Chess in New York (state)

Chess in New York (state)
Top PlayerHikaru Nakamura (2872 USCF, 2792 FIDE)
ChampionWilliam Graif
USCF AffiliateNew York State Chess Association
Active Players8,394

As of May 2 2026, New York has 8,394 active players registered with the United States Chess Federation.[1][2] The current USCF New York state affiliate is the New York State Chess Association.[3]

History

The history of chess in New York reflects the broader development of organized chess in the United States. As chess clubs, tournaments, publications, and scholastic programs expanded, New York became a central setting for organized play. Throughout the state's history, major international chess events have taken place in New York City. Numerous top-rated chess players have called New York home including Hikaru Nakamura, Bobby Fischer, and Garry Kasparov. Chess has also developed as part of the state's public culture, including street chess in locations such as Washington Square Park and Union Square.[4][5][6] The state's chess history began to take shape during the nineteenth century, as clubs and organized competitions became more established.

Early development

Founded1877
Dissolved2002
LocationManhattan, New York City, New York
CountryUnited States

The Manhattan Chess Club, the oldest chess club in New York, was founded in 1877.[7] Across the United States, the Manhattan Chess Club was the second-oldest chess club behind only the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club in San Francisco, California. Stories about the club appear in The Bobby Fischer I Knew And Other Stories by Denker and Larry Parr.

In 1878, the Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania Chess Association was founded.[8] The organization changed its name to the New York State Chess Association in 1886.

From 1886 to 1915, NYSCA held two tournaments each year. The first event was the annual state championship, which almost always took place on George Washington's birthday in New York City. The second tournament would take place upstate during the summer. Despite the first annual tournament being the state championship, the summer tournament usually garnered more attention.[9]

TypeUSCF Gold Affiliate
Founded1915
FounderFrank Marshall
LocationGreenwich Village, New York City
CountryUnited States
WebsiteOfficial Website

In 1915, a group of chess players led by Frank Marshall founded the Marshall Chess Club.[10] Marshall wanted to establish a central meeting area for chess players in New York.

In 1916, NYSCA combined its two annual tournaments into a single multi-day state championship.[9]

In 1924, the Manhattan Chess Club organized the New York international tournaments of 1924. The event was ultimately won by Emanuel Lasker. In 1927, the chess club hosted another chess tournament that José Capablanca won.[11]

In 1964, Bill Goichberg founded the New York City Chess Association.[12] The organization became the first organizer to hold USCF-rated scholastic tournaments in 1966. The NYCA later changed its name to the Continental Chess Association in 1968, widening its scope to other areas. Several major recurring scholastic USCF tournament began under this organization, including the National High School Championship (1969),[13] the National Junior High Championship (1973),[14] the National Elementary Championship (1976),[15] and the National Scholastic K-12 Grade Championship (1991).[16]

Contemporary chess

In 2002, the Manhattan Chess Club closed.[7]

In 2013, Russian chess grandmaster and former world champion Garry Kasparov fled Russia to New York City, fearing political persecution for his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.[17][18][19]

During Spring Break 2026, Impact Coaching Network hosted a chess camp for youth with at least a 1200 USCF rating.[20]

In 2025, 9th Annual New York State Girls Championship broke attendance records, with 620 girls competing in the event across 73 teams.[21]

Competitors

As of May 2026, the following people are the top rated active USCF players from New York:[1]

Position Name USCF Rating USCF Titles
1 Hikaru Nakamura 2872 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
2 Robert Hess 2677 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
3 Brewington Hardaway 2617 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
4 Lev Alburt 2609 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
5 Jaan Ehlvest 2604 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
6 David Brodsky 2597 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
7 Nico Chasin 2591 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
8 Aleksandr Lenderman 2589 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
9 Nicolas Checa 2585 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)
10 Liam Henry Putnam 2581 Original Life Master, National Master, Life Senior Master (norms-based)

Other top New York chess players who aren't currently active USCF members include GM Evgeniy Najer (2721 Rating), GM Artashes Minasian (2697 Rating), and French GM Laurent Fressinet (2697 Rating).

List of state champions (1878–2024)

