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Note: See calendar for more info about upcoming chess events.
| Important Changes (Rev. Jan. 2026) - Please Read |
- The
Subscription/Membership Page has
been updated with current information for all locations.
- If you are a resident of Washington State, your
Northwest Chess subscription includes a state chess
membership.
All WCF memberships are considered "Premium" and include
paper copies of NWC.
- If you are a resident of Oregon, you may
choose either a "Premium" OCF state membership with a
Northwest Chess subscription to paper copies, or a "Basic"
OCF membership with online-only access to NWC magazine. Online
access is via Google Groups.
- For Idaho (ICA) membership options, please visit the
ICA website.
These options include a "Premium" membership with a NWC subscription.
- We expect that there will continue to be 12
printed magazines each year for the forseeable future, however,
NWC reserves the right to publish fewer editions, and/or offer online
magazines only.
- If you prefer not to pay online, please see the
Printable Form (PDF file).
- In 2018, the NWC board decided to add "Foundation" to its corporate
name, becoming the Northwest Chess Foundation. We will completely update the
website once this name is officially registered with the State of Washington
and the IRS. This does not affect the name of the magazine - it's still Northwest Chess!
(The board will review the status of the "Foundation" name due to the implementation delay.)
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May/June - Advertised Chess Events
- See calendar for more info about upcoming chess events, including ad links.
- May 29 (Fri.) Seattle CC May Flowers (Rd 4), Seattle, WA
- May 30 (Sat.) Seattle CC May Quads, Seattle, WA
- Jun 5, 12, 19, 26 (Fri.) Seattle CC It’s Summertime, Seattle, WA
- Jun 13 (Sat.) Seattle CC June Quads, Seattle, WA
- Jun 14
Summer Hand and Brain Blitz, Grand Knights Chess Academy, Bellevue, WA
- Jun 20-21
Washington Father's Day Open, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- Jun 27-28 (Sat.-Sun.) Emerald City Open, Seattle, WA
June - Scholastic Events
Important note: All extra copies of
Northwest Chess are received and handled by
Josh Sinanan. If you would like to request an extra copy or didn't receive
your copy in the mail, please contact Josh, joshsinanan@gmail.com.
Please mail all checks and other written items to the Orlov Chess Academy address at the top of this page.
Articles with links (in the magazine contents below) are available as separate PDF files.
 June magazine!
The June 2026 issue of Northwest Chess
will be mailed on Friday, 5/29. It's a 32-page issue with
"More Games from the Washington State Championship" by Stephen Willy,
"To OTB or Not to OTB" by The Chess Friends,
"Buckendorf Senior State Championship" by Jeffrey Roland,
"Washington State Scholastic Chess Champmionship" by WSSCC Organizers,
"35th Annual WA vs BC Intermat" by Josh Sinanan,
and a back-cover photo of "Chessboards at the Intermat" by Meiling Cheng.
Cover: Liam Pham by Meiling Cheng.
See the teaser edition
(selected pages including all full-page ads).
 May magazine!
The May 2026 issue of Northwest Chess
was mailed on Friday, 5/1. It's a 48-page issue with
"Elina Khudyev result at All-Girls Nationals in Chicago" and
"2025 National K-12 Championships" by Josh Sinanan,
"A Conversation with Stephen Willy" by Ken Lee,
"A Book Review from our Publisher!" by Duane Polich,
"Travel Time: Reykjavík Edition!" by Chess Friends,
"2026 Washington State Championship" by Josh Sinanan,
"A Conversation with Chad Fondren" by Ken Lee,
andf a back-cover photo of Siana Razmov by Meiling Cheng.
Cover: Stephen Willy by Ani Barua.
See the teaser edition
(selected pages including all full-page ads). Some teaser editions such as
this one don't contain any annotated chess games, but you can view and download the games in the
published games section.
Survey Request - Oliver Wakeman has
created a research project survey, previousy posted to both Lichess and
Chess.com, to get a sense of how people feel about being protected against
public accusations (presumably, for example, regarding cheating in chess)
Click here for the link to the Google form, if you are interested.
(Posted 3/15)
 April magazine!
