Join Us At The 2024 ChessKid National Festival
ChessKid is beyond excited to announce the first-ever ChessKid National Festival in February 2024! This President's Day weekend, kids and families can experience the fun of chess and meet top masters and streamers. Learn more about this thrilling event and get ready to join the fun!- Big Update: Festival Expands to K-8
- What is the ChessKid National Festival?
- Chess Stars Attending
- Event Activities
- Purchase Tickets
BIG UPDATE: The ChessKid National Festival is expanding to K-8!
Middle schoolers, we hear you! Chess is for everyone, especially for rising teens. We are grateful for your response and strong passion for wanting to go to the ChessKid National Festival. And now you can! The festival is now open to K-8th graders! Get ready to showcase your brilliant skills and love of chess.
Time is running out!
Speed is the name of the game—grab those tickets before they vanish like a sneaky pawn.
Use Promo Code CK10 and get 10% OFF
Register Now Before the Deadline!
What is the ChessKid National Festival?
In partnership with the Charlotte Chess Center, the ChessKid National Festival is ChessKid's first-ever over-the-board event for K-8th grade players, taking place in Charlotte, NC, during President's Day Weekend, February 16-19, 2024.
This four-day weekend chess celebration allows kids to participate in real-life chess tournaments, compete and win memorable prizes, including medals, trophies, and merch, and experience the game with family and friends. Outside of the chess events, there will be tons of family-friendly activities, including face paintings, balloon animals, pie-throwing, and more!
Meet Famous Chess Stars
In addition to all the fun activities, kids will get to meet and play against popular chess personalities, including FunMasterMike (FM Mike Klein), GothamChess (IM Levy Rozman), IM Danny Rensch, WGM Jennifer Shahade, FM James Canty, GM Daniel Naroditsky, and more!
_c6035.png)
The popular chess-streaming duo, the Botez Sisters, will also be tagging along, looking for a well-matched opponent.
Kids are intimidating, but we are ready to take them on and teach them a lesson 😉
—Alexandra and Andrea Botez
Event Activities
Anticipate a world filled with exciting chess activities— We're talking K-8 tournaments, blitz, bughouse, puzzles, simuls, and more! Experience first-hand NEW chess events, such as Hula Chess, Puzzle Bee, and Fencing Chess.
Get Up Close With WGM Jen Shahade
How cool would it be to learn, play, and challenge a two-time U.S. Women's Chess Champion and Woman Grandmaster (WGM)? Attend WGM Jen Shahade's one-hour VIP lectures and take on the chess master in a thrilling simultaneous exhibition (simul).
Photo courtesy of Impact Coaching Network (ICN) / Shahade playing a simul with kids.
Feel the rush of competing with other players in an adrenaline-filled environment. This is a unique opportunity to test your skills and learn from one of the best in the game!
Prep for the National Tournament With GM Judit Polgár
On Sunday, Feb. 11th at 8:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Eastern, all VIP ticket holders can attend an online-exclusive masterclass hosted by FunMasterMike with one of the greatest chess players of all time, GM Judit Polgár.
Challenge FunMasterMike and Friends
Play against the legendary FunMasterMike (the voice of ChessKid) and other VIPs, including Danny Rensch (CCO of Chess.com), James Canty, and more.
Compete in Danny's new Puzzle Bee challenge and join a thrilling blitz battle and simul with other VIP kids. Capture the moments with a picture session featuring FunMasterMike and Danny to create memories that will last a lifetime!
See Fencing Chess LIVE
Experience the first-ever cross-over of Fencing and Chess! Watch incredibly skilled 13-year-old sabre fencers in action, combined with an insane game of chess.
Experience Chess Rock
Enjoy a live band performance from "Benjamin Blundercheck & The Poisoned Pawn" on Saturday, Feb. 17th. Jam out to their new album of chess music while playing over the board.
Tickets are selling fast!
Hurry and get your tickets before they're gone. VIP tickets are quickly selling out!
🎟️ Standard Entry
- Receive a free 6-month ChessKid Gold Membership
- Receive an exclusive ChessKid National Festival shirt
- Get free access to the Puzzle Challenge
- Get free access to the Bughouse Competition
- Get free access to the Blitz Competition
- Show off your chess skills and earn a Festival Event medal
- Attend a special online session of Beat FunMasterMike, Feb. 8th at 6 pm ET
- Join the Hula Chess challenge and performance art activities hosted by WGM Jen Shahade
- Indulge in a "One-Hour-of-Girl-Power" workshop, hosted by WGM Jen Shahade
- Attend WGM Jen Shahade's book signing (book not provided with a standard ticket).
🎫 VIP Experience | Limited Tickets Available!
Includes everything in the Standard package PLUS:
- Additional free 6-month ChessKid Gold Membership
- Receive an exclusive ChessKid National Festival Swag Bag
- Prep for the National Tournament With GM Judit Polgár, Feb. 11th at 11 am ET
- Simul event with GothamChess, FunMasterMike, Danny Rensch, and other chess stars!
- GothamChess Tournament Warm Up, Puzzle Challenge, and Bughouse Challenge
- Attend the GothamChess Parent Workshop where parents and guardians of VIP players will learn the ins and outs of being part of the chess world – and how to make the most of it!
- Get a personally signed copy of his new book, "How to Win at Chess: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond," as a gift!
- Chance to appear in GothamChess's live stream, which has over 1 million followers!
- Attend captivating talks delivered by GothamChess. Listen in on a lecture from his new book, or get a pre-tournament pep talk!
- Bring your puzzle-solving skills to the big stage! Be a part of the VIP-only puzzle challenge hosted by GothamChess.
Join us on Social Friday night, February 16th, 5:30-7 pm, for a thrilling evening with other VIP players, led by GothamChess, known as the internet's chess teacher with fans from all over the world. Compete against other players, show off your chess skills, and improve your game!
See you in Charlotte!