment per move.
The Carolinas Classic: This is an over-the-board tournament held at the CCC facility. It has three sections: Open, U2000, and U1600. Each section has five rounds of 40 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
Charlotte Norm Super Swiss: An over-the-board tournament also held at the CCC facility. It has two sections: IM Norm and FIDE Open. The IM Norm section is a 10-player round-robin with a norm requirement of 6.5 points out of 9 games. The FIDE Open section is a 9-round Swiss with a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
Charlotte Summer Open: Held at the CCC facility, it has four sections: Open, U2200, U1800, and U1400. Each section has five rounds of 40 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
These tournaments are open to anyone who has a US Chess membership. You can find more information and register online at the CCC website.
If you are looking for a place to learn, play, and enjoy chess in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, then you should check out Triangle Chess. They offer a variety of chess programs and events for players of all ages and levels, from beginners to experts.
K-12 Individual: It has four sections by ability level: K-12 Open, K-8 U800, K-6 U500, and K-3 U300. Each section has four rounds of 30 minutes per player per game. There are trophies for the top three players in each section.
K-12 School Team vs Team: It’s a fun way to start tournaments with schoolmates. It has four sections by ability level: K-12 Open, K-8 U800, K-6 U500, and K-3 U300. Each team consists of four players from the same school and section.
Adults 16+ and Youth Rated 1200+: This is a tournament for more experienced players. It has one section with four rounds of 45 minutes per player per game. There are cash prizes for the top three players and rating prizes for U1800, U1600, U1400, and U1200.
The League: A six-week season for players over age 16 or under age 16 with a minimum rating of 1200+. Each player plays two rated games every week with a time control of 50 minutes plus 5 seconds increment per move. Makeup matches are encouraged.
The Triangle Championship. It’s the showcase event of the year for Triangle Chess. It attracts over 450 players from across the country with ratings from 100 to 2500. It has four sections: Open, U2200, U1800, and U1400. Each section has five rounds of 40 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
If you are interested in playing in any of these tournaments, you can find more information and register online at the Triangle Chess website.
Overall, a great place to join the chess community in the Triangle region. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will find something that suits your level and interest at Triangle Chess♟️
This club organizes monthly tournaments for players of all ages and levels, usually on Saturdays. The tournaments have one section with four rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
Some of the tournaments held by this club are:
Greenville May Think Move Chess Tournament: This tournament is held every year in May, usually at the Green Charter School Cafeteria and it’t is open to anyone who has a US Chess membership.
Greenville June Think Move Chess Tournament: Held every year in June, open only to US Chess Members.
Greenville July Think Move Chess Tournament: Held every year in July, open only to US Chess Members
You can find more information and register online for these tournaments at this website.
This club organizes weekly tournaments for players of all ages and levels, usually on Thursdays. The tournaments have one section with three rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
Some of the tournaments held by this club are:
Asheville Mini Swiss: Held every month, at the Asheville Terrace Apartments Community Room. US Chess Membership is required.
Asheville Blitz: Held every month, at the Asheville Terrace Apartments Community Room. US Chess Membership is required. It is a fast-paced tournament with a time control of 5 minutes per player per game.
Asheville Rapid: Held every month, at the Asheville Terrace Apartments Community Room. US Chess Membership is required. It is a rapid tournament with a time control of 15 minutes per player per game.
You can find more information and register online for these tournaments on this website.
If you’re looking for not only a chess tournament but a weekend in a beautiful and scenic place to spend the evening the Saluda Chess Club is for you! Most of the tournaments are held in Orchard Lake, or at various libraries.
Some of the tournaments held by this club are:
Orchard Lake XXV: This tournament is held every year in June, usually at the Orchard Inn in Saluda. It is open to anyone who has a US Chess membership.
Orchard Lake XXVI: This tournament is held every year in September, usually at the Orchard Inn in Saluda. It is open to anyone who has a US Chess membership.
Orchard Lake XXVII: This tournament is held every year in December, usually at the Orchard Inn in Saluda. It is open to anyone who has a US Chess membership.
This club organizes occasional tournaments for players of all ages and levels, usually on Saturdays or Sundays. The tournaments have one or two sections with four or five rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
Some of the tournaments held by this club are:
Ambush Chess Open: This tournament is held every year in June, usually at the First Church of the Nazarene in Burlington. It has two sections: Open and U1600. Each section has four rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
Burlington Fall Open: This tournament is held every year in October, usually at the First Church of the Nazarene in Burlington. It has one section with five rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
Burlington Winter Open: This tournament is held every year in February, usually at the First Church of the Nazarene in Burlington. It has one section with five rounds of 45 minutes per player per game.
You can find more information and register online for these tournaments at this website.
You can make this better by sharing your feedback! We'll update this post ASAP with your recommendations! And remember to subscribe to our Newsletter so that you will get all of our awesome online monthly tournaments!
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many opportunities to test your skills over the board! You just have to look in the right places.
Talking about the right places. Are you looking for the right place to improve your skills? Learn from our Masters online either in private lessons or group lessons.
We'd love to hear your ideas on how to make this better! Share them with us and we'll update this post ASAP! And remember to subscribe to our Newsletter so that you will get all of our awesome online monthly tournaments!