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2026 Potomac Youth Chess League Results and Standings

The 2026 Potomac Youth Chess League, the ongoing competition open to all middle schools in the greater Washington D.C. area, got started with Round 1 on Saturday, January 24.  
 
The League continues to grow with 18 middle schools registering to participate this year.  In addition to more than a dozen schools within the D.C. city limits, we also have schools from Potomac, MD, Beltsville, MD, Glenn Dale, MD and McLean, VA taking part.  
 
Games are played online at lichess.com.  Matches consist of two school teams of four students each, sorted in board order.  Each student plays their opposite number twice during each match.
 
Round 1 Results - 1/24/2026

Ingenuity Prep 4-4 McFarland

Alice Deal 8-0 Maret

Two Rivers 3-3 Martin Luther King Jr. 

KIPP Valor 2-2 Eliot-Hine

Our Lady of Mercy 8-0 Sojourner Truth

Sidwell Friends 4-4 Washington Latin AJC

DCI 8-0 Holy Trinity Episcopal

Columbia Heights Education Campus 0-8 Longfellow

BASIS DC 8-0 KIPP Key

Round 2 Results - 1/31/2026

MacFarland 2-6 Sidwell Friends

Longfellow 2-6 Alice Deal 

Martin Luther King Jr. 2-6 BASIS

Maret 2-2 KIPP Valor 

DCI 7-1 Our Lady of Mercy 

Washington Latin AJC 7-1 Ingenuity Prep

Holy Trinity Episcopal 6-2 Eliot Hine

Sojourner Truth 0-6 Columbia Heights Education Campus

KIPP Key 0-4 Two Rivers

Elementary Team League 2025-26 Matchday 2 Results

The second day of Elementary Team League matches took place last Saturday afternoon.  Those students who braved the cold to come out got to play some good games of chess.  In the overall standings, Spring Hill continues in the lead ahead of Kent Gardens.

We now break for a few weeks for the holiday season before the league matches resume in January.  The ETL is always a great opportunity for students to practice their chess in a competitive setting, and most of the participating schools still have openings to sign up and play during the remainder of the season, so if you haven’t joined us at St. Luke’s yet, we hope to see you in the future!

Round 3:

White Oaks 0-3 Kent Gardens
Orange Hunt 3.5-0.5 Willow Springs
Ravensworth 2-1 Greenbriar West
Colvin Run 1-3 Oakton
Spring Hill 2.5-1.5 Churchill Road 

Round 4:
Oakton 1-3 White Oaks
Willow Springs 0.5-3.5 Spring Hill
Churchill Road 3-1 Ravensworth
Greenbriar West 3-1 Colvin Run
Kent Gardens 3-1 Orange Hunt

Standings after Matchday 2 of 8:
 
Spring Hill 58
Kent Gardens 52
White Oaks 42
Greenbriar West 39
Orange Hunt 38
Churchill Road 33
Oakton 32
Colvin Run 32
Ravensworth 28
Willow Springs 26

Please Support the Optimists

One of the Chess Center’s most reliable supporters for more than 20 years has been the National Capital Optimists Club. Their dedication to helping organizations that work with children and teens is more than admirable; it is an example of the best of humanity.

Their annual Christmas tree sale provides the income they use to support the organizations, including ours. The Optimists are an all-volunteer operation. Leading the sales team is Peyton, pictured above, and she (with other helpers) hand-makes the wreaths the group sells.

The high-quality trees for sale are sourced from Oregon, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, so they have a great selection of sizes and varieties.

The lot is conveniently located at the Kensington Baptist Church along Connecticut Avenue at Dresden Street, one mile outside the Beltway. http://www.capitaloptimist.org/

Elementary Team League 2025-26 Matchday 1 Results

The new season of the Elementary Team League, the friendly competition we run for schools around the greater D.C. area, has just begun.  Last Saturday, November 15, saw the first and second rounds of matches at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, which hosts the competition for the fifth straight year.

In the standings, defending champion Spring Hill is off to the early lead as the only school to have won both matches on Saturday, while Kent Gardens and White Oaks trail close behind.  

