Chess Tournaments in Kansas

Kansas chess runs through the Kansas Chess Association (KCA), the state's US Chess affiliate, which sanctions the Kansas Open and hands out the state championship title each year, alongside the Kansas Blitz and Bughouse Championships. Scholastic chess is organized separately by the Kansas Scholastic Chess Association. Wichita is a steady hub for club play, and the Kansas City metro area on the state's eastern edge gives players access to the Kansas City Chess Club, founded in 1895 as one of the oldest chess clubs in the country. The small town of Lindsborg had an unusual moment in the spotlight when former World Champion Anatoly Karpov opened a namesake chess school there in 2003, drawing international attention to a town of just over 3,000 people.

• Play in the Kansas Open, the state's annual USCF-rated championship run by the Kansas Chess Association (2026 edition in Wichita), with side events like the Kansas Blitz and Bughouse Championships.
• Wichita has a standing weekly club scene, including the Wichita Chess Club, for regular rated and casual play.
• The Kansas City metro area (spanning the state line) gives eastern Kansas players easy access to the Kansas City Chess Club, one of the oldest continuously running chess clubs in the country.