State Qualifier Scholastic Tournament Invitations Coming Soon

Details

Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy

Each year, the ICA hosts a qualifier tournament to determine who will represent Illinois at the highly prestigious US Open Invitational Events.  

There are 4 US Open Invitational sections that scholastic players can participate in.

• GM Arnold Denker National Tournament of High School State Champions
• Dewain Barber National Tournament of Middle School State Champions
• John D. Rockefeller National Tournament of Elementary School State Champions (new for 2020)
• WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions 

These tournaments will be held during the US Open August 8-11 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis-St. Charles Hotel.

The participants from Illinois for these tournaments are determined by an invitation only qualifier tournament that will be held March 6-8, 2020 in Schaumburg, IL. Only the top 12 players (based on the JANUARY 1, 2020 official rating) in each section will be invited.  If anyone in the top 12 declines, additional invitations to qualified players may be extended.

Read more ...

2019-2020 ICA Rising Stars and Warren Junior Scholars

Details

Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy

The 2019-2020 Warren Junior Scholar and Rising Stars Classes are listed below!

Congratulations to all the qualifiers! For those not on the list, don't despair. If you hit certain thresholds during the school year, you may be invited to participate in various training events with an official designation coming with next year's class. For complete details, refer to the Warren Junior Scholar pages of this website.

Information about the program can be found here:  WJS/RS Program.  Qualifications can be found here:  WJS/RS Qualifications.  Please note that the USCF rating requirement is based off of the JULY 1 rating supplement.

If you find your name on the list, please be sure confirm your interest in participating by AUGUST 15 with Ms. Grandy who is coordinating the programs. The class list will be finalized on September 1.  If you did not receive an email directly, be sure to contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Read more ...

2019-2020 ICA Rising Stars and Warren Junior Scholars Class to be Announced Soon

Details

Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy

The 2019-2020 ICA Rising Stars and Warren Junior Scholar class will be announced around August 1st.    We need your help to identify current scholastic players who may qualify.

You can read about the program here and also check here for the qualifications.

If you know a scholastic player (entered K-12 grade in the fall), who meets the qualifications, please complete this form so we have all of the information to determine eligibility, including contact information.

Read more ...

WJS/RS Qualifications

Details

Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy

The Warren Junior Scholar and ICA Rising Stars program year is from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

To be chosen as a Warren Junior Scholar, students must be residents of Illinois and meet the following criteria:

• List USCF as their FIDE federation, or be enrolled full-time in an Illinois school.
• Membership in the Illinois Chess Association.
• For high school players (entering grades 9-12), have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1900 as of the July rating supplement.
• For players entering 6^th -  8th grade, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1700 as of the July rating supplement.
• For players entering K-5th grade, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1500 as of the July rating supplement.
• For female players of any age, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1500 as of the July rating supplement.
• Players entering Grade 4 and up must have played at least 10 regularly-rated games (not quick-rated only) in open tournaments or sections (as opposed to those limited to scholastic players) since July 1^st of the prior year. (Note: if a player is unable to meet this requirement, the WJS/RS Director may all consider alternate tournaments or activities if requested.)
• All players must have participated in at least two of the following tournaments in the last year: Illinois Class, Illinois Open, Illinois All-Grade Championship, Illinois K-8 Championship, other ICA-sponsored tournaments, any tournament on the Illinois chess tour, National K-12’s, and/or respective spring Nationals. (Note: if a player is unable to meet this requirement, the WJS/RS Director may all consider alternate tournaments or activities if requested.)

To be chosen as an ICA Rising Star, students must be residents of Illinois and meet the following criteria:

• List USCF as their FIDE federation.
• Membership in the Illinois Chess Association.
• For high school players (entering grades 9-12), have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1500 as of the July rating supplement.
• For players entering 6th- 8th grade, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1350 as of the July rating supplement.
• For players entering K-5th grade, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1200 as of the July rating supplement.
• For female players of any age, have a minimum USCF established (non-provisional) rating of 1200 as of July rating supplement.
• Players entering Grade 4 and up must have played at least 10 regularly-rated games (not quick-rated only) in open tournaments or sections (as opposed to those limited to scholastic players) since July 1^st of the prior year.  (Note: if a player is unable to meet this requirement, the WJS/RS Director may all consider alternate tournaments or activities if requested.)
• All players must have participated in at least two of the following tournaments in the last year: Illinois Class, Illinois Open, Illinois All-Grade Championship, Illinois K-8 Championship, other ICA-sponsored tournaments, any tournament on the Illinois chess tour, National K-12’s, and/or respective spring Nationals. (Note: if a player is unable to meet this requirement, the WJS/RS Director may all consider alternate tournaments or activities if requested.)

