Player Reference for May 2026 New York Metro Area GRADE Scholastic Chess Championships
Note: This page may be continuously updated until the event, please make sure to check back and review the night before.
Also See:
Click for Important Preparation Information
Click for Latest Pairings and Standings
Jump to Section:
Critical Communication Instructions
WhatsApp Channel For Your Section (Must Join)
Chess Control (All Day-Of Inquiries Must Be Directed Here)
Pairings, Board Numbers & Standings
Broadway Ballroom Balcony Rules
Hard Work Recognition Gifts for Every Player
Expanded Podium Trophy Winners
Additional Bonuses for Top Performers
👀 Critical Communication Instructions
Make sure you are reachable by cell phone and actively monitoring your WhatsApp channel for important announcements.
📢 WhatsApp Channel For Your Section (Must Join)
You must join the channel(s) corresponding to your child’s section(s).
⚠️ Important: WhatsApp Channels are found under the “Updates” tab, not “Chats.”
🔔 Channel notifications are OFF by default — you must turn them ON.
How to enable notifications:
- Tap the bell icon at the top of the channel
- OR: Menu → Channel Info → Notifications → Ensure Not Muted
Channel Links
- Kindergarten – 4th Grade Sections
- 5th – 12th Grade Sections
❓ Chess Control (All Day-Of Inquiries Must Be Directed Here)
All questions must go through Chess Control, located on the 6th Floor.
📧 Email: metros2026@zohomail.com
- Email responses may be signficantly delayed during the event.
- If you do not receive an immediate response, check directly with Chess Control in person.
⚠️ Other official chess emails and phone numbers will NOT be monitored during the Metros.
📊 Pairings, Board Numbers & Standings
Live link:
PDFs: Will be sent in the appropriate WhatsApp Channels
Printed Sheets: Will be posted on on boards near the elevator banks of the 6th Floors
🗺️ Important Room Locations
6th Floor
- Chess Control: In the Coat-Check room (when exiting elevators on 6th floor, make a right and you will see the Chess Control window along the wall)
- All Tournament Games and Awards: Broadway Ballroom (Only K-5th graders will exit on the 6th floor)
- Metros Custom Merch (T-Shirts and Apparel) & Sponsors: Hallway outside Tournament Hall
7th Floor
- Team Rooms: Room assignments will be emailed; school names will be posted outside each room
- Coaches Corner: Columbia Room
9th Floor
- Bookstore: On the Terrace
- Skittles & Parent Lounges: Terrace, Marquis Ballroom
- Tournament Sponsors: Terrace
- NOTE: The Barrymore, Cantor and Jolson rooms are not part of the 2026 GRADE Metros
⏰ Scheduled Round Start Times
All 2-Day Championship Sections
- Saturday, May 9: 9:30am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 5:00pm
- Sunday, May 10: 9:00am, 12:30pm
- Awards: ~4pm
⭐ Additional Scheduling Notes
| 🎉 Opening Remarks and Ceremonial First Move Come by the Broadway Ballroom at 9:00 AM for a few opening words from some Chess legends and friends of Official Chess. Dave Hater – In addition to being a Board member of the US Ches Federation and one fo the mpst senior exectuives at Continental Chess (CCA), Dave is also one of the most prolific and well-respected Tournament Directors in America. Sunil Weeramantry – Founder of the world-renowned National Scholastic Chess Foundation and the chess programs at Hunter College Campus School and Speyer Legacy School, Sunil provided the blueprint for what elite scholastic chess programs and tournaments look like today. Hikaru Nakamura – 5-time US Champion and 5-time Speed Chess Champion, Super Grandmaster Hikaru is undoubtedly one of the greatest and well-known chess players of all time | Location: Broadway Ballroom (6th Floor) Schedule: 9:00am Saturday Special Ceremonial first move by Super GM Hikaru Nakamura joined by the top rated players in each section the GRADE Metros. |
| 🏆 Awards Ceremony Hikaru will return to our stage to kick off the Awards Ceremony by sharing some thoughts and insights to inspire our incredible NY Metros players. We have a feeling some parents may be just as excited to hear what he has to day. | Location: Broadway Ballroom (6th Floor) Schedule: ~3:30pm Sunday |
🧒 👧 K–5 Holding Area Policy
Players will gather outside the tournament hall on the 6th floor
- There will be at least one Tournament staff member in the Holding area greeting children as they exit the Tournament Hall
- If you locate your child as they exit, feel free to pick them up
- If a child cannot locate their guardians after a few minutes, our staff will call and text the guardian
- Children may leave independently if they indicate they are allowed to and demonstrate they know where they are going
- We will provide (limited) seating for parents in front of Tournament Hall
🔭 Broadway Ballroom Balcony Rules
This area provides an amazing birds-eye-view of the Broadway Ballroom Hall at the Championship Sections but is considered part of the Tournament Hall
- Parents allowed only before the start of each round
- Once the TD indicates that parents must exit the Tournament Hall, the Broadway Balcony must be vacated as well
- You may access the ballroom via the 7th or 6th floor
Hard Work Recognition Gifts for Every Player
- Exclusive custom Official Chess commemorative trading card encased in hard plastic
- Given out during the last round of each section
- If you cannot make it to the last round or have a bye, please see Chess Control before you leave
- Moms work hard too!
- Free gift bag sponsored by Marriott and Jo Malone
- Free pack of Official Chess Trading Cards
- Sealed pack ready to rip and delight all of our amazing chess kids!
- Free 3-Month Super Duolingo Subscription
- No credit card required – Codes will be shared following the conclusion of the Metros
- Includes access to all languages, and other courses (including chess of course)
- Free 1-Month Chess.com or ChessKid Subsciption
🎉 Awards Ceremony
- Podium winners should report to the front of the stage as soon as they enter the Awards Ceremony hall and will be seated separately from parents.
- Class trophies and ties with final podium finishers will not be awarded on stage and must be picked up at Chess Control
🌟 Additional Bonuses for Top Performers
♔ 2027 Metros Entry Discounts (every section)
- 1st Place: 50% off 2027 Metros entry (off early-bird pricing)
- 2nd–5th Place: 30% off
- 6th–10th Place: 15% off
🌎 Duolingo
- Top 10 in each section: 1 full year of free Super Duolingo membership
♟️ChessKid / Chess.com
- Chess.com:
- 1st Place – 6-month Diamond membership
- 2nd–3rd Place – 3-month Diamond membership, or
- ChessKid:
- Top 3 finishers – 1-year Gold membership
♞DGT (http://www.digitalgametechnology.com)
- Top 2 winners in each section receive DGT tournament-caliber clocks
🎭 Chess: The Musical on Broadway (chessbroadway.com)
- Top 2 winners in every section:
- Two free tickets to the show OR a signed poster
🧗 Ferox Ninja / Area 53 (feroxathletics.com | area53nyc.com)
- Top 3 in every section:
- Two free tickets to Ferox and two free tickets to Area 53