CHESS WARRIORS, GET READY. THE METROS NYC K–12 CHAMPIONSHIP IS BACK IN TIMES SQUARE!

2nd Annual New York Metro Area Scholastic Chess Championships

January 2–3, 2027

New York Marriott Marquis • Times Square

We are very excited to announce that the organizer of the Metros is now a Delegate to the US Chess Federation as nominated by the New York State Chess Association. We thank the NYSCA for their support of Official Chess®.

After the incredible success of the inaugural Metros, we could not be more excited to bring it back for Year Two!

The inaugural Metros drew nearly 1,450 players, bringing thousands of young chess players, families, schools, academies and coaches together at the New York Marriott Marquis for an unforgettable weekend of championship chess in the heart of Times Square.

Now, thousands of Chess Warriors are getting ready to take over Times Square again!

The best and brightest young chess players will once again gather at the Crossroads of the World to showcase their mastery of the 64 squares, represent their schools and teams, reconnect with chess friends, make new ones and celebrate this incredible game together.

The Metros promises another unforgettable weekend of competition, learning and community.

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A CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE BUILT FOR EVERY CHESS KID

One of the things that made the inaugural Metros so special was its uniquely flexible and inclusive tournament format.

The Metros is designed to create an exciting and inviting competitive experience for scholastic players of every age and every chess rating, from a kindergartner participating in one of their first rated tournaments to some of the strongest high school players in the country competing for a Championship title.

This year we added even more sections in the Middle School and High School groups!
With a total of 17 different sections, divided by age, grade and rating, families have the ability to customize their Metros experience to best fit their individual player.

Want the full championship experience? Then choose one of our two-day Championship sections, featuring six rounds of longer time-control chess over Saturday and Sunday, open to any rating.

Prefer playing in sections where your opponents’ ratings are capped? Then choose one of our one-day Under sections, featuring five rounds on either Saturday or Sunday. You can even choose two Under sections if you are eligible for one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Just purchase two tickets to each under section.

Whether your goal is to win a Championship, represent your school, compete for a team trophy, chase an individual trophy, gain tournament experience, challenge yourself against stronger competition, spend the weekend with your chess friends or simply have an amazing time playing the game you love, the Metros allows every player and family to build the experience that will maximize their enjoyment, competition and growth.

There is a place at the Metros for every scholastic chess player.

We cannot wait to welcome everyone back to Times Square!

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FOLLOW OFFICIAL CHESS®

Follow Official Chess® on Instagram for all the latest updates:

https://www.instagram.com/officialchessglobal

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TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Eligibility: Open to any students K–12 from anywhere

GRADE ELIGIBILITY BY SECTION

• High School Sections: Grades K–12
• Middle School Sections: Grades K–8
• Elementary Sections: Grades K–5
• Primary Sections: Grades K–3
• K–1 Sections: Grades K–1

Pre-School Eligibility:
Per US Chess Federation scholastic guidelines, pre-schoolers may play in the Kindergarten Section at the K–12 Grade Nationals or in any “K–X” Section in other events. Pre-schoolers may continue to play as Kindergartners or in K–X sections in subsequent years until they start the first grade.

Location:
New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square
1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Dates: Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3, 2027

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FORMAT

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HALF-POINT BYES

Maximum of 2 half-point byes.

Half-point byes must be requested before the start of Round 2.

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TEAM ROOMS

SCHOOLS, ACADEMIES, COACHES & TEAM ORGANIZERS: PLEASE RESERVE EARLY!

One of the highlights of the Metros is the incredible team atmosphere throughout the New York Marriott Marquis.

Schools, chess academies and organized teams can have dedicated spaces where players, coaches and families can gather between rounds, review games, prepare for upcoming matches, eat, relax and celebrate together throughout the weekend.

This year, we expect even more schools, academies and teams to participate, which means demand for private team space should be even greater.

We will do everything possible to accommodate as many groups as we can. We can get creative by combining rooms, arranging shared spaces or developing other solutions when appropriate.

But space inside the Marriott Marquis is finite.

Coaches, team organizers, academy directors and lead chess parents: please do not wait.

If you expect to bring a school team, chess academy or other organized group, please contact us as soon as possible so we can begin planning your space.

Team Rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Email info@officialchess.org to reserve your Team Room.

To keep the event as inclusive and convenient as possible, Official Chess® will continue assisting with costs so schools and chess programs are not charged typical Manhattan conference-room rates.

Available spaces may include:

• Private Team Rooms accommodating approximately 60–85 people
• Larger private Team Rooms accommodating approximately 120 people
• Rooms that can be combined for larger groups
• Shared arrangements for smaller teams when appropriate

Last year we filled every available room. This year we expect even more teams. Please reserve early.

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MARRIOTT MARQUIS ROOM RATES

Special tournament hotel room rates are TBD and will be announced once finalized.

Please check back for updates or follow Official Chess® on Instagram for the latest hotel information.

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ALL-STAR CAST

The tournament is under the direction of one of the most qualified and distinguished teams available.

