Primary School Chess Championship 2026

The 2026 Bahamas Primary School Chess Championship brings together students in Grades 1–6 from schools across The Bahamas for a fun and competitive day of chess at Boost Academy. Players will compete in 5 rounds, with trophies awarded by grade category and the top overall player crowned the 2026 Primary Schools Chess Champion.

NOTICE AND REGULATIONS

1. Venue – Boost Academy
2. Date and Schedule – Saturday, November 21st, 2026

Round 1: 10:00 a.m.

Round 2: 10:45 a.m.

Round 3: 11:30 a.m.

Break: 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.

Round 4: 12:45 p.m.

Round 5: 1:30 p.m.

Awards Presentation: 2:15 p.m.

3. Format

• The FIDE Laws of Chess will govern the tournament.
• Swiss format of 5 rounds; game time 10 minutes.

4. Participation – The Bahamas Primary School Chess Championship 2026 is organized for primary school students in grades 1- 6.

• A player must be enrolled as a full-time student at a brick-and-mortar public or private school, or home school in The Bahamas. Any Bahamian student living in The Bahamas and enrolled in an online school is also eligible.
• A player must be a full-time student at the school which he or she represents.
• There is no limit on the number of players a school may enter per category.
• Only the top four (4) player scores will count towards the school’s score, which determines the winning school.
• A player may be entered into a higher grade category but not a lower category. For example, a Grade 3 student may move up to the Grades 5-6 category, but not down to the Grades 1-2 category.

5. Registration

• Each player must pre-register online
• There is NO registration at the door
• Schools and coaches are responsible for confirming players
• Deadline for registration – Thursday November 19^th at 11:59 p.m.

6. Entry Fee – Tournament is free for BCF Junior Members. Non-members pay $15 to become a junior Member.
7. Prizes – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies will be awarded to the top three players in each of the following categories: Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4, and Grades 5-6. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

8. Titles

• The absolute player with the highest score will be recognized as the Primary Schools Chess Champion for 2026.

9. Wins

Wins are determined by checkmate. If time runs out for both players and there is no checkmate the Arbiter will determine the winner based on the total points of the pieces left on the board.

10. Tie-Break System

In the case of a tie in scores, to determine the winner the Arbiter will apply the following method:

1. For each tied player, count the full-point score of each player whom they beat, and half the score of every player with whom they drew. If equal:
2. For each tied player, count the number of wins. If equal:
3. Refer to the result between the tied players. Award the higher place to the player who won their individual game. If drawn:
4. Award the higher place to the player who had Black in the drawn game.

10. Additional Regulations

• Pairings will be generated using tournament pairing software in accordance with the FIDE Swiss Rules.
• The default time is 5 minutes after the round has started. If a player defaults on two games in the event, the player may be withdrawn from the tournament at the Arbiter’s discretion.
• Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other smart devices must be switched off and cannot be used at any time during a game.

11. Other: The Federation will not be held responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of personal property on the premises. By registering for this event, players acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to the tournament regulations.