No. Year Winner(s) Site Notes
1 1878 Judge James R. Cox Auburn
2 1879 H.A. Richmond Auburn
3 1880 Rev. Samuel R. Calthrop Syracuse
4 1881 Rev. John Costello Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania This championship took place outside of New York State because NYSCA used to be "The Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania Chess Association."[22]
5 1882 George H. Thornton Buffalo
6 January 1883 Rev. Samuel R. Cathrop Elmira
7 December 1883 Niles D. Luce Elmira This contest is not on the trophy, but appears on official list published in 1945.[22]
8 1884 Niles D. Luce (2) Elmira
9 1885 Niles D. Luce (3) Elmira
10 1886 Dr. J.M. Cassety Albany
11 1887 Eugene Delmar New York City
12 1888 None No Contest[22]
13 1889 Samuel Lipscheutz New York City
14 1890 Eugene Delmar (2) New York City
15 1891 Eugene Delmar (3) New York City
16 1892 Albert B. Hodges New York City
17 1893 Albert B. Hodges (2) New York City
18 1894 Albert B. Hodges (3) New York City
19 1895 David G. Baird New York City
20 1896 Nicolai Jasnogrodsky New York City
21 1897 Eugene Delmar (4) New York City
22 1898 Gustav H. Koehler New York City
23 1899 Samuel Lipscheutz (2) & William M. DeVisser New York City Tie; DeVisser considered the moral victor[22]
24 1900 Frank J. Marshall New York City
25 1901 Julius Finn New York City
26 1902 Berthold Lasker New York City
27 1903 Otto Roething New York City
28 1904 None No Contest[22]
29 1905 None No Contest[22]
30 1906 Hermann Helms New York City
31 1907 Julius Finn (2) New York City
32 1908 Julius Finn (3) New York City
33 1909 Clarence S. Howell New York City
34 1910 Jose R. Capablanca New York City
35 1911 Paul F. Johner New York City There were no restrictions on non-New Yorkers becoming state champion. Later rules would change this.[9]
36 1912 Jacob Rosenthal New York City
37 1913 Leonard B. Meyer & George J. Beihoff New York City Tie
38 1914 Roy T. Black New York City
39 1915 Abraham Kupchik New York City
40 1916 Harold E. Jennings Buffalo
41 1917 Oscar Chajes Rochester
42 1918 Kenneth S. Howard Rochester
43 1919 Abraham Kupchik (2) Troy
44 1920 Jacob Bernstein Albany
45 1921 Jacob Bernstein (2) Syracuse
46 1922 Jacob Bernstein (3) Buffalo
47 1923 Rudolph Smirka Syracuse
48 1924 Carlos Torre Rochester
49 1925 Hermann Helms (2) Buffalo
50 1926 Milton Hanauer Rome
51 1927 Rudolph Smirka (2) Rome
52 1928 Anthony E. Santasiere Buffalo
53 1929 Herman Steiner Buffalo
54 1930 Anthony E. Santasiere (2) Utica
55 1931 Fred Reinfeld Rome
56 1932 Nathan Grossman Rome
57 1933 Fred Reinfeld (2) Syracuse
58 1934 Robert Levenstein Syracuse
59 1935 Isaac I. Kashdan Binghamton
60 1936 Isaac I. Kashdan (2) Poughkeepsie
61 1937 David S. Polland Cazenovia
62 1938 Arnold S. Denker Cazenovia
63 1939 Arnold S. Denker (2) Hamilton
64 1940 Robert Willman Hamilton
65 1941 Reuben Fine Hamilton
66 1942 Israel A. Horowitz Cazenovia
67 1943 Israel A. Horowitz (2) Syracuse
68 1944 None No Contest[22]
69 1945 George M. Kramer Saratoga Springs
70 1946 Anthony E. Santasiere (3) Cazenovia
71 1947 Albert S. Pinkus Endicott
72 1948 Larry M. Evans Endicott
73 1949 Max Pavey Rochester
74 1950 Eliot S. Hearst Binghamton
75 1951 James Sherwin Syracuse
76 1952 John W. Collins Cazenovia
77 1953 Hans Berliner Cazenovia
78 1954 William Lombardy Binghamton
79 1955 Edmar Mednis Cazenovia
80 1956 Anthony E. Santasiere (4) Buffalo
81 1957 August Rankis Binghamton
82 1958 Mitchell Saltzberg Cazenovia
83 1959 August Rankis (2) Schenectady
84 1960 Erich W. Marchand Cazenovia
85 1961 Herbert Seidman Cazenovia
86 1962 Pal C. Benko Poughkeepsie
87 1963 George Mauer & Mitchell Saltzberg (2) Cazenovia Tie
88 1964 Duncan Suttles Ithaca
89 1965 John T. Westbrock Ithaca
90 1966 Raul Benedicto Syracuse
91 1967 Erich W. Marchand (2) Canandaigua
92 1968 Roger B. Johnson Schenectady
93 1969 Erich W. Marchand (3) Corning
94 1970 Erich W. Marchand (4) Rochester
95 1971 Herbert Seidman (2) Syracuse
96 1972 Ken Rogoff Syracuse
97 1973 Jonathan Tisdall Buffalo
98 1974 Paul Jacklyn Albany
99 1975 Sunil Weeramantry Albany
100 1976 Leonid Shamkovich Albany
101 1977 Leonid Shamkovich (2) Albany
102 1978 Edward Formanek Syracuse
103 1979 Vitaly Zaltsman Albany
104 1980 Roman Dzindzichashvili New York City
105 1981 Ken Regan New York City
106 1982 Jay Bonin Albany
107 1983 Mikhail Zlotnikov Albany
108 1984 Maxim Dlugy Syracuse
109 1985 Joel Benjamin Rockville Center
110 1986 Anthony Renna, Joel Benjamin (2), & Walter Shipman Binghamton Tie
111 1987 Robert Byrne & Joel Benjamin (3) Saratoga Springs Tie
112 1988 Vince McCambridge Rye
113 1989 Michael Rohde Albany
114 1990 Roman Dzindzichashvili (2) & Joel Benjamin (4) Kingston Tie
115 1991 John Fedorowicz Rockville Center
116 1992 Joel Benjamin (5) Saratoga Springs
117 1993 Michael Rohde (2) Saratoga Springs
118 1994 Michael Rohde (3) Saratoga Springs
119 1995 Joel Benjamin (6) & Victor Frias Saratoga Springs Tie
120 1996 Ronald Burnett & Michael Rohde (4) Saratoga Springs Tie
121 1997 Jay Bonin (2) Saratoga Springs
122 1998 Ronald Burnett Saratoga Springs
123 1999 Jay Bonin (3) Saratoga Springs
124 2000 Joel Benjamin (7), Dmitry Schneider, & Daniel Edelman Saratoga Springs Tie
125 2001 Joel Benjamin (8), Sunil Weeramantry (2), Chuck Cadman Rochester Tie
126 2002 Joel Benjamin (9), Alex Stripunsky, Aaron Pixton, & Michael Rohde (5) Kerhonkson Tie
127 2003 Aaron Pixton (2) Kerhonkson
128 2004 Hikaru Nakamura Kerhonkson
129 2005 Gata Kamsky Monticello
130 2006 Teddy Coleman Albany
131 2007 Hikaru Nakamura (2) Albany
132 2008 Alex Lenderman Albany
133 2009 Giorgi Kacheishvili Albany
134 2010 Aleksandr Ostrovskiy Albany
135 2011 Michael Chiang Albany
136 2012 Raven Sturt Albany
137 2013 Nicolas Checa Albany
138 2014 Gata Kamsky (2) Albany
139 2015 Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (2) Albany
140 2016 Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (3) Albany
141 2017 Mark Paragua Albany
142 2018 Lev Paciorkowski Albany
143 2019 GM Oliver Barbosa Albany
144 2020 Lev Paciorkowski (2) Internet Chess Club Online
145 2021 FM Jason Liang Albany
146 2022 IM Jason Liang (2) Albany
147 2023 GM Djurabek Khamrakulov Albany
148 2024 FM William Graif Albany