Sunil Weeramantry

Special Tournament Advisor

Founder, National Scholastic Chess Foundation • NY State Chess Association Hall of Fame • Former Chair, US Chess Federation Scholastic & Education Committees

David Hater

Chief Tournament Director • 2,800+ sections TDed

Executive Board Member, US Chess Federation • Senior Executive, Continental Chess Association • US Chess National TD • FIDE International Arbiter • Retired Army Colonel

Jabari McGreen

National Tournament Director • Thousands of sections TDed

Charles Hatherill

National Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed

FIDE National Arbiter • International Arbiter

Stephen Lorimor

National Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed

FIDE National Arbiter

Noreen Harkins Davisson

Senior Tournament Director • 3,600+ sections TDed

FIDE National Arbiter

Ian Harris

Senior Tournament Director • 1,350+ sections TDed

Founder, RedBandit Chess

Hector Rodriguez

Club Tournament Director • 850+ sections TDed

President, The Right Move Chess Federation

Ronald Young

Local Tournament Director • 1,300+ sections TDed

Mikhail Koganov

Local Tournament Director • 100+ sections TDed

Vice President, Connecticut State Chess Association

Brandon De La Rosa

Club Tournament Director • 250+ sections TDed

…and more to come!

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COACHES CORNER

No personal coach to review your games? No Team Room? We have you covered!

Register for “Entry PLUS” at checkout.

Upgrade your tournament experience and improve your chances at a title!

You do not have to come from a huge chess program or school to enjoy the advantages and benefits of on-site coaching.

Dedicated Master-level players and professional coaches will be on site in the Coaches Corner, offering real-time game reviews, tips and personalized advice between rounds.

• Gain insights in real time while your moves and reasoning are still fresh.
• Quickly uncover critical mistakes and missed opportunities.
• Strengthen your play before your very next round.
• Turn each tournament game into an immediate learning opportunity.
• Build both short-term tournament results and long-term chess skills.

COACHES CORNER MASTERS

Subject to change at any time

John Fedorowicz

World Chess Hall of Fame Grandmaster • Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School Chess Coach

Jon Edwards

Current Correspondence Chess World Champion and Correspondence Chess Grandmaster

Jay Bonin

International Master • The Indisputable Iron Man of Chess

Eric Fleischman

Original Life Master, Candidate Master and National Master

Abimbola “Ayo” Osunfuyi

FIDE Master and National Master

…and more to come!

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🎟 ENTRY COSTS

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RATINGS

December 2026 Published US Chess Regular Ratings will be used.

Unrated players are allowed in all sections.

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SECTIONS, TIME CONTROLS & ROUND START TIMES

TWO-DAY CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONS

Awards: Approximately 7:00 PM Sunday

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SATURDAY-ONLY UNDER SECTIONS

Awards: Approximately 6:00 PM Saturday

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SUNDAY-ONLY UNDER SECTIONS

Awards: Approximately 6:00 PM Sunday

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LATENESS & WITHDRAWALS

Players are allowed up to 30 minutes of lateness.

After that time, the player will be considered a no-show and will forfeit the game for that round.

The forfeiting player will also be considered withdrawn from the tournament and will not be paired for the following round unless the player or parent contacts Chess Control before the next round’s pairings are posted.

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AWARDS

INDIVIDUAL PODIUM TROPHIES

The number of podium trophies awarded in each section will be based on the size of that section.

Larger sections will receive more podium trophies, allowing us to appropriately recognize outstanding performances while accounting for the number of players competing in each division.

Every podium trophy will be a Championship-caliber triple-post design or larger.

The final number of podium trophies awarded in each section will be announced based on registration levels.

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TIE TROPHIES

In an effort to reward and recognize fantastic performances, individual players who tie in score with the final podium trophy winner in their section but place lower due to tiebreaks will still receive a special “Tie For” Trophy.

For example, if podium trophies are awarded through 25th place in a section, any additional players who finish with the same score as the 25th-place trophy winner will also receive a “Tie For 25th Place” Trophy, regardless of their final tiebreak position.

This allows us to recognize players who achieved the same tournament score as a podium finisher, while still using the published tiebreak system to determine the official order of finish.

In order to comply with US Chess Federation scholastic guidelines, “Tie For” Trophies and “Class Prize” Trophies must be picked up at Chess Control and will not be presented during the formal Awards Ceremony.

“Tie For” Trophies and Class Prize Trophies apply only to Individual Awards and do not apply to Team Awards.

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CLASS PRIZES

Class Prize trophies will be awarded to the top 2 eligible players, using tiebreaks, every 200 points below the rating ceiling, up to three thresholds, in each Under Section.

For example, the High School U1800 section will award Class Prize trophies to the top two eligible scorers:

• Under 1600
• Under 1400
• Under 1200

Players who receive a Podium Trophy are not eligible for an additional Class Prize Trophy.

Championship Section Class Prize Thresholds

High School Championship

Under 1800
Under 1600
Under 1400

Middle School Championship

Under 1700
Under 1500
Under 1300

Elementary Championship

Under 1700
Under 1500
Under 1300

Primary Championship

Under 1400
Under 1200
Under 1000

K–1 Championship

Under 800
Under 600
Under 400

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TEAM AWARDS

School team scores will be based on the top 4 individual scores from each school.

