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Cops & Kids Chess Program

Promoting Non-Violence and Positive Engagement

The Chicago Public Schools, Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, in partnership with the Chicago Police Department, developed the Cops & Kids (C&K) Chess initiative. C&K is a year-round after-school program for elementary (5-8) and high school students which includes 2 tournaments with student and police officers and Criminal Justice professionals. The program is intended to promote peace in the home, schools and communities by increasing positive relationships between youth and police officers while utilizing the game of chess as the vehicle for engagement. The initiative utilizes Restorative Justice Practices to empower students through respect, responsibility, relationship-building, while teaching how to resolve conflicts through cooperative and constructive ways.

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2023 Greater Chicago Standings

More than 670 player competed in the annual Greater Chicago K-12 Chess Championship which took place at West Building of McCormick Place. At the end of a spectacular day of chess the winners were determined along with the City of Chicago Champions.

VIEW STANDINGS AND PHOTOS

The top individual & team from Chicago, in each of the championship sections, are recognized as the City Champions.

SectionTeamIndividual
K-12Whitney Young H.S.Whitman Kosak – Lane Tech
K-8Whitney Young A.C.Agastya Vanama – Skinner North
K-6PritzkerMatthew Yu – Skinner North
K-4Skinner NorthLucas Silvestre – University Of Chicago Lab

2023 Greater Chicago K-12 Championship

The Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, the Kasparov Chess Foundation, the Chicago Public Schools Academic Chess program, and SBB Research Group, are pleased to invite players from across the Midwest to play in the largest and most prestigious USCF rated tournament in Chicago; the 14th Annual Greater Chicago K-12 Championships being held at at McCormick Place on February 4, 2023. The tournament is open to all students in grades K-12.

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Apr 28-30, 2023 All-Girls National Championship

The Kasparov Chess Foundation, the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, and the United States Chess Federation, are pleased to invite girls from across America to play in the largest and most prestige girls only tournament in the USA; the 18th Annual KCF All-Girls National Chess Championship taking place April 28 -30 at the Iconic Palmer House Chicago Hotel in downtown Chicago. The tournament is open to all girls under 18 years old as of January 1, 2023.

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Aug 11 – 18, 2023 Pan-American Youth Chess Championships

The Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, the International Chess School, the Confederation of Chess for America (CCA) and the US Chess Federation, are pleased to invite all National Chess Federations of the Americas to the XXXIII Pan-American Youth Chess Festival Open and Girls, from August 11 – 18, 2023 taking place at the Hyatt McCormick Place in Chicago. The tournament is open to players under 18 years old as of January 1, 2023.

This is the first time the event is being held in the United States of America and is taking place in one of the world’s greatest cities unlike any otherCHICAGO.

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Chicago Public Schools Academic Chess Program

Renaissance Knights is in its 18th year as a partner with the Chicago Public Schools chess program. CPS Academic Chess provides students from diverse communities across the city with the opportunity to learn, play, and compete in chess at no cost. The students participate in after school chess clubs and compete in tournaments throughout the year including at the CPS Academic Chess play-offs and Championships, City of Chicago Championship, State and National tournaments.

We need your assistance as we continue to build and expand our thriving chess programs. Donations helps advance the work of the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation with CPS while your support as a volunteer, coach or mentor helps our chess club and chess team. GET INVOLVED TODAY!

KCF All-Girls Nationals Returns in 2022

The Kasparov Chess Foundation, the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, and the United States Chess Federation, are pleased to invite girls from across America to play in the largest and most prestige girls only tournament in the USA; the 17th Annual KCF All-Girls National Chess Championship.

The tournament returns to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60616

The tournament is open to all girls under 18 years old as of January 1, 2022. Players will participate in the following categories: Under 8 years old, under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16, and under 18; sections.

The Champion in each age category, qualifies to represent the USA at the 2022 World Cadets (U8, U10, U12) and World Youth (U14, U16, U18) Championships.

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February 26 – Student Empowerment Workshop Online

On Saturday, February 26th from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, Join us for this exciting and fun workshop for Black History Month. The workshop is designed for both chess players and non-chess players alike.

We have lined up two great speakers; Rochelle Ballantyne, from the movie Brooklyn Castle, who will be going over a game of hers and speaking on her experiences as she tries to attain the status of master, and Daaim Shabazz from the Chess Drum, who will be going over Black masters throughout history.

This workshop is open to all students, so help us pass the word.  We are asking participants to register in advance .

REGISTER NOW

Rochelle Ballantyne

is an American chess player. She is best known for appearing in the 2012 documentary Brooklyn Castle and being the first African-American female chess master.  Rochelle a full scholarship to Stanford University, which she graduated from in 2017. She received an MA in education policy from Columbia University in 2020. In Fall 2020 she began law school at New York University Law School, fully funded by the AnBryce Scholarship.

Daaim Shabazz

Is an Associate Professor of Business at Florida A&M University (USA) and publisher of the online chess blog The Chess Drum dedicated to covering the chess activities within the worldwide African Diaspora.

Illinois ChessKid Qualifier for the National ChessKid Championship

We are excited to announce the Illinois ChessKid Qualifier! will be held on Saturday, November 13th and is open to all scholastic players K-12 in Illinois. The event will take place online through the ChessKid platform.

DETAILS

When: Veterans Day, Thursday November 11th, 2021 at 12pm CT

Sections: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12

Format: 5-Round Swiss

Time Control: All sections will play G10+2 (ten minutes per game with a two-second increment per move). There will be a total of five rounds

Entry Fee

$10 by November 9th, 2021, 11:59 pm CT. No entries accepted after November 9th.

Note — in order to play in the warmup event on November 6th, 2021, you MUST register by November 2nd.

CLICK HERE FOE MORE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION