Kindergartners can enter first-ever chess tourney

MADISON – Madison City Chess League will introduce a new venue for the youngest segment of the chess community when they sponsor the Madison City Kindergarten Tournament on March 4.

Rainbow Elementary School, 50 Nance Road will host the premiere of this new chess contest from 2 to 5 p.m.

Players must register online; on-site registration will not be available. Registration deadline is March 2 or until the tournament slots are filled.

Any kindergarten student is welcome to enter the tournament. However, the tournament will be limited to the first 20 children to register.

To open the tourney, a players meeting will be held at 1:45 p.m. in Rainbow’s media center. A game will allow 20 minutes per side. If time permits, players will compete in five rounds.

“No memberships are required,” MCCL Executive Director Ranae Bartlett said. “For both rated and non-rated kindergarten students, this will be a non-rated tournament and great practice for the kindergarten section of the Madison City Chess Championship.”

Entry fee is $20 for MCCL members. “Savings for MCCL members will appear after you add the tournament to your cart (during registration),” Bartlett said. Children who are not MCCL members will pay $25 for the tournament.

“For awards, all players will receive a medal,” Bartlett said. “An awards ceremony will occur at approximately 5 p.m. on March 4.”

MCCL is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that promotes chess education for students in grades K-12 in the Madison area. “Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable,” Bartlett said.

MCCL players meet on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Madison Public Library, 142 Plaza Blvd. These meetings are free.

To register for Madison City Kindergarten Tournament, visit madisonchess.com/products/59.