 

Round 1:

White Oaks 4-0 Willow Springs
Colvin Run 2-2 Orange Hunt
Ravensworth 0-4 Kent Gardens 
Spring Hill 4-0 Oakton
Churchill Road 1-3 Greenbriar West

Round 2:
Orange Hunt 2-2 White Oaks
Willow Springs 3-1 Churchill Road
Oakton 2-2 Ravensworth
Greenbriar West 1-3 Spring Hill
Kent Gardens 2-2 Colvin Run

Standings after Matchday 1 of 8:
 
Spring Hill 30
Kent Gardens 26
White Oaks 26
Colvin Run 20
Greenbriar West 20
Orange Hunt 20
Willow Springs 18
Ravensworth 14
Churchill Road 12
Oakton 12

 

Chess in the Mall Debuts at Westfield Montgomery

Chess in the Mall was something new for us. Chess Girls DC, managed by Robin Ramson, has an agreement to put a chess activity every Saturday through September 27 in Westfield Montgomery (known for decades as Montgomery Mall) in Bethesda. Other activities include simultaneous exhibitions with masters, arena-style tournaments, and chess puzzle-solving contests.

The U.S. Chess Center took its concept of Chess in the Park, which we have run in southeast DC six times, as well as in Silver Spring and Kensington, Maryland, and ran it in the middle of the shopping mall. Thirty-four players competed in the informal tournament, won by a seventh grade Prince George’s County student and a fifth grade Fairfax County student, pictured here.

While the event was open to everyone, the vast majority of the players were elementary and middle school kids. About twenty other chess players came to find friendly casual games.

For updates on the activities at the mall, visit https://chessalliance.org

Summer Camp Season Continues in Northern Virginia

Starting with the first full week of July, our summer camp season moved back across the Potomac to Fairfax County, Virginia.  From July 7-11 we held camp at Churchill Road Elementary in McLean, an annual summer stop of ours for many decades, and were pleased to teach many new and returning campers.  The next week we moved a short distance down the road to Colvin Run Elementary in Vienna, where we drew nearly 30 students of all ability levels.  

Most recently we spent the week at Haycock Elementary; the Haycock camp strongest group of players that we’ve taught this summer.  Mr. Anderson used a Fischer-Kavalek game as the basis for many of the lessons, and Mr. Mehler provided personal anecdotes about Grandmaster Kavalek, as well as stories about Fischer, to bring the game more to life. 

All of our camps incorporate tournament competitions, large and small group lessons, and individual one-on-one evaluations to help the students master important skills.  No matter what their playing strength entering the week, each student leaves camp on Friday knowing more than when they arrived the Monday before.

Chess Renaissance in DC

The U.S. Chess Center left its last location in Washington, DC, where we could run regular chess events in 2016. Since then, we and other groups have run occasional events in the city, but people in the city have had to travel to the suburbs for most significant competitions.

Recently, however, the Big Chair Chess Club (“Think b4U move”) and Live Chess have begun filling in the gaps. The Big Chair Club offers classes for kids in addition to occasional tournaments at such sites as Anacostia’s Busboys and Poets.

Big Chair Chess Club President Wendall Brown and Vice President Wendell Hankins with a student.

Malcolm Wooten, who managed the chess club at Howard University when he was an undergraduate there, has created Live Chess and is now running regular events at Potter’s House Bookstore and Café in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.

These events have attracted dozens of players, both casual and serious, and continue on a regular basis.

The two groups collaborate on successful events. They are coming along more frequently now, and it is a wonderful trend that will benefit the local scene. We look forward to continuing to feature their events in our Play Calendar.

Another Large Crowd for Chess in the Park at Eastern Market Metro

There was some rain in the forecast for Saturday morning, but luckily the raindrops stopped in time for our latest edition of Chess in the Park.  This is the third of the three tournaments we held at Eastern Market Metro Park this spring, and we are grateful to Barracks Row Main Street for sponsoring all three.

We were happy to see that the tournament was well-attended in spite of the variable forecast.  58 students from around the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and Maryland showed up to play.  Most of the students who turned up were able to play at least six tournament games, with some playing as many as nine.

Washington Yu Ying brought back the prize for the best scoring team.  In addition to awards for the top performing schools, there were also trophies for the best scores for individual players.  Both our Chess Kids class (three students) and our after-school programs (two students) were well-represented among the individual trophy winners.  

U.S. Chess Center Exhibits at Kensington Day of the Book Festival

Dozens of chess players – children, teens, and adults – took on two of the Chess Center’s young masters during Kensington’s Day of the Book Festival. On a beautiful April Sunday, thousands of book-lovers came to Kensington, Maryland, to meet authors, hear discussions, and play chess.

