The Berkeley Chess School

10/10/2026

Today is National Chess ♟️ Day! Come celebrate 🎉 at our FREE Community Chess Festival Sat, Oct 10th, noon - 5 pm at BCS! Talk and 15 person Simul by FM Andy Lee @ 1 pm (come early to sign-up)! Bughouse Chess @ 2:30 pm, Speed Chess (G/5; +5) @ 3:30 pm. All Day: lessons 👩‍🎓, casual games ♟️, refreshments 🧃🍪, and playground fun🏀🛝! Plus lectures on the games of BCS luminaries GM Sam Shankland, GM Hans Niemann, and Irish Women's Chess Champion and BCS Founder Elizabeth Shaughnessy! More info @ https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/celebrate-national-chess-day-free-chess-festival-sat-oct-10th-noon-5-pm-bcs/ Join us!!!

10/08/2026

BCS alums GM Hans Niemann and GM Sam Shankland will compete (and meet!) in the 2026 US Chess Championship with Round 1 of the 11 round, round-robin tournament beginning Fri, Oct 9th @ 10 am PDT! Learn about the players here https://saintlouischessclub.org/about-us/us-chess-champs/ and watch the games live at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1S6va5adWQ

America's top chess players compete in the most prestigious nationa...

09/25/2026

Come celebrate 🎉 National Chess ♟️ Day! FREE Community Chess Festival Sat, Oct 10th, noon - 5 pm at BCS! Talk and 15 person Simul by FM Andy Lee @ 1 pm (come early to sign-up)! Bughouse Chess @ 2:30 pm, Speed Chess (G/5; +5) @ 3:30 pm. All Day: lessons 👩‍🎓, casual games ♟️, refreshments 🧃🍪, and playground fun🏀🛝! Plus lectures on the games of BCS luminaries GM Sam Shankland, GM Hans Niemann, and Irish Women's Chess Champion and BCS Founder Elizabeth Shaughnessy! More info @ https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/celebrate-national-chess-day-free-chess-festival-sat-oct-10th-noon-5-pm-bcs/ Join us!!!

09/19/2026

Chess♟️this weekend!!! For adults; and youth players rated above 800, a Cash💰Quad at the Berkeley Chess Center Sat, Sep 19th @ 1 pm ($45 to enter, 1 in 4 will win $80!); for scholastic players, a K-12 Quad Sun, Sep 20th @ 1 pm in Alameda! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $50 to enter, take advantage of early bird 🦜 prices by registering for tournaments by 11:59 pm tonight at https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/

09/10/2026

Walnut Creek K-12 Quad tournament, Sat, Sep 12th @ 1 pm at Grace Presbyterian Church! A great way to start your staycation! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $45 Early bird 🐦 entry fee ends Friday at 11:59 pm. Register @

Please Join us for the Walnut Creek K-12 Quads! First time tournament players will be grouped with other first-timers and experienced tournament players will play with others of similar rating. 3-round Quad tournament USCF-rated event -- Current USCF membership is required to participate Drop-off we...

09/03/2026

Labor Day Weekend K-12 Quad tournament, Sat, Sep 5th @ 1 pm at the Berkeley Chess Center! A great way to start your staycation! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $45 Early bird 🐦 entry fee ends Friday at 11:59 pm. Register @

Please Join us for the Berkeley K-12 Quads! First time tournament players will be grouped with other first-timers and experienced tournament players will play with others of similar rating. 3-round Quad tournament USCF-rated event -- Current USCF membership is required to participate Drop-off welcom...

08/15/2026

Places to play this weekend: A Cash 💰 Quad tomorrow, Sat, Aug 15th @ 1 pm @ the Berkeley Chess ♟ Center! G/30 with a 15 second increment, 1 in 4 will win $80! It could be you 💁‍♂️💰!!! $45 early bird 🐦 entry fee ends tonight @ 11:59 pm! And on Sunday @ 1 pm @ 1532 Webster Street in Alameda, a K-12 Quad! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $50 Early bird 🐦 entry fee ends tonight at 11:59 pm. Register @ https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/

07/25/2026

The fun happens all summer 🏖️ long! K-12 Quad tournament tomorrow, Sat, Jul 25th @ 1 pm at the Berkeley Chess Center! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $45 Early bird 🐦 entry fee ends tonight at 11:59 pm. Register @ https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/event/bcs-k-12-quads/

07/15/2026

Congratulations 🎉 to super GM (and BCS alum!) Hans Moke Niemann (currently ranked 5th in the United States and 19th in the world!) who will make his Olympic debut representing the United States at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this September. We wish Hans a long and illustrious Olympic career and BCS stands ready and able to bathe in more reflected glory (BCS alum GM Sam Shankland has scored the most points for team USA in its history)!

06/27/2026

The fun happens all summer 🏖️ long! K-12 Quad tournament tomorrow, Sat, Jun 27th @ 1 pm at the Berkeley Chess Center! Chess ♟! Trophies 🏆! Medals 🏅! FUN 🥳! $40 Early bird 🐦 entry fee ends tonight at 11:59 pm. Register @ https://www.berkeleychessschool.org/event/bcs-k-12-quads/