Scholastic Chess in the Tri-City Area
More information about clubs, coaches, schedules, tournament registration forms and driving directions will be posted at . Visit often for the most up-to-date local chess news.
Chess clubs are offered at many elementary schools. Clubs generally meet after school or during lunch recess one day per week. Some clubs divide children into age or ability/experience groupings. Most clubs are active in local tournaments. One common element in all the clubs is the focus on fun, sportsmanship and learning! Please volunteer if you would like to help your school’s club, or if you would like to start a club at your child’s school call 375-0456(or email ).
School / Contact Person / Phone / School / Contact Person /Phone 509
BadgerMountain / Shirley Olinger / 628-2700 / Mattawa / Brian Talbot / 932-5111Jason Lee / LaMont Schofield / 942-2555 / Prosser / Alan Kawakami / 786-1822
Jefferson / Susie Oram / 942-2575 / Maya Angelou / Tim Haugen / 543-6748
Lewis and Clark / Cathy Kuwamoto / 942-2380 / Robert Frost / Richard Calcavecchia / 543-6795
Marcus Whitman / Vicki Ahmer / 942-2387 / Ruth Livingston / Cindy Morris and
Kelly Atkins / 546-2688
Sacajawea / Dan Breitenfeldt / 375-0803 / Sunset View / Jeannie Friehauf / 222-6000
Tapteal / Please volunteer! / 967-4100 / Liberty Christian / Joe Daniels / 946-0602
Wiley / Joyce McElroy / 967-4141 / Amistad / Kim Bales / 222-5100
Chess tournaments are scheduled on Saturdays at area schools. Registration is required in advance for most tournaments. Children may register as individual players or through their chess coach as part of a school team. Registration fees are usually $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional child in a family. These tournaments are all-day events, typically 8:30 -5:00, with all children competing in five matches; there are no elimination rounds. Tournament hosts strive to provide an atmosphere of fun, friendly competition. Children do not need to be advanced players to enjoy tournament competition.
October 30, 2004 - Autumn Leap IV K-12 tournament at Mattawa Intermediate School. Contact Brian Talbot, 509-932-5111, fax 509-932-5588 or email: Accepts walk-in registrations.
November 6, 2004 - Pasco Pawn Power K-12 tournament at OchoaMiddle School. Mail registrations and make checks payable to Ochoa Middle School ASB, Attn: Denny Delafield/Chess, 1215 W. Lewis Street, Pasco, WA99301.
December 4, 2004 - Richland Rook Round-Up K-12 tournament at CarmichaelMiddle School in Richland. Mail registrations and checks made payable to Lewis and Clark PTA to Cathy Kuwamoto, Lewis and Clark Elementary School, 800 Downing Street, Richland, WA 99352. Contact Cathy at 509-942-2380, fax 509-942-2377 or email:
January 15, 2005 - Apple Crunch K-12 tournament at West Valley Middle School in Yakima. Mail registration and make checks payable to Loren Schmidt, 906 S. 23rd Ave, Yakima, WA 98902. Email:
February 19, 2005 - EasternWashington K-12 Championships at Hanford Middle School in Richland. Mail registrations and checks made payable to Lewis and Clark PTA to Cathy Kuwamoto, Lewis and Clark Elementary School, 800 Downing Street, Richland, WA 99352. Contact Cathy at 509-942-2380, fax 509-942-2377 or email:
March 19, 2005 - Liberty Chess K-8 tournament at Liberty Christian School in Richland. For more information contact Joe Daniels at 509-582-6245 or email:
April 23, 2005 - Washington State Elementary K-6 Chess Championships in Lynden, WA.
Washington Elementary Chess Champions (WECC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to promoting chess in elementary schools, wishes to thank Framatome ANP, Lockheed Martin, McDonalds – Adams Enterprises, and Wal-Mart #2101 for their generous support.
For more information about supporting WECC through corporate or individual donations or to volunteer services please contact David Merrill, President, at 509-375-0456. Please consider designating WECC to receive your United Way contributions.