Teams of 2 or 3 are allowed, but will naturally be at a scoring disadvantage.

There will be at least 5 Team Podium Trophies awarded in every section.

The final number of Team Podium Trophies in each section may increase based on the number of teams participating in that section.

Top Team Trophies will be 50-inch quadruple-post designs.

Because the primary Team Trophy is intended to be displayed at the winning school, members of winning teams will also receive their own smaller commemorative trophy to take home.

This allows the school to proudly display its team accomplishment while each player who helped earn the victory has a personal trophy to commemorate the achievement.

Please note that “Tie For” Trophies and Class Prize Trophies are Individual Awards only and do not apply to Team Awards.

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BONUS WINNER PRIZES

In addition to trophies and other awards, top finishers in every section will receive discounts toward entry into the following year’s Metros:

Discounts are calculated from the following year’s Early Bird pricing.

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CANCELLATIONS & CHANGES

To help us maintain a smooth, well-run and on-time tournament experience for everyone, we strongly request that all section changes and cancellation requests be submitted as early as possible and, whenever possible, before the free deadlines outlined below.

With thousands of players competing across multiple sections, late changes require significant manual work and can affect section planning, pairings, room assignments, staffing, awards preparation and our ability to keep the tournament running on schedule.

Section Changes

Section changes are FREE through November 30, 2026.

A $20 section change fee will apply to changes requested after November 30 through December 26, 2026.

A $40 section change fee will apply to any section changes requested after December 26 through December 31, 2026.

Cancellations & Refunds

A $15 cancellation/refund fee will apply to refunds.

Summer Early Bird Exception: Anyone who purchased their tournament entry on or before September 30, 2026 will not be charged the $15 cancellation/refund fee, provided the cancellation request is received before the refund deadline.

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD

These deadlines and fees will be strictly enforced.

We completely understand that plans can change. However, whenever possible, please make registration changes, section changes or cancellation requests well before the applicable deadlines.

Your cooperation allows our tournament staff to finalize accurate sections, room assignments and pairings and helps us deliver the organized, efficient and on-time championship experience that every player and family deserves.

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OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES

Boards and pieces will be provided, but please bring your own clocks.

Notation books are permitted, but cell phones must remain out of sight and turned off during tournament play.

Notation is required for all sections EXCEPT K–1 U400 and K–1 Championship.

A.I. or any electronic eyeglasses are strictly prohibited in tournament rooms. Please make sure to bring non-electronic glasses if prescription lenses are medically needed. Feel free to email info@officialchess.org before the tournament if there are any questions.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Electronic devices include cell phones, smart watches, tablets, computers, AirTags and other devices capable of communication or chess analysis.

Before each round begins, all electronic devices must be completely turned off and stored in a bag or placed face-up on the table. Silent, vibrate and airplane modes do not qualify as off.

Once the round begins, players may not use or carry electronic devices during their game, including when leaving the tournament room or using the restroom. Devices may only be turned back on after the player has completely exited the tournament room.

One-way tracking devices, including AirTags and certain wrist trackers, may be permitted but are subject to inspection by tournament staff.

Parents are not allowed in tournament rooms during games.

Parents must chaperone children at all times between matches.

For the safety of all young participants, staff will be stationed at the K–5 Holding Area for any children who cannot find their parents and are not comfortable walking back to their Team or Skittles Room.

If a parent cannot be located, our staff will contact the parent to alert them that their child has completed their game.

Please ensure your cell phones remain on and accessible throughout the tournament.

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PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

By registering your child for the tournament, you acknowledge and agree that photographs and/or video footage may be taken during the event by authorized staff, media representatives or partners for promotional and educational purposes.

These images and videos may be used, without compensation, in publications, promotional materials, websites and social media platforms associated with the New York Metro Area Scholastic Chess Championships, Official Chess®, its organizers and affiliated partners.

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PLAYER NAMES & RESULTS

All players will have their names displayed in tournament results and reports, as is customary with any US Chess Federation rated event.

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ENTRY & SAFE PLAY

Official Chess® reserves the right to refuse entry or revoke any registration at its sole discretion, or in accordance with rules and regulations set forth by US Chess, including, but not limited to, adherence to the US Chess Safe Play Policies and Sanction List.

US Chess Safe Play Guidelines

Updated US Chess Sanction List

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TIEBREAK METHODS

1) Modified Median

Total points scored by your opponents, with half-points for early withdrawals, while disregarding the least-significant, usually lowest-scoring, opponent.

The player with the highest total has, in theory, faced opponents with the strongest overall tournament performance.

2) Solkoff

Total points scored by all of your opponents, including the lowest-scoring opponents.

3) Cumulative

The sum of your running tournament score after each round.

Because each round’s score is added to the previous rounds, players who score points earlier in the tournament generally receive a higher Cumulative score than players who score the same number of points later.

4) Opponents Cumulative

Similar to Cumulative, except this method is based on your opponents’ scores.

Not applicable for Team tiebreaks.

5) Coin Flip

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