References

  1. 1 2 "Top Rated Players in NY". US Chess Federation. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ "12641216: HIKARU NAKAMURA". US Chess Federation. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Club Search and Affiliate Directory | US Chess.org". new.uschess.org. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  4. ↑ Chessable (February 22, 2025). "Street Chess Community: Conflict, Care, and Competition". Chess.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  5. ↑ Weiser, Benjamin; Nerkar, Santul (October 30, 2025). "Deadly Drugs Sold in Washington Square Park and on the Web, U.S. Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Chess in the Park" (PDF). City Tech OpenLab - City University of New York. May 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Wall, Bill (2008). Manhattan Chess Club. Retrieved on 2009-08-03 from https://web.archive.org/web/20090729175601/http://geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/manhat.htm. Briefly lists milestones in club's history, and successive premises
  8. ↑ Rogers, H. J. (1891). New York State Chess Association : History And Report, 1878-1891 (1891). Kessinger Publishing (published November 2009). ISBN 9781120654861. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  9. 1 2 3 "EMPIRE CHESS Summer 2013 Volume XXXVI, No. 2" (PDF). New York State Chess Association. Summer 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ "About". Marshall Chess Club. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ Golombeck, 1977
  12. ↑ "About Continental Chess Association". Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  13. ↑ Chess_Life, June 1969, p. 241.
  14. ↑ Chess_Life, August 1973, p. 447.
  15. ↑ Chess_Life, July 1976, p. 377.
  16. ↑ Chess_Life, February 1992, p. 30.
  17. ↑ Kirit Radia, 'Chess Grand Master Is Latest Russian To Flee' Archived 1 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Abc News, 6 June 2013, retrieved 1 March 2023
  18. ↑ Edwards, Jim (January 23, 2018). "Garry Kasparov told us what it's like to live in fear of being assassinated by Putin". Business Insider. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  19. ↑ Gessen, Masha (December 4, 2018). "Garry Kasparov Says We Are Living in Chaos, But Remains an Incorrigible Optimist". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  20. ↑ Belz, Emily; Lewkowicz, Sara Naomi (April 20, 2026). "A Day in the Life of New York City's Young Chess Stars". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  21. ↑ Lang, J. J. (November 24, 2025). "9th Annual New York State Girls Championship Breaks Attendance Records | US Chess.org". new.uschess.org. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NYS Champions". New York State Chess Association. October 4, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
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