For returning WJS/RS participants, peak supplement rating from July 1^st of the prior year may also be considered at the discretion of the Director.

The Director of the Warren Junior Scholar/ICA Rising Star Program, at their discretion, from time-to-time may:

• Invite players into the WJS/RS learning activities, based upon their activities related to chess, including but not limited to mid-year ratings and tournament play. These players will not carry the title of Warren Junior Scholar or ICA Rising Star for the current year.
• Invite players that are home-schooled, may have graduated early, or are full-time enrolled students in Illinois with an alternate FIDE federation, and may not have a formal school grade designation, but by age and USCF rating meet the Warren Junior Scholar or ICA Rising Star criteria.
• Remove or suspend a player for behavior or conduct detrimental to the program, including improper family/parent behavior. This can be appealed to the ICA Board.
• Use discretion to adjust requirements due to individual circumstances or due to significant chess participation and contributions.

Key Events for 2017-2018

Details

Key Chess Events August 2017 to July 2018

This is a list of some key chess events. This is not meant to imply that participants should attend all of these events.

Please, keep in mind that this program does have tournament participation requirements.

●Illinois Open, Northbrook, IL, on September 2- 4, 2017

●Midwest Class, Wheeling, IL, on October 6-8, 2017

●Illinois All-Girls Championship, Lisle, IL, November 5, 2017

● Illinois All-Grade (K-12), Peoria, IL on Saturday, November 11, 2017

● WJS/RS Training/Blitz/Banquet, Naperville on Saturday, November 18, 2017

● Illinois Class, on Sunday, November 19, 2017

● National K-12's , Orlando, FL, on December 8-10, 2017

● Tim Just Winter Open, Schaumburg, IL on January 6-7, 2018

● IHSA Sectionals, on January 27, 2018 (Grades 9-12 school teams)

● IHSA Championships in Peoria, IL on February 9-10, 2018 (Grades 9-12 school teams)

● USAT North, Schaumburg, IL on February 16-18, 2018, TENTATIVE

● IESA championships, Peoria, IL on February 23-24, 2018 (Grades 5-8, individuals allowed)

● Illinois K-8's, Schaumburg, IL on March 10-11, 2018

● Mid America Open, St. Louis Area, on March 23-25, 2018

● National Junior High (K-9), Atlanta, GA, on April 6-8, 2018

● National All-Girls , Chicago at McCormick Place, on April 20-22, 2018

● National High School (K-12), Columbus, OH, on April 27-30, 2018

● National Elementary (K-6), Nashville, TN, on May 11-13, 2018

● Ice Harbor, Dubuque, Iowa, on May 19 -20, 2018

● Chicago Open, on May 24- 28, 2018

● Panamerican Youth Chess Championship 2018, Santiago, Chile, on June 16-22, 2018

● US Junior Open (Location TBD), June, 2018

● World Open, Philadelphia, PA, on July 3-8, 2018 (includes an U13 Championship tournament)

● Chicago Class, Wheeling, on July 20-22, 2018

● North American Youth Chess Championship, TBA (information available in March 2018)

● Polgar Girls Invitational, Webster University - St. Louis, Date TBA

● U.S. Open Chess Championship (Plus National Denker, Barber, Girls), Middleton, WI, on July 28-August 5, 2018

● World Youth U14, U16, U18 Championships 2018, Halkidiki, Greece, on Oct 24-Nov 5, 2018

● World Cadets U8, U10, U12 Championship 2018, Santiago de Compostela (Galicia), Spain, on Nov 3-16, 2018

ICA's Warren Junior Scholar Program

What is the Warren Junior Scholar Program?

The Warren Program was founded over 30 years ago by former ICA President Helen Warren.

The mission of the Warren Junior Scholar Program is to discover and develop the highest-potential youth chess players in Illinois, in order to be competitive on a national and international stage.

Players chosen for the Warren program have innate talent, and the intensive mentoring provided by the program gives them opportunity and reason to work hard. Through in-depth study and competition in chess, students acquire skills and habits that prepare them to succeed in many fields as adults, including high-level analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, discipline, perseverance, responsible decision-making and the ability to overcome setbacks and learn from mistakes.

In 2015, the ICA Rising Stars platform was added as a talent developmental pool to identify and prepare youth players who with some nurturing show early promise towards eventual qualification for the Warren Scholar Program.

At that time, the Warren Junior Scholar program — and the ICA Rising Stars — were under the direction of Rose Grandy; three years later, Eric Luster took over as WJS/RS Director. Since August 2023, Edwin Walker has been in charge of the program.

Mr. Walker can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you believe your child may qualify for either the WJS or RS programs, please complete this form to be considered for the next class. Determination of the next class is made in July. Qualifications can be found here. Players already in one of the programs need not complete this form.