ReelChess
Interschool
July 2026.
School versus school. Sunday 12 July 2026 at The Ponds High School, Sydney. Top 4 students from each school score points toward a school total. Winning school takes home the team trophy plus a chess kit for the school. Individual entries also welcome.
Schools competing.
Individuals winning.
The ReelChess Interschool Tournament is a one-day Swiss-format competition where students play as individuals and also represent their school. Every player competes in every round, so there is no elimination and no sitting out.
Each player plays for themselves, with medals for the top 3 finishers plus a Best Under 8 award. At the same time, the top four students from each school have their scores combined to determine a school total. The school with the highest combined score wins the team trophy.
- Professionally run and officiated by ReelChess coaches
- 6-round Swiss format — every player competes in every round
- All equipment provided — bring nothing
- Medals for top 3 finishers plus Best Under 8 award
- Certificates of participation for every player
- Parents welcome to stay and watch throughout
-
01
Enter your school name at checkout. Every player from the same school contributes toward that school's team score, regardless of which entry type they selected.
-
02
Top 4 results count. The four highest-scoring students from each school have their points combined into a school total. Additional students from the same school still play individually but do not affect the school score.
-
03
Minimum 4 students from one school is required to qualify for the team prize. Schools with fewer than 4 entries still compete as individuals.
-
04
Highest school total wins. The winning school takes home the team trophy and a chess kit for the school.
Book your
spot now.
Spots at the July 12 event are limited. Register early to secure your child's place.
The $35 enrolled student rate is for students currently enrolled in a ReelChess Term 2 or Term 3 2026 program only. Every registration at this rate is verified against our active enrolment records before confirmation. If you select this rate and are not currently enrolled, your entry will not be processed. You will be asked to top up to General Entry, or your booking will be refunded minus a $5 admin fee. This applies whether the wrong rate was chosen by mistake or otherwise.
Simple
entry fees.
Two entry types. Pick the one that applies. All prices include GST. A 2% card processing fee applies at checkout. No surcharge on bank transfer.
Enrolled Student
$35For students currently enrolled in any ReelChess Term 2 or Term 3 2026 program. Verified against our active enrolment records.
General Entry
$55Open to any player in the eligible age range. No ReelChess enrolment required. All experience levels welcome. Counts toward your school's team total.
The Enrolled Student rate is strictly for students currently in a ReelChess Term 2 or Term 3 2026 program. Every entry at this rate is cross-checked against our active enrolment list before the registration is confirmed. If you are not currently enrolled and have selected this rate, your entry will not be confirmed for the tournament. You will be contacted to either top up to General Entry, or have your booking refunded minus a $5 admin fee. This policy applies even if the wrong rate was selected by mistake. If you are unsure whether you qualify, please email admin@reelchess.com before booking.
All participants receive a certificate of participation. Medals awarded to top 3 finishers plus a Best Under 8 award. The winning school receives the team trophy plus a chess kit donated to the school. Entry fees are non-refundable once confirmed. If an event is cancelled by ReelChess a full refund is issued.
The day,
start to finish.
The tournament runs from 9:45am to 1:30pm at The Ponds High School. Arrive 15 minutes before the first round for registration and warm up.
Registration and Warm Up
Players arrive and register. Brief warm up puzzles before round one.
Rounds 1 to 3
First three rounds of Swiss chess. Each round approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Break — 30 minutes
Players and parents step out, grab a snack, and reset for the second half.
Rounds 4 to 6
Final three rounds. Points accumulate and matches get tighter.
Prize Ceremony
Medals for top 3 finishers and Best Under 8 award. Certificates for all players. School team trophy and chess kit presented. Finish by 1:30pm.
Common
Questions.
Everything parents typically ask before registering. Contact us at admin@reelchess.com or 0402 769 387 if your question is not here.
Every player from the same school contributes toward that school's team score. The top four highest-scoring students from each school have their points combined to determine the school total. The school with the highest combined score wins the team trophy plus a chess kit donated to the school. A minimum of 4 students from one school is required to qualify for the team prize.
No. The tournament is open to any player in the eligible age range. ReelChess enrolled students receive a discounted entry fee. General entry is available for everyone else.
Every enrolled student entry is verified against our active Term 2 and Term 3 2026 enrolment records before being confirmed. If you select this rate and are not currently enrolled, your entry will not be processed. You will be asked to top up to General Entry or your booking will be refunded minus a $5 admin fee. This applies even if the wrong rate was selected by mistake. If you are unsure whether you qualify please email admin@reelchess.com before booking.
The July 2026 Interschool Tournament is open to students aged 6 to 14. This covers primary school across all year groups and into early high school. Players are matched across the full age range using Swiss pairings based on score.
Yes, that is possible. Pairings are determined by Swiss format based on current score, not by school. This is the standard format used by NSWJCL and other competitive tournaments. If two players from the same school have similar scores they may be paired against each other. Both scores still count toward their school's team total regardless of which one wins.
Swiss format means every player competes in every round with no elimination. After each round players are matched against others with a similar score, so the games get progressively more competitive. It is the fairest format for mixed-level events and ensures every player gets six games.
Unfortunately no. A minimum of 4 students from the same school is required for team prize eligibility. Students from schools with fewer than 4 entries still compete as individuals and can win individual medals (top 3 or Best Under 8), but they do not contribute toward