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05/12/2026
We love to see US Chess-affiliated clubs featured in the local news! Thanks to the Cape Gazette for featuring the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Chess Club, which meets at the Lewes Public Library in Delaware's cape region.
This new club was put together earlier this year by local Realtor Ellis Richman, who learned about a chess club at a nearby library and asked why his town didn't have its own club. This attitude is what we need to we love.
Ellis Richman: community chess organizer On a cold Saturday at the beginning of May, kids and adults alike sat down in the Lewes Public Library and had themselves a nice game of chess. The chess days are put on by the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Chess Club. Anyone willing to play is free to drop in. The man behind the new club is local Realto...
From May 1-3, the 2026 National Elementary Championships brought together over 2,600 of the country’s best young chess players for one of the biggest scholastic tournaments of the year. Those three days at the Baltimore Convention Center were a great look at why these events matter: Thousands of children ages 5-12 got to compete on a national stage and make new friends from other parts of the country all while immersing themselves in their favorite pastime.
All weekend, these kids were analyzing their games with their coaches, friends, and Silver Knights Chess Academy Staff. They were waiting in line for an hour for a chance to play one of our special guest grandmasters. Chess boards were a fixture at tables at every restaurant in the Inner Harbor. Everywhere you turned, there was more chess!
There was plenty to do outside of the main tournament hall. The National Elementary Blitz and Bughouse Championships kept things moving fast, and several special guests joined us throughout the weekend. GM Elshan Moradiabadi and WGM Katerina Nemcova ran a tandem simul and multiple "All Comers Blitz" events. IM Danny Rensch stayed busy with a lecture and book signing, while WGM Jennifer Shahade also did a simul and signed books for the kids. In the Girls Club Room, guests WFM Laura Smith and Rochelle Ballantyne played games, coached players, and taught lessons that ensured every girl in the tournament had a safe, supportive environment. For those who weren't in Baltimore, WGM Sabina Foisor provided commentary and analysis of the games on the US Chess Twitch channel (twitch.tv/uschess) and for Chess Life Online (https://new.uschess.org/2026-scholastics).
We want to thank all the players, parents, and coaches who made the trip, along with the tournament directors and volunteers who kept the event running. Thanks also to everyone watching the livestream. Your presence helped create a great environment for the competition.
Finally, thanks to our sponsors, Silver Knights Chess Academy and GT Anywhere, for supporting this championship. If your organization is interested in supporting future national events, you can reach us at [email protected].
📸 Caroline King
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