US Chess Home arrow 2023 National High School (K-12) Championship2023 National High School (K-12) Championship
2023 National High School (K-12) Championship
March 31 - April 2, 2023 · Washington DC   (Bughouse & Blitz March 30)

Washington Hilton · 1919 Connecticut Avenue NW · Washington DC 20009
Click here to book a room at the Washington Hilton!
Support US Chess and Ensure Future Events by staying at the host hotel!

As of 2/3/2023, the Washington Hilton is completely sold out of rooms in our block. The Hilton did add rooms on 2/1, but those sold out before close of business on 2/3. There are rooms available at the Hilton, but US Chess is unable to procure them under reasonable terms.

US Chess has secured overflow rooms at nearby hotels (see below). Additional overflow hotels will be added here.

OVERFLOW HOTELS

Churchill Hotel, 1914 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20009
(across the street from the tournament site)
$209/night, double room. Must reserve by February 28!
Click here to make a reservation!
Normandy Hotel, 2118 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
(five-minute walk from the tournament site)
$209/night, double room. Must reserve by February 20!
Click here to make a reservation!


PARTICIPATION MEDALS UPDATE


We anticipate there will be a shortage of participation medals. Do not worry - everyone who wants one will get one.

Our participation medals are custom made and imported. So, we order our awards for all three spring national events before Christmas each year. Our quantities are based on historical attendance trends and statistical analysis for each event.

Our normal National High School attendance is around 1300-1400 players. Our order of 1200 medals would easily cover that, as not every player takes the medal. However, we have more than 1,750 players, which has set a record for this event. So, we anticipate that we will run out of participation medals.

However, we will make it easy for anyone who wants a participation medal, but didn't get one onsite, to get one! At the start of round 7, we will post a link in this area to a very simple three-question form. All you'll need to do is fill it out, and submit it. We will do the rest! You'll receive your custom medal within 6 to 8 weeks.

Click Here to Complete Claim Form!



TIME CONTROL SURVEY

US Chess is considering significant format changes to future editions of the National High School Championships. In order to require players to record all moves throughout the entire game (by eliminating the time-pressure exception to the recording requirement), we would need to increase the delay per move from 10 to 30 seconds and decrease the base time from 90 to 60 minutes.

We want your feedback on your preferred schedule option. Please complete the short survey below. Your feedback will be very valuable as we make decisions about the time control for future events.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE TIME CONTROL SURVEY


ROOM RESERVATION POLICY

All reservations must be secured with a valid credit card provided by the reserving party, along with a first night's deposit, refundable up to 3 days in advance of arrival. All credit cards used to prepay the room deposit may be charged immediately. Once the contracted block of rooms is sold out, additional rooms may be made available at the hotel's sole discretion. The hotel has sole discretion over the rate of any rooms added to the contracted block.


ANNOUNCEMENT - SCHEDULE CHANGES


US Chess is making certain changes to its normal event operations at the 2023 National High School Championship.

Our national scholastic events generally follow the same format from year to year. This year, due to a series of contractual points with the Washington Hilton, we have some space issues that we are working around.

Click here to read about these changes in detail. Click here for the full schedule of events.



SPECIAL BLITZ TOURNAMENT PROCEDURES


PLEASE NOTE: REGISTRATION FOR THE BLITZ WILL BE CAPPED AT 308 PLAYERS.


There was a Q-and-A session held via Zoom at 8:00pm Eastern time, Monday, March 27, for Blitz participants and parents. We have provided a recording of that session for people to review.

Announcement of special Blitz procedures for 2023
Transportation waiver (required for all Blitz competitors)
Map of shuttle rally point at Washington Hilton
Map of shuttle rally point at Omni Shoreham
YouTube link to recording of March 27 Blitz Q-and-A session


PAIRINGS AND STANDINGS POSTED ONLINE!

For the 2023 National High School, board-order pairings and normal wallcharts will not be printed. We will post alphabetical pairings and standings with color history.

To see the current pairings and standings, click "Results & Pairings" in the upper left hand corner, then select the tournament and section you're interested in. (There will be no data here before 11am local time, Friday, March 31.)

There will be QR codes that link to the pairings and standings posted all around the playing site. Copies of the QR codes are also available at Chess Control.


Subscribe to our national scholastic events mailing list!

US Chess now provides a way for coaches, faculty advisors, and other interested parties to receive our pre-tournament emails for national events. Just use this form to subscribe!

You can select the event(s) you wish to receive emails about. If you wish to unsubscribe from these lists at any point, you do so by just clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email.


Trophies Plus

Awards are provided by Trophies Plus, sponsor of the All-American Team. Trophies Plus will ship awards for you at the conclusion of the event. Just click on their icon for details!


Follow US Chess on Instagram and Twitter!

Use the hashtag #HSChessChamps for your posts and tweets!


We've put together a guide for those who are "New To Nationals!"
Click here for a primer on what to expect before you arrive!


