Winter Chess in New York City

Winter Chess in New York City
New York in January is exactly what you’d expect. Cold streets, steam rising from subway grates, people moving fast with purpose. Coming straight from summer in Australia, the temperature alone was an experience. But the reason for the trip made every frozen step worth it.

I travelled to New York in early January to attend the 1st Annual New York Metro Area Scholastic Chess Championships, and it turned out to be one of the most impressive junior chess events I’ve ever seen.


Why I Came to NYC
The scale of this event was something else. Over 1,300 entries, five championship divisions running as two-day tournaments, nine under divisions, and countless team competitions. Walking into the venue, it was immediately clear that chess is alive, thriving, and absolutely massive among junior players in New York.

The energy surrounding the tournament reminded me why I fell in love with competitive chess in the first place. Rows of focused kids inside the playing halls, clocks ticking away, and outside the rooms, parents anxiously waiting in corridors and common areas, checking pairings, sharing nervous conversations, and waiting for rounds to finish. As someone who competed when I was younger, I couldn’t help but think how incredible it would have been to grow up with tournaments of this scale and intensity.

Arriving Early and Exploring the Chess Scene
Because the event took place in early January, I decided to arrive just before New Year’s. That gave me a few days to explore New York and see what the local chess scene looks like during winter.

I knew NYC would be cold, but jumping straight from Australian summer to a New York winter was a shock. I played it safe and spent most of the time close to the hotel. Thankfully, the location couldn’t have been better, right in the heart of Times Square.


I also filmed a video about what chess in New York looks like during the colder months. If you are ever thinking about visiting and want to know what to expect, I will share that below.

The Event Itself
The championship itself was outstanding. The atmosphere was electric, and the enthusiasm from the players was infectious. This was not just a tournament, it felt like a real celebration of junior chess.

One thing that really stood out was the trophies. They were huge. I will include a photo of trophies I won as a junior for comparison. When you compare that to what these kids are winning today, the difference is wild. It really shows how far chess has come.

Size does not matter... The big trophy, at the back middle, was for 3rd place out of 200+ I'm proud of each of these trophies... but sadly, they dont compare to the glory of the NYC Metro's trophies

At the Event and Meeting the Community
During the event, I spent a lot of time in the parents’ area, helping demonstrate electronic chess boards and chatting with families, coaches, and players between rounds. I have worked booths at events before in previous roles, but the energy here was on another level. People were genuinely curious, engaged, and excited to try things out.

I had a few boards set up, but the Chessnut Move quickly became the most popular. It was in constant use throughout the day, often with a small group gathered around waiting for a turn.  A lot of people havent yet seen a moving chess set board yet and there was genuine excitement around it.

On a personal note, one of the highlights was meeting people who recognised me from my videos. It is always a bit surreal when someone comes up and says they have been watching your content, and I genuinely appreciate everyone who stopped by to say hello.  Sadly, no photos with them.  But I did meet this nice gentleman, he said his son enjoys chess!


Heading Home
All good trips come to an end. After the event wrapped up, it was an early wake-up call, a quick trip to the nearest diner, and then off to the airport.

Exhausted, frozen, but genuinely happy.

I will miss you, New York. And I hope to return someday.

If you are curious about what chess in NYC looks like during winter, here is the video I mentioned earlier 👇