The April 2026 issue of Northwest Chess
was mailed on Friday, 3/27. It's a 48-page issue with
"Derek Heath Becomes National Master" by Josh Sinanan,
"Judgment in Chess (A Senior Project)" by Nihanth Tatikonda,
"Idaho Chess Association Board Announcement" by ICA Board of Directors,
"A Conversation with Vignesh Anand" by Ken Lee,
"Chess Smiles" by The Chess Friends,
"2026 Oregon Closed" by Wilson Gibbins,
"Solutions to 2025 Washington Class Puzzles" by Gabriel Razmov,
and a back-cover photo of Karthik Bimod by Wilson Gibbins.
Cover: Nick Raptis and Matt Zavortink by Wilson Gibbins.
See the teaser edition
(selected pages including all full-page ads).
 Another
new NM! Congratulations to Derek Heath, a 10th
grader from Camas, Wash., who recently became Washington State's newest
National Master! Derek achieved a US Chess rating of 2201 as a result of
winning his first three games in the 9th Annual Neil Dale Memorial, hosted
by the Portland Chess Club January 3-4, 2026 in Portland, Ore. Along the
way, Derek scored victories against Elijah Barish (1705), Santiago Tenesaca
Argudo (1905), and NM Jason Cigan (2217). Here is the link to the 2026
Neil Dale Memorial rating report: https://ratings.uschess.org/event/202601040253?section=0.
 March magazine!
The March 2026 issue of Northwest Chess
was mailed on Friday, 2/27. It's a 48-page issue with
"2026 ICA January Alchemist Coffee House Swiss" by Jeffrey Roland,
"Chess Bingō" by Christefano Reyes,
"Promoting Queens" by The Chess Friends,
"A Conversation With Alex Byelashov" by Ken Lee,
"Susan Polgar Foundation National Open For Girls & Boys" by SPFNO Organizers,
"Washington Class Championships" by Josh Sinanan,
and a back-cover photo of Tom Booth by Jeffrey Roland.
Cover: Andrew Beck by Jeffrey Roland.
See the teaser edition
(selected pages including all full-page ads).
Eastside Oly Chess Club Chess
Instruction with National Master Aditya Ponukumati - Classes were held
on Feb. 8, 15 and 22, and on March 1. Each session ran from 4 to 5 p.m.
Eastside Oly Chess Club
members received a 10% discount on registration, and scholarships were available,
with all proceeds supporting club activities and scholarship opportunities.
Info.: Luis Ayala, 360-999-2001, EastsideOlyChessClub.org,
director@eastsideolychessclub.org.
Opportunity to host high school exchange
students from Spain and Germany - see the
scholastic opportunites page.
Chess & Alzheimer's Research Study Recruiting
Seniors! Caton Tsao, a high school student and undergraduate
research assistant at the Cognition and Decision Science Lab at
Clemson University, is involved in a research study exploring how
factors, such as health status, work status, and an engaged lifestyle, are
associated with memory and decision-making in individuals aged 65 and older.
One of the factors is experience with cognitively stimulating games
like chess. The study entails a prescreening digital survey (~10-15
minutes) and one remote study session (~25-30 minutes). For more information
or to volunteer, contact the lab at
decisionlab@clemson.edu. (Posted 1/9/2026)
See old news previously appearing on this page.
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Links are usually to the tournament flyers or ads. For tournament
reports where available, see the magazine.
