The Denker Tournament of High School Champions is an annual invitational event for the champions of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Named for the late Grandmaster Arnold Denker, a former U.S. Champion and a tireless promoter of chess among young people, the tournament has been one of the most prestigious national events for students in grades 9-12 since its inception 38 years ago.
The Dewain Barber National Tournament of Middle School Champions, now in its 12th year, is the corresponding annual event for students in grades 6-8. This year both the Denker and Barber tournaments will be held in the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California, from July 30 – August 2. This coming Saturday, April 2, Washington, DC will hold its qualification tournaments to determine who will represent the District in these events.
The qualifiers will be held at the DC Housing Finance Agency at 815 Florida Ave., NW., Washington DC 20001. The event is open to DC residents only, and is nationally rated by the U.S. Chess Federation, so participants must join the USCF if they are not already members. Proof of COVID vaccination is required to participate.
The entry fee is $20. This is a four-round Swiss system tournament with time control: Game/25 + 10. Players should bring clocks if they have them. The first round starts at 1 P.M.
Online registration is available at: https://dcscholasticchess.org/tournaments (scroll midway down the page).