39th Annual Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships

This tournament is open to Vermont students in grades K through 12. Participants must be Vermont residents or be enrolled in a Vermont public or private school. No prior tournament experience is necessary. Home schooled students are eligible, as long as they are Vermont residents and under 19 years of age. Home schooled students in a program that doesn't use traditional grade levels should enroll in a section appropriate to their age.

High School, 8th and 5th Grade sections serve as a qualifier for national-level tournaments, so they are USCF rated. A current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections. Please make certain that your membership is current prior to registration. You may obtain or update a USCF membership online at https://uschess.org.

All players must pre-register for the event. No walk-ins allowed. Registration closes on March 23rd. Registration may close prior to March 23rd due to space limitations. Online registration only, no entries will be accepted via mail or email.

High School, 8th and 5th Grade sections will be USCF rated. A current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections.

• All rated section (High School / 8th / 5th Grade) games will use a chess clock.
• Matches will be “Game 30, Delay 0” meaning each player will have 30 minutes, for a total of 1 hour maximum per game, with no clock delay and no increment per move.
• Clocks will be provided.
• USCF players are required to notate their games. If unfamiliar with notation, do your best. Notation becomes optional for both players once there is 5 minutes or less left on the clock for either player.

K-4th and 6-7th Grade sections will be unrated, and USCF membership is not required.

• First round pairing will be by random draw in these unrated sections.
• Pairing for subsequent rounds will follow Swiss pairing rules, which matches players who have accumulated a similar score for the day's event.
• All games in each round are expected to be completed within one hour.
• Any game lasting longer than 40 minutes will have a clock applied to assure timely completion.
• Players are encouraged to notate their games (i.e. write down each move as it is made) but it is not required.

All national tournaments correspond with the U.S. Chess Open and this year are being held August 3-6, 2026 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Participation and final results in eligible sections serve as a qualifier for national-level tournaments, yet we hold no authority over these subsequent events. Nominees are responsible for bearing their own costs and expenses for national-level tournament participation.

2026 Denker National High School Selection

The top finishing student in the High School division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Denker Tournament of High School Champions, a national competition with a representative from each state (Denker Tournament Details).

2026 Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions

The top finishing female students (K-12) will be considered for the nomination to represent Vermont in the Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions, a national competition with a representative from each state (Haring Tournament Details). To be considered, please check the appropriate box during registration. Additional playoffs will likely be required to determine the nominee.

2026 Barber National Middle School Selection

The top finishing student in the Middle School division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Barber Tournament of Middle School Champions, a national competition with a representative from each state (Barber Tournament Details).

NOTE: Any player in grades 6th-7th who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Barber Tournament must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 8th Grade division instead of their actual grade level.

2026 Rockefeller National Elementary School Selection

The top finishing student in the Grade 5 division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Rockefeller Tournament of Elementary School Champions, a national competition with a representative from each state (Rockefeller Tournament Details).

NOTE: Any player in grades K-4 who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Rockefeller event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 5th Grade division instead of their actual grade level.

2026 GM Maurice Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions

The top finishing student in the Grade 3 division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions, a national competition with a representative from each state (Ashley Tournament Details).

NOTE: Any player in grades K-2 who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Ashley event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 3rd Grade division instead of their actual grade level.