Greater Spokane Chess League

Chess news in Spokane!!

♟️🏆 Spokane is Chess City of the Year!

We are absolutely thrilled and honored to celebrate the news that Spokane has been named the United States Chess Federation’s Chess City of the Year for 2026!

This recognition belongs to the entire Spokane chess community, the players, coaches, families, schools, clubs, organizers, volunteers, and organizations who continue to grow and strengthen chess throughout our city.

Spokane was awarded this and for us to partake in the event that helped bring this award and the impact we’ve had over the last 5 years in chess to hopefully boost chess in Spokane to help get this award !

The National K-12 grade chess championship was held in Spokane in December 2025.

All the amazing chess organizations and every one involved that help boost chess locally!

All credit is due to all the hard work everyone has done❤️♟️

Spokane Chess Club
Jo Ong
Inland Chess
City of Spokane - Municipal Government
Riverfront Spokane
Washington Chess Federation
US Chess
Spokane Public Schools
Spokane Police Foundation
Spokane Parks and Recreation
Spokane Parks Foundation
The Inlander
The Spokesman-Review

Farewell to chess a message from our director- Chris Bruceri

This is a bitter sweet message and was difficult to write.

After more than a decade ( 11 years) dedicated to the game I love, the time has come for me to step away from the chess world and officially close this chapter of my life.

When I first learned chess in 2015, I never could have predicted where this journey would take me. It started with the thrill of competition, from winning tournaments in the 8th grade to taking 2nd in the GSL Individual Championship at Shadle Park High School, and eventually ranking as the 10th best high school senior in Washington. I’ve had the unforgettable experience of getting my butt kicked by a National Master, playing in a multiple simul’s against an IM, and trading blitz moves with a GM.
But as much as I loved playing, I quickly realized that my true purpose was building something bigger than myself.

My initial dream was simply to support high school chess, but that vision grew. I wanted to build a bridge to middle school students, to adults, and to the entire Spokane community. Through the Greater Spokane Chess League, we didn't just play games; we changed the landscape of the region.

With all the programs we started, the events we achieved and the game continued to grow under the 4 years I’ve had to push this organization was amazing, an unforgettable experience and contribution to Spokane Chess.

To my Parents, Kevin Masteller, James Stripes, Kevin Korsmo, Inland Chess Academy, Spokane Chess Club, Washington Chess Federation and all the students I’ve ever coached and, our local business partners, and every player, parent, and organizer who ever shared a room or a board with me, thank you. Thank you for trusting me, working alongside me, and helping me turn a vision into a reality.

I am incredibly proud of what I’ve built and the history we made together. As I officially close this chapter, dissolve the league and make sure it’s handled properly to honor and to focus on new horizons, I leave knowing we accomplished everything we set out to do.

Everything I was able to achieve is proof that passion, persistence, and a dedication to service can take you all the way to the top. We changed the game in Spokane, and that is a legacy that will always remain.

Keep playing, keep thinking ahead, and keep growing the game.

From my first chess game in 2015 to helping build something larger than myself, it has been an incredible journey.

Will keep you updated on the next steps for the chess league.

Hello everyone!

The Greater Spokane Chess League will be taking a break for the summer, so we will not be hosting any chess events, clubs, or camps during the summer months.

We’re grateful for everyone who came out, played, supported, and helped build such a great chess community this season. We plan to return in the fall with tournaments, events, and more opportunities to play and compete.

Enjoy your summer, keep practicing, and we’ll see you all back at the board this fall! ♟️

Event by Blitz and Blunders
♟️ NM Jesse James is coming to Spokane!♟️

Learn how a National Master thinks in an exclusive lesson, then test your skills in a simul. Win and take home a free chess board (and bragging rights) 🏆

Finish the night with social chess at Genus, good vibes, and plenty of laughs (and blunders) 🍻✨

Limited spots available. All levels welcome! Link in bio to register.

