Chicago Chess Foundation Tournament

Saucedo Elementary school

2027 Tournament

Saturday, February 20th, 2027

SUCEDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

2850 W 24th ST .

Chicago, IL 60623

The Chicago Chess Foundation (CCF) invites K–8 students from across Chicagoland to join us for a free Citywide Chess Tournament at SAUCEDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

Whether this is your first tournament or you’ve competed before, CCF Citywide Tournaments bring students together from across the city for a full day of chess, competition, and community.

Tournament Format

This is a 5-round Swiss-system tournament with six sections:

  • K–1

  • 2–3

  • 4–5

  • 6–8

  • Intermediate

  • Advanced

The tournament is open to all students in grades K–8. Players should register for the section that best matches their grade and experience level.

Chess sets and clocks are provided by CCF.

Time Controls

Advanced: G/35 d5

Intermediate: G/25 d5

K–8 Sections: G/20

In the K–8 sections, clocks may be introduced if a game exceeds 30 minutes.

Schedule

Check-in: 8:30 AM–9:30 AM

Round 1: 10:00 AM

Rounds 2–5: Begin as soon as possible following the completion of the previous round

Awards Ceremony: Approximately 3:00 PM

Event Ends: Approximately 4:00 PM

Round times after Round 1 are approximate and may vary depending on the length of games.

Awards

K–1, 2–3, 4–5 & 6–8 Sections

Each grade-level section will recognize:

🏆 Top 5 Individual Finishers

🏆 Top Girl

🏆 Top 2 Teams

Intermediate & Advanced Sections

Each section will recognize:

Top 5 Individual Finishers

Top Girl

Top Team

Individual Award Eligibility

To recognize as many students as possible, players may receive one individual trophy per tournament.

The Top Girl trophy will be awarded to the highest-finishing girl in the section who did not already earn a Top 5 individual trophy.

Registration

Registration Deadline: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18th 2027

This tournament is completely free to attend as part of CCF’s mission to remove barriers and expand access to competitive chess.

All players must register in advance and check in on tournament morning.

Players who are not checked in by 9:45 AM will receive a Round 1 half-point bye.

If the tournament reaches capacity, a waitlist will be enabled.

https://www.kingregistration.com/register/CCF-GBT26

Getting There

Public Transportation

ACCESSIBLE BY PINK LINE, GREEN LINE, AND 94 CTA BUS

Parking

Free on-site parking is available in the MAIN PARKING LOT located NEXT to the school. 

Venue Information

SAUCEDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

2850 W 24th St. 

Chicago, IL 60623

Tournament Area: All sections will play their games in the second floor cafeteria.

Entrance: Enter from door #1, which is in the front of the school on 24th St.

Before You Arrive

Please plan to arrive with enough time to check in by 9:30 AM. Players do not need to bring chess equipment.

What to Bring:

Water bottle, snacks or lunch, and anything else your student may need for a full tournament day.

Food:

Please plan to BYO lunch. There are some nearby lunch options available on 26th St.

Parents & Spectators:

Skittles area will be the upstairs gym. We expect the skittles areas to be respected and safe for all who are present in those space. We will rely on parents, coaches, and other adults in the space to hold all children responsible for acting in a safe and respectful manner.

Questions?

For questions about the tournament, please contact the Chicago Chess Foundation at programs@chicagochessfoundation.org