Registration For Judit Polgar's #ChessConnectsUs Championship Is Open Now

Chess.com is pleased to announce the inaugural #ChessConnectsUs Championship, a special event held as part of GM Judit Polgar's Global Chess Festival on October 14, 2023.

This unique competition gives chess clubs and organizations from around the globe the chance to participate in an international tournament against others, all in the spirit of one of the most diverse and exciting community chess events in the world. 

If you run or administer a chess club or organization, you are warmly invited to participate in this unique event organized by one of the game’s greatest-ever players!

How To Register In The #ChessConnectsUs Championship

If you run or organize a chess club/organization, you’ll need to hold internal qualifiers to determine which of your players will be representing you. You can choose the format that best suits your particular community; Chess.com is happy to provide you with recommendations and best practices.

Q&A sessions will be held on the following dates for anyone needing additional help or support:

• Tuesday August 29:  3 p.m. ET / 21:00 CEST
• Wednesday September 6: 9 p.m. ET / 03:00 CEST (next day)

Submit your qualification event information via this Google Form as soon as you have finalized the details: https://forms.gle/Ur9zziWkpAfyMjej8.

Make sure to submit your event at least one week before its starting date to be eligible for prizes. Note that clubs are requested to include #ChessConnectsUs in the name of their event.

Nominations

Clubs will be eligible to nominate two players: one female and one male, into the Open Section and two players, one girl and one boy, into the Scholastic Section. 

Submit your nominations via this Google Form before September 25: https://forms.gle/Rq4wcAAniwwAdkqj7

#ChessConnectsUs Championship Format

The championship features two stages:

The Qualification Stage will be run by individual chess clubs in partnership with Chess.com throughout the month of September.

The Finals Stage will take place online on October 14, organized by Chess.com: an open Swiss tournament with all nominated players, modeled after the Titled Tuesday tournament series.

Fair Play

All qualified participants will undergo a thorough fair play screening prior to the event and will only be allowed to participate if cleared by our Fair Play team.

There will be live monitoring of the participants via Zoom. Details will be shared with the players ahead of time.

Prizes

All participants in the final will be invited to a two-hour online masterclass with GM Judit Polgar.

Other prizes for the participants of the Final Stage:

• Winner: 1-year Chess.com Diamond Membership + a Chessable Voucher valued at 150 euros to be redeemed for any course.
• Runner-up: 6-month Chess.com Diamond Membership + a Chessable Voucher valued at 100 euros to be redeemed for any course.
• Third place: 3-month Chess.com Diamond Membership + a Chessable Voucher valued at 50 euros to be redeemed for any course. 
• Best female player: 6-month Chess.com Diamond Membership + a Chessable Voucher valued at 100 euros to be redeemed for any course.
• Best U2200, U2000, U1700, U1300, and U1000: 1-month Chess.com Diamond Membership + a Chessable Voucher valued at 25 euros to be redeemed for any course.

For full information on prizes, format, eligibility, and more, consult this document.

What Is Judit Polgar's Global Chess Festival?

The Global Chess Festival promotes the thousands of different faces of chess all around​ the world. Chess can be interpreted in many ways: as a sport, an educational method, and even a common language; all generations and cultures are able to connect through learning and playing chess.

Since starting in 2007, the annual Polgar Chess Festival has become a hallmark event in Budapest, connecting people from all walks of life. It has now grown into an international event celebrating the game, with a particular focus on development, learning, and enjoyment for children.