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Scholastic Events (May-June):
- May 23 Washington Open Scholastic, Redmond Marriott, Redmond, WA
- May 17 Detective Cookie's Chess Classic, Rainier Beach Community Center, Seattle, WA
- May 10 Mother's Day Scholastic, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- May 9 WA vs BC Intermat, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- May 2 Scholastic Grand Prix, Bothell, WA
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Open or Invitational Events (May-June):
- May 24-25 Carol Kleist Memorial Adult Swiss (at WA Open), Redmond, WA
- May 23-25 Washington Open, Redmond Marriott, Redmond, WA
- May 22 IM John Donaldson Simul & Workshop, Grand Knights Chess Academy, Bellevue, WA
- May 16 Seattle University Chess Club Chess Classic, Seattle, WA
- May 16 Bellingham Open, Western WA University, Bellingham, WA
- May 12 Dr. Alexey Root Lecture, Simul and Book Signing,
Grand Knights Chess Academy, Bellevue, WA
- May 9-10 Eastside Open, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- May 3 (Sun.) Seattle CC May Tornado, Seattle, WA
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Scholastic Events (March-April):
- May 2 Scholastic Grand Prix, Bothell, WA
- Apr 25 Washington State
Scholastic Chess Championships, Tacoma Convention Center, Tacoma, WA
- Apr 19 Newport Spring Tournament and Fundraiser, Newport HS, Bellevue, WA
- Apr 19 LaCamas Gambit Classic, Camas Community Center, Camas, WA
- Apr 13 WA Spring Mini-Teams Chess Championship, Chinook MS, Bellevue, WA
- Apr 12 WA Spring Fling, Chinook MS, Bellevue, WA
- Apr 5
Rising Stars Scholastic, Bothell, WA
- Apr 4-5
Western States Regional CC for Girls & Women,
Bothell Country Inn & Suites, Bothell, WA
- Mar 28-29 WA Girls Championship, Bothell Country Inn & Suites + OCA Greenlake, WA
- Mar 28 Sagar Spring Strategy Scholastic, Bothell, WA
- Mar 22 Barber, Rockefeller, Ashley Closed, Chinook Middle School, Bellevue, WA
- Mar 22 St. Anne Celtic Challenge, Seattle, WA
- Mar 15 Barber, Rockefeller, Ashley Open, Chinook Middle School, Bellevue, WA
- Mar 7 WCF Spring Scholastic, Bothell, WA
- Mar 7-8 Intermat Candidates, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
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Open or Invitational Events (March-April):
- May 3 (Sun.) Seattle CC May Tornado, Seattle, WA
- Apr 3-24 (Fri.) Seattle CC April Showers, Seattle, WA
- Apr 19
Newport Spring Tournament and Fundraiser, Newport HS, Bellevue, WA
- Apr 16, 18, 19
WA Senior Championship, OCA Greenlake, Seattle, WA
- Apr 18 (Sat.) Seattle CC April Quads, Seattle, WA
- Postponed until further notice!
Apr 18 Bellingham Open, Western WA University, Bellingham, WA
- Apr 11-12 Harmon Memorial, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- Apr 3-5 or Apr 4-5 13th Annual Reno Larry Evans Memorial Open, Reno, NV
- Mar 28-29 (Sat.-Sun.) Seattle Spring Open, Seattle, WA
- Mar 6-27 (Fri.) Seattle CC March Winds, Seattle, WA
- Mar 21 (Sat.) Seattle CC March Quads, Seattle, WA
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Scholastic Events (January-February):
- Feb 15 Presidential Scholastic, Chinook Middle School, Bellevue, WA
- Jan 23-24 HS State Individual Championship, Lakeside Upper School, Seattle, WA
- Jan 17 Washington Junior Open, Highland MS, Bellevue, WA
- Jan 10 Shoreline Library Chess Tournament (K-12), Shoreline, WA
- Jan 10-11 Washington Junior Invitational Chess Championship, Grand Knights Chess Academy, Bellevue, WA
- Jan 11 Winter Fun Bughouse, Grand Knights Chess Academy, Bellevue, WA
- Jan 11 Portland Trail Blazers Chess Championship, Portland, OR - see below
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Open or Invitational Events (January-February):
- Feb 28 (Sat.) Seattle CC February Quads, Seattle, WA
- Feb 6-27 (Fri.) Seattle CC Cabin Fever, Seattle, WA
- Feb 22 Lake Stevens Slugfest, Lynnwood, WA
- Feb 21-22 Seattle CC Winter Adult Weekend (Quads and Tornado), Seattle, WA
- Feb 21-22
WA State Championship
(final weekend), Lakeside Upper School, Seattle, WA
- Feb 14-15 WA President's Cup, Hotel 116, Bellevue, WA
- Jan 30 (Fri.) Seattle CC Fifth Friday G/15, Seattle, WA
- Jan 25 New Year's Slugfest, Lynnwood, WA
- Jan 24-25 Seattle City Championship (at SCC), Seattle, WA
- Jan 2-23 (Fri.) Seattle CC January Thaw, Seattle, WA
- Jan 18 Seattle CC January Quads (on Sunday), Seattle, WA
- Jan 11 Portland Trail Blazers Chess Championship, Portland, OR
These were special rated and non-rated adult and scholastic tournaments
held at Moda Center before the game. Entry fees included a ticket to the Portland vs. New York NBA game.
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See old tournament news previously appearing on this page.
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