2026 Nashville City Scholastic Chess Championship  January 10-11, 2026

Tournament Format:

Qualification

Players must earn their spot through one of four qualifying tournaments held throughout the fall.

• Each qualifier will advance the top two finishers to the City Championship.

• With two qualifiers per event, a total of eight players will earn the right to compete in the City Championship finals.

Tiebreak for City: 

1. Head to Head
2. Modified Median
3. Solkoff
4. Cumulative

Must live within 75-miles of NCC to be eligible

City Championship Format

• The eight finalists are divided into two quads based on their qualifying results:

  • Quad A: 1A, 1C, 2B, 2D

  • Quad B: 1B, 1D, 2A, 2C

• Each quad plays a round-robin on Day 1.

• The top two finishers from each quad advance to Day 2. (Day 2 for Elem. Middle & High)

• If 2 players are tied (2 5+3 blitz games), if still tied, one 5min vs 4min Armageddon with black having draw odds.  

Finals

• The remaining four players compete in a final quad on Day 2. (Day 1 for K-1 & K-3)

• The player with the best score in the final quad is crowned the Scholastic City Champion!

Primary (K-3) & K-1 Section – One-Day Event Saturday Only – Time Control G/30;+5 

Round 1: 10:00 AM Saturday

Round 2-6: ASAP

Elementary Section, Middle School and High School –  

 Two Day Event – G/70+10 – Saturday and Sunday

Round 1: 10:00 AM Saturday                                     Round 4: 10:00 AM Sunday 

Round 2: 1:30 PM Saturday *                                   Round 5: 1:30 PM Sunday *

Round 3: 4:30 PM Saturday * Round 6: 4:30 PM Sunday *

*We can start rounds earlier if all players agree and all subsequent rounds will move forward

City Championship Tiebreak Regulations

1. Final Standings

Only ties for 1st place are decided by playoff games.

2. Two-Player Tie for 1st Place

If exactly two players tie for first, the championship is decided as follows:

Stage 1 – Slow Blitz Match

• 2 games

• Time control: 5+3

• Colors: One game with each color

• Scoring:

  • Win = 1

  • Draw = ½

If a player scores 1½ points or more, they are City Champion.

Stage 2 – Fast Blitz Match

(Only if Stage 1 is tied 1–1)

• 2 games

• Time control: 3+2

• Colors: One game with each color

• Scoring: Same as above

If a player scores 1½ points or more, they are City Champion.

Stage 3 – Armageddon

(Only if Stage 2 is tied 1–1)

• Time control:

  • White: 5 minutes

  • Black: 4 minutes

• Increment: +1 Second after 60 moves

• Draw odds: Black is declared Champion if the game is drawn

• Colors: Determined by lot (coin toss)

  • Winner chooses color

3. Three-Player Tie for 1st Place

If three players tie for first, the following playoff bracket is used.

Three-Player Blitz Bracket

Players

Label the tied players A, B, and C (by lot).

Stage 1 – 5+3 Round Robin

• Time control: 5+3

• Games:

  • A vs B

  • B vs C

  • C vs A

• Total games: 3

• Colors: Assigned by lot

• Scoring: Win = 1, Draw = ½

Outcomes:

• If one player finishes clear first, they are City Champion.

• If two players tie for first, they proceed to Two-Player Tiebreak (Section 2).

• If all three players remain tied, continue to Stage 2.

Stage 2 – 3+2 Round Robin

• Time control: 3+2

• Games: Same pairings as Stage 1

• Colors: Reversed from Stage 1

• Total games: 3

Outcomes:

• If one player finishes clear first, they are City Champion.

• If two players tie for first, they proceed to Two-Player Tiebreak (starting at Stage 2: 3+2).

• If all three players remain tied, continue to Stage 3.

Stage 3 – Armageddon Bracket

Armageddon Rules

• White: 5 minutes

• Black: 4 minutes

• + Second after 60 moves

• Black wins if drawn

Format

1. Players draw lots for pairing order.

2. Two players play an Armageddon game.

3. Winner plays the third player in another Armageddon game.

4. Continue until one player wins two consecutive games.

That player is declared City Champion.