ChessKid OCPS District Competition Guide for Teachers and Schools
🌟 What is the competition?
The ChessKid OCPS District Competition is a fun, month-long online event where students from your school play as many Fast Chess games as they can to help your school win the District Champion title!
🎯 Purpose of the competition
The goal is simple: get more kids playing chess!
This friendly and inclusive competition helps students of all levels build confidence, improve their skills, and enjoy chess together, all while representing their school.
📅 When does the competition happen?
Cadre Qualifiers
- September 15, 2025 – October 15, 2025
- Schools compete within their assigned cadre.
- The top 2 schools from each cadre advance to the finals!
District Finals
- January 15, 2026 – February 15, 2026
- Finalist schools compete districtwide.
The school with the most Fast Chess games played wins the championship!
⚙ How do students participate?
- Students play using the ChessKid accounts provided by OCPS.
- They can play Fast Chess games anytime, during lunch, class, recess, or at home.
- Every valid Fast Chess game counts toward the school’s total!
📝 How do I sign up my school?
✅ What counts as a valid game?
- The game must be played on an OCPS ChessKid account.
- The game must be Fast Chess (any time control: 5|1, 10|1, or 15|1).
- Every game counts as one point, win or lose!
- Games should show real effort — no intentional resigning or fake matches.
- ChessKid will monitor for fair play.
⏰ Should we set aside class time?
It’s encouraged! Even 15–20 minutes a week of in-class play can make a big difference. Consider using recess, lunch, or afterschool chess club time too!
🏠 How do students play ChessKid at home or on a device?
- Sign in to OCPS LaunchPad.
- Click on the ChessKid icon to launch the mobile web version.
- No app download is needed - ChessKid works right in the browser!
🏆 What can we win?
- Top School: An in-person ChessKid celebration, which may include a trophy, prizes, and even a surprise guest!
- Top Player: Special recognition for the student who plays the most games at the winning school.
- Certificates: For students at all participating schools.
- (Additional special awards may be announced!)
🔑 How can our school prepare?
- Complete the official signup form by September 10, 2025.
- Make sure all students can access their OCPS ChessKid account through Launchpad.
- Set aside time for students to play Fast Chess.
- Review fair play rules with students.
- Share updates and cheer on your students to build school spirit!
📬 How do I stay updated?