Tournaments

A LearnChess Academy Tournament is a fun and structured competition where children play chess against others of a similar age and ability. Our aim is to give every child the chance to learn, compete, and enjoy the excitement of tournament chess in a safe, welcoming environment.

The Junior Champions Series is our flagship set of in-person tournaments for juniors aged 6–17. These events run regularly across Kent (and soon to be other locations as well) and are designed to be inclusive for both beginners and intermediate players. Each tournament is run professionally by our coaching team, with trophies, medals, and certificates awarded.

LearnChess Academy's Online Arena is our branded home for all of our online tournaments. Our standard Online Arena branch hosts our friendly tournaments, while our premium Online Arena Rivals branch hosts our competitive tournaments. All of our tournaments are hosted via our MyChess Login accessible here on our website and are open to ages 6-17.

We use a “Swiss system” format, which means every child plays in every round – no one is knocked out early. Events usually have 6–7 rounds, with games lasting between 15–30 minutes per player depending on the event. Players are matched fairly based on results as the tournament progresses.

Registration is simple: just visit our Tournaments page, select the event you’d like to enter, and complete the short online form. You’ll then receive confirmation and full event details by email. Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking early.

Yes! Alongside our in-person Junior Champions Series events, we also run online tournaments exclusively for LearnChess Academy students via our Online Arena. These are often free to enter and provide a fun way to compete from home. Some special events may have a small entry fee with cash prizes.

Your child’s safety and wellbeing are our top priority. All our events are run by experienced, DBS-checked coaches with safeguarding training. We provide clear supervision throughout the day, including breaks between rounds. Parents can relax knowing their child is in safe hands. For more details, please see our [For Schools] and [For Parents] pages.

We offer a sibling discount when two or more children from the same family attend our clubs, camps, or events at the same time. This discount applies only while both siblings are active. To claim, simply mention the sibling discount when booking, and our team will apply it to your invoice.

Membership is automatically included when your child is enrolled in one of our school chess clubs, external clubs or online lessons. Members may receive special discounts for tournaments, camps, or other Academy events. If you’re unsure whether you qualify, please contact us and we’ll be happy to check for you.