What is a regional?

A regional is one tournament for your whole city or region. Clubs and schools from all around send their players, so most faces will be new to you. Now you find out how you play against kids from your whole region. A city, county or state championship counts. This sticker is for playing in it, and winning it is the Regional Gold sticker.

How it works

• You play in an age group: under 8, under 10, under 12, and up.
• If you lose a game, you still play the next round.
• There are up to nine rounds, played in one day of fast games or over a whole weekend.

If there is no regional where you live, a big open counts. An open is a tournament anyone can enter, from anywhere.

How to find it

Ask a grown-up who plays chess, or the grown-up who runs your chess group. Ask them which tournament is your regional. Every region calls it by its own name. Read the event's page with your grown-up. It tells you the age groups, the dates and how to sign up. Often there is no group just for beginners, so play a smaller tournament first if you can.

What if I lose?

You will meet players who are stronger than anyone you know, and that is why you go. One game against a strong player teaches you a lot. After each game, ask yourself what your opponent did that you do not do yet. That is how you get stronger.

How you get the sticker

Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. Show the final standings, the list of every player's place, with your name on it. Any place on the list counts. If you have no club, your grown-up at home looks at the standings with you. Did you play a regional before you had the passport? It still counts. Old standings are usually still online.