Scholastic chess is the broadest "area" of responsibility for US Chess; roughly half of our members attend one kind of school or another, ranging from pre-school programs up through college - and a small segment of the membership are still too young to start school yet, too!

Many parents and educators have found that chess is a wonderful way of exercising young minds, while many youngsters have simply found that chess is both satisfying and a lot of fun. As the national sanctioning body for chess in the US, our roles include providing support for all of the myriad activities organized locally and regionally throughout the country; we also hold a variety of competitions at the national level for players from elementary school through college levels, as well as for specific age groups up to 21 years old. Our most successful and ambitious young members can also represent the US internationally - our country has produced numerous World Junior Champions, as well as world champions in lower age categories.

Throughout the US, chess is being taught in both formal in-classroom and after-school and in park and recreation programs, as well as in less formal setting. Numerous colleges and independent funds offer scholarships for both chess prowess and academic excellence, and cultural exchange programs and chess camps give players opportunities to meet opponents and make friends from all over the world.

Not all of the millions of youngsters who play chess at home or at school, with family members or with friends, will ever become involved in serious tournaments, but every year, several hundred thousand boys and girls take part in local competitions, and tens of thousands of them participate in officially rated tournaments or matches sanctioned by US Chess.

These boys and girls are supported by untold numbers of volunteers, who do everything from starting local school chess clubs and study groups, to helping run our national championships. Our parent-volunteers are supported by a network of state and national leaders, as well as our professional staff members and certified coaches and tournament directors.

We encourage you to contact us if you don't find what you are looking for here, or if we can be of assistance to you in any way.