US Chess COVID Policy

US Chess is not requiring masks, COVID-19 vaccinations, or negative COVID-19 tests for any attendees at the 2023 National High School.

Attendees are encouraged to take available precautions, including (but not limited to) bringing masks and hand sanitizer. However, the decision has been reached to return to pre-COVID conditions at the event.

US Chess will still sanitize all boards after each game. Attendees who wish to wear masks should bring their own.

US Chess reserves the right to alter this policy as needed, dependent upon the most recent regulatory or guidance updates from federal, state, and local health authorities. Please continue to check this space for any changes.


Click Here for Rating Review Report

The Tournament Review Group (defined in Section 12.5 of the Scholastic Regulations) reviews every entry to this tournament, and makes decisions about whether to assign a rating based on alternate rating data found for a player. Players on the above linked report have been assigned ratings that are different from their US Chess regular rating in the March 2023 rating supplement. Any player who has been resectioned as a result of an assigned rating has been notified by email from US Chess. The most current version of the report is published here for transparency. Contact the Director of Events with any questions.


TOWN HALL FOR PARENT/PLAYER INFORMATION!

US Chess offered an informative Town Hall for parents, coaches and players on Wednesday, March 23. The moderators were Pete Karagianis, Assistant Director of Events, and NTD Anand Dommalapati, chief TD of the 2023 National High School.

Click here for a recap of the Town Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UwzNR5GTcA


Trophies Plus
All awards are provided by Trophies Plus, sponsor of the All-American Team. Trophies Plus will ship medals and trophies for you at the conclusion of the event. Just click the Trophies Plus logo for details!

Tournament Registration Desk (Chess Control)
Report corrections, byes, membership payments etc. at the Registration Desk.
Email: nationalevents@uschess.org

Day Date Hours
Thursday   April 7  9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday   April 8  8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday  April 9  8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday  April 10  8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

7 Round Swiss in 6 Sections
K-12 Championship
K-12 Under 1900
K-12 Under 1600
K-12 Under 1200
K-12 Under 800
K-12 Unrated

March rating supplement will be used. Players must disclose other Over-the-Board (OTB) ratings with entry. Players with other OTB ratings may be moved to a different section at the discretion of US Chess.

Team score is total of top four finishers from each school per section.
A team must have at least two players but no maximum number of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score. All players on a team must come from the same school.

National Championship
First place individual and team in the K-12 Championship section, including ties, will be the National High School Champion.

Time Control: Game/90 d10
Each player has 90 minutes to complete the game with a 10 second grace period each move.



This is a US Chess National Scholastic Championship tournament. You must meet US Chess eligibility requirements to play. Contact US Chess to resolve potential eligibility questions BEFORE entering or making travel arrangements.


Entry Fee:   $80 postmarked or online by February 20, $100 postmarked or online by March 6, $115 online by March 20, $120 thereafter or on site.

  • ONLINE REGISTRATION STRONGLY PREFERRED!
  • DO NOT MAIL ANY REGISTRATIONS AFTER MARCH 20!
  • $30 extra for all phone registrations.
  • $30 change fee for roster or section changes after March 20 or any on site changes.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS:

  • Players registering after 11 a.m. Friday will not be paired for round 1, will receive a 1/2 bye for round 1, and will begin play with round 2.
    Up to two 1/2 point byes available any round if requested before round 1.
    A half-point bye in round 1 must be requested at the time of registration, or on-site before 11 AM Friday.
    A half-point bye request for rounds 2-7 not requested in advance must be requested two hours before the scheduled start of round 2.
    Players registering after 11 AM Friday will not be paired for round 1, will receive a half-point bye, and will begin play with round 2.
    Players requesting a section change late (after 11 AM Friday) will not be paired for round 1, will receive a half-point bye, and will begin play with round 2.
  • Current US Chess Scholastic Regulations are linked here
  • Click here for scholastic event policies and procedures.
  • 2023 National HS Tournament Rules are linked here
  • 2023 National HS Schedule of Events is linked here
  • Parking garage location/information for the Washington Hilton


Information for Accommodation Requests: Consistent with the Guidelines for Accessible Chess Events, requests for reasonable accommodations during the event should be made 2-3 weeks in advance of the event. Requests for accommodations made on site will be handled to the best of our ability.

Tournament Information Contact: [email protected].

Schedule:

  • Opening ceremony Friday 12:45 p.m.
  • Round start times: Friday 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
  • Awards Ceremony: Sunday 6 p.m. (approximately)


    NOTE ON AWARDS:

    The awards list below is pulled from a data file that is kept on the server we use for national events. The website for this event had to be restored several times this spring. Unfortunately, the restored site sometimes pulled from the 2022 data file, which was not correct.


    We will honor the advertised 2022 award distribution for 2023. Certain awards will have to be made and shipped to the player or school who wins them. US Chess will cover those costs.

    Please see below for the list of awards for this event, as well as the list of missing awards to be shipped after. Trophies should be shipped within 2-4 weeks of April 3. Medals should be shipped within 6-8 weeks of April 3.


    Award list is final as of 1/8/2023.

    All individual awards, including Blitz and Bughouse, will be custom medals. All team awards will be trophies.

    Awards:IndividualTeam
    K-12 ChampionshipTop 30 [plus ties for 30th place]Top 20
    K-12 Under 1900 Top 15 [plus ties for 15th place]Top 10
    K-12 Under 1600 Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]Top 20
    K-12 Under 1200 Top 35 [plus ties for 35th place]Top 25
    K-12 Under 800 Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]Top 20
    K-12 Unrated Top 15 [plus ties for 15th place]-----
    Top five teams in each section receive 5 plaques per place (4 players and the coach).

    Class awards to the top three in the following classes:
    K-12 Championship 1900-1999; 1800-1899; 1700-1799;
    1600-1699; 1500-1599; 1400-1499;
    Under 1400; Unrated

    Awards to be shipped after the event

    Missing Awards:IndividualTeam
    K-12 Championship26th-30th place16th-20th place
    K-12 Under 1900 none missing6th-10th place
    K-12 Under 1600 26th-30th place16th-20th place
    K-12 Under 1200 26th-35th place16th-25th place
    K-12 Under 800 26th-30th place16th-20th place
    K-12 Unrated none missing-----
    No class awards are missing.


    Parents, coaches and players: check out our Tournament Safety Tips!


    National High School Blitz Championship (G/5;d0)
    Thursday 5 p.m., entry fee $30 by 3/28, $40 after or on site.
    Registration closes at 2 p.m.
    Awards to Top 25 Individuals, Top 15 Teams and Top 3 in each Class
        1900-1999; 1800-1899; 1700-1799; 1600-1699;
        1500-1599; 1400-1499; Under 1400; Unrated.

    National High School Bughouse Championship (G/5;d0):
    Thursday 11 a.m., $30 per 2-player team on site only. Registration 9-10 a.m. One section K-12.
    Awards (2 each) to top 5 teams.

    Friends and Family Tournament (G/30;d5):
    4SS, G/30. Saturday 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., $30 onsite registration only. Anyone registering after 10 a.m. will take a half point bye in round 1. Rated and Unrated sections. Trophies for each category of combined player/student results.


    Notes and Reminders:

    • Important: Electronic Device Policy for National Scholastic Events.
    • Please bring clocks. Sets and score sheets provided. Players are responsible for bringing and setting their own clocks, and explaining their operation when asked.
    • US Chess membership through April 2023 is required.
    • March 2023 rating supplement will be used in compliance with the Scholastic Regulations.
    • Unrated players may play in the Championship Sections or Unrated Sections only!!!
    • Players must disclose other Over-the-Board (OTB) ratings with entry.
    • For a printable entry form, click here
    • Mail-in entries must be postmarked by March 28th.

    Entries and General Information Contact:
    [email protected]
    U.S. Chess Federation, Attn.: 2023 HS Championship, P.O. Box 775308, St. Louis MO 63177.


    The deadline for reserving a team room has passed.

    IF YOU'RE GETTING OLD INFORMATION, PLEASE CLEAR YOUR BROWSER CACHE
    (The reservation link will be activated at 12:00 PM EDT on Friday, March 3.)

    List of Available Team Rooms for National HS

    Playing area: International and Crystal Ballrooms, Concourse Level

    Skittles area: Columbia, Terrace Level

    How to Use the Room Reservation System - PowerPoint file - PDF file

    Instructional Video on Using the Room Reservation System

    Team Room Information Contact: Pete Karagianis at [email protected]



    courtesy Rashad Babaev

    Guest Grandmaster:

    GM Rashad Babaev

    Azerbaijan national champion, 2009
    Proprietor, GM ChessPrep


    Schedule for GM Babaev:

    • Friday, 9 AM -- 30-Board Simultaneous Exhibition
    • Friday, 3:30 to 5:30 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz
    • Saturday, 12:30 AM -- Lecture and Q&A
    • Saturday, 3:30 to 5:30 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz
    • Sunday, 11:00 AM -- Lecture and Q&A
    • Sunday, 2:00 to 4:00 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz


    Live Analysis on Twitch!

    US Chess will be broadcasting top games from the National High School Championship section on our Twitch channel with live analysis in rounds 5 through 7!

    Analyst - GM Mesgen Amanov


    Four-time Olympiad representative, Turkmenistan
    Coach of several World Cadet medalists
    Founder, ImproveMyChess.com

    (photo credit: Chess Life Online)

    Analyst - NM Gopal Menon


    Instructor, Dynamic Chess Inc.
    Coach, Whitney Young Magnet High School
    (three-time Illinois state HS champions)

    (photo credit: Gopal Menon)

    Visit http://www.twitch.tv/USChess to view the stream!