♟️ Tacoma Chess Tournament Opportunity – April 25, 2026 ♟️

For any of our 6th–12th grade chess players interested in traveling for a tournament, here’s a great event happening in Tacoma, WA this April!

No qualifiers required.

All USCF-rated sections require an active US Chess membership at the beginning of the competition. Those who do not have an active membership may not be paired for Round 1

📅 Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
⏰ Start Time: 8:00 AM

💲 Registration Fees
• $60 if you register early
• $75 starting March 14
• $90 starting April 14

📝 Registration cutoff:
Thursday, April 23 at 11:00 PM
(After that you can join the waitlist.)

💵 Refund cutoff:
Thursday, April 23 at 11:00 PM
($5 processing fee per player)

♟️ Sections Available

Middle School (Grades 6–8)
• 6th Grade Championship
• Rapid Chess Championship U1100
• Rapid Chess Championship U1500
• Open Chess Championship (2-Day Event)

High School (Grades 9–12)
• Rapid Chess Championship U1100
• Rapid Chess Championship Open

If you’re interested in traveling and competing in a bigger tournament environment, this could be a great experience!

📧 Questions about registration:
Ben Radin – [email protected]

📧 Tournament questions:
Tournament Director Jacob Mayer – [email protected]

♟️ End of Chess Season Update ♟️

As our chess season comes to a close, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who participated this year , players, parents, volunteers, and supporters. It’s been a great season watching students grow, learn, compete, and develop their love for chess.

We’ve had some exciting games, great tournaments, and many new players join the chess community. Seeing players improve their skills, sportsmanship, and confidence has been the best part of the season.

A quick update for everyone:
• Our March 20th chess tournament has been cancelled.
• We will not be hosting any more events this spring.

But don’t worry — we’re already planning ahead!

♟️ We’ll be announcing our Summer Chess Camps and Events in late May, with programs beginning in June. We’re excited to keep the momentum going and give players more opportunities to learn and compete this summer.

Thank you again to everyone who made this season special. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

Stay sharp!

This Tuesday at Shaw middle school !

Chess with a Cop - 4pm-6pm. Free !

Don’t forget to scan the QR code to register!

First-Ever GSL Viking Gambit Ends in Blitz Showdown

On Friday, March 6, the first-ever GSL Viking Gambit Chess Tournament was held at Shaw Middle School, bringing together 15 players for a four-round Swiss event filled with surprises and intense competition.

The tournament saw early changes, as two players withdrew during the first two rounds, while two players who had originally registered arrived late and joined the event starting in round two.

One of the most memorable moments of the tournament came in Round 1, when Giovanni Wences scored the biggest upset of the event, defeating Riot Hessel despite a 700-point rating difference between the two players.

During round 3, a player withdrew and gave us an odd number so the last round a player got a bye the same thing happened in round 1, we had an odd number of players.

After four rounds of play, the standings ended in a four-way tie for first place, with Riot Hessel, Spencer Worrell, Elizabeth Severynko, and John B. McIntyre all finishing with 3.0 points.

To determine the final standings, the tournament moved to a four-player blitz knockout playoff. After the semifinal matches, Riot Hessel and John B. McIntyre advanced to the final round.

In the final blitz match, Riot Hessel defeated John B. McIntyre, securing 1st place, while John B. McIntyre finished in 2nd place.

Despite his early upset loss in Round 1, Riot Hessel fought back through the remaining rounds and the blitz playoff to claim the championship, capping off a dramatic finish to the inaugural GSL Viking Gambit.

Congratulations 🎉 ♟️❤️

Congratulations to freshmen Kasen Chang who got a trophy for placing 6th in the All Comers Reserve Tournament while competing at State! Ridgeline’s Chess Team earned 20th place out of 52 teams at State! They were the top school in Eastern Washington!

This Friday the Viking Gambit at Shaw Middle School ♟️

6th-12th grade students can participate .

Don’t forget to register and the tournament is free!

Link below to register⬇️

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmnO9-cH_CP_8-miVs9uBx4yEHr_mXhcLbIqXlSyLXcfheBQ/viewform