The book festival is now an 18 year tradition. FIDE Master Allan Savage (pictured below) volunteered for many years to play chess against all comers during the festival, giving a book to anyone who could beat him. When he passed away during the pandemic, the festival asked the U.S. Chess Center to continue the activity, and we were proud to honor his legacy.

Mr. Savage was a former Maryland Champion. A librarian by profession, he was a prolific chess author and player. He spread his love of the Royal Game from his roots in the Midwest to Maryland, where he lived for nearly five decades.

David Sherman, a chess master, and former Maryland and DC Champion, as well as being a great friend (and former employee) of the Center hosted the chess tent twice, and this year two of our teen students got together to play festival participants. Anyone they couldn’t beat received a book, and two skilled players held our masters to draws and received their prizes.

Near the same spot, Kensington will host a free open-air chess tournament for kids in grades 2 – 8 this fall. Details will come this summer.

Rep. Raskin Recognizes the Chess Center in Congressional Remarks for National Chess Week

This past Friday, the U.S. Chess Center was proud to be named in U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-08)’s congressional remarks for National Chess Week. 

In a statement celebrating the double medal-winning performances of the two American teams at September’s Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, Congressman Raskin also highlighted the value of chess as an educational and social tool for young people, a belief that has animated the work of the U.S. Chess Center since our founding.  

Congressman Raskin is a strong and enthusiastic chess player himself, and while celebrating the success of our country’s greatest grandmasters, he was also quick to emphasize that chess is a vocation not just for the sublimely talented; it enriches the minds of everyone who learns to play the game.  
 
You can read the remarks in their entirety here:

https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-170/issue-155/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/E1025-3 

 
 

Dozens of Students Beat the Heat at Chess in the Park

In spite of the heat, we had 61 students show up to Eastern Market Metro yesterday for the second edition of Chess in the Park for the season.  We ultimately cut the event 25 minutes short because of the weather, but a majority of the students got to play at least six games, with some playing as many as ten.

Over a dozen elementary and middle schools throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia were represented among the players.  BASIS DC took the trophy for the top-performing team.  St. Peter School fielded the largest team with 12 players (10 of whom were girls!)  Congratulations to all who participated.

 

Learning All The Way – Tysons Corner Action Tournament

Apparently, I have stamina problems. The blitz tournament went far better than expected, but then one tough draw in rapid time control, and all my energy was zapped. I was able to rally by Game 4, but this was certainly not my best effort. 

I spent drizzly Super Bowl Sunday indoors, playing at the Tysons Corner Action and Blitz tournaments hosted by DMV Chess. I’ve been to this regular tournament often, with middling but always rewarding results. However, this was my first time also attending their earlier blitz tournament, my second ever. 

I didn’t expect to win the blitz tournament, and I didn’t, but I came within a half point hair. Instead, I ended in a 3-way tie for 2nd place, and 3rd place overall after tiebreaks. Facing opponents far more skilled than myself, including my friendly rival Don MacLean, I managed to pull out an excellent 7.0/10 points. 

The blitz tournament was double-pairing, meaning I played two games against each opponent. It started out slow, trading wins against my first two opponents, before sweeping the next two. While the games were interesting, I couldn’t tell you how I won (or lost) them, except in one notable game. Still, I greatly enjoyed the pace and casual nature of the ordeal. Faster chess favors intuition over calculation, and as such favors me. My last opponent was the eventual winner, but I still won our first game. The confidence from that win went a long way in our second game. However, just as the defensive tango started getting spicy, I hung a back-rank mate. I lost out on the $100 and settled, quite happily mind you, for third. I credit hosting the weekly Bishops and Beers open chess night for my blitz success. 

During the intermission between tournaments, Don and I went for a walk to get a late lunch. Two other players from the blitz tournament drove by and offered us a ride to a nearby restaurant. This was their first tournament ever, and it was exciting to chat with new faces. We talked about and played a game over a quick meal, before hurrying back for the rapid tournament. After talking with me and Don, the pair also decided to try out the rapid tournament! 

The first 41 moves of Round 1 (before time pressure set in)

Game one was a tense affair. I felt safe throughout the opening as white’s minor pieces tripped over his pawns, but he still didn’t give me a way in. That changed after we traded queens and I got the opportunity for a pawn to break through. We picked up the pace as my opponent’s clocked ticked lower and lower. It soon reached a scant 2 seconds on the clock to my 3 minutes. His endgame was stronger than his middlegame, even while living on the 5 second delay. We at last reached a dreaded queen vs. rook endgame, in my favor. While I had studied this very endgame before, I couldn’t figure out the method over the board. The game ended with a stalemate trap, with a crowd of onlookers watching me flail. 

The worst part about long games is that you have no time before the next round. Which probably led to game two being such a rollercoaster. It started strong, as I locked his pieces behind his pawns. To save a bishop, I threatened to sacrifice the other for a repetition. My opponent, rated 300 points higher than me, did not allow the draw. Instead, his counterattack threw me into a tight position. To exploit his advantage, he sacrificed a rook for a mating attack. However, he again allowed a chance for a repetition. Now a rook up, and holding, I felt like I could do better than a draw. I was wrong, and I lost.

Game three was a sorry affair that I am not proud of. All I could think of was how I was outplayed in last game, and distracted by a mechanical humming sound in constant one second bursts. Even with ear plugs in, or perhaps because of it, I couldn’t keep my mind off that humming and oh there goes my knight. I resigned far earlier than I would normally, because I had to admit I wasn’t giving nor could give my best. At least now I had time to rest between rounds. 

With 0.5/3, I was paired with another kid who had so far gone 0.0/3. Neither of us were having a good tournament. I got myself tangled in the opening (that mechanical humming was a Chinese water torture on my brain), but my gracious opponent allowed me to awkwardly unfold my position. By the time I was ready to attack, I noticed his isolated king’s pawn and seized on the weakness. I traded pieces, confident that I would be favored in the endgame. I was saved from defending that confidence when my opponent gave away his queen en prise and resigned. 

Not my best tournament, but learning all the way.

Metro Area Chess League 2023-24: Round 2 Results & Round 3 Pairings

Round 2 Results

White on Boards 1 & 3 – White on Boards 2 & 4

Magruder 1-3 Poolesville
DeMatha 1-3 McNamara
E.L. Haynes 4-0 Girls Global Academy
Richard Montgomery 3-1 Gonzaga
Rockville 2.5-1.5 Arlington Career Center
Oakton 4-0 West Springfield
St. Albans 0-4 Don Bosco Cristo Rey
BASIS DC 0-0 Marshall
Montgomery Blair 0.5-3.5 Chantilly
St. Anselm’s 2-2 Jackson-Reed
Hayfield 0-0 McLean
Rochambeau 4-0 BYE
St. John’s 0-4 Langley
McKinley Tech 0-3 Georgetown Prep

Round 3 Pairings

Below are the pairings for the third round to be played by January 12

White on Boards 1 & 3 – White on Boards 2 & 4

Poolesville – Chantilly
Bishop McNamara – Richard Montgomery
Langley – Rockville
St. Anselm’s – Oakton
Rochambeau – Magruder
Jackson-Reed – EL Haynes
Georgetown Prep – McLean
BASIS DC – Blair
West Springfield – Marshall
Gonzaga – McKinley Tech
Girls Global Academy – St. John’s
Hayfield – DeMatha
Don Bosco Cristo Rey – Arlington Career

League Standings

Teams are ranked by Match Points, then by Board Points.

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1stOakton28
2nd (Tie)Chantilly27.5
2nd (Tie)Langley27.5
4th (Tie)Poolesville27
4th (Tie)Richard Montgomery27
6thRockville26.5
7th (Tie)St. Anselm's1.56
7th (Tie)Bishop McNamara1.55
9thDon Bosco Cristo Rey15
10thRochambeau14.5
11th (Tie)E.L. Haynes14
11th (Tie)Magruder14
11th (Tie)McLean14
14thMontgomery Blair13.5
15thGeorgetown Prep13
16thGonzaga0.53
17th (Tie)BASIS DC0.52
17th (Tie)Jackson-Reed0.52
17th (Tie)McKinely Tech0.52
17th (Tie)St. Albans0.52
17th (Tie)West Springfield0.52
22ndArlington Career Center02.5
23rdDeMatha01
24th (Tie)Girls Global Academy00
24th (Tie)Hayfield00
24th (Tie)Marshall00
24th (Tie)St. John's00

Magruder High School Live Streaming Chess Competition

Metro Area Chess League participant Col. Zadok Magruder High School is in the middle of their spring chess competition.  Games are taking place in the auditorium during the school day, and Magruder’s chess club sponsor, Mr. Sanders, has put in the effort to set the event up for streaming.  The games can be followed live on the school’s YouTube channel.  The semifinals and finals are currently set for May 17 and 24, respectively.

We are very pleased to see school faculty members devoting time, space and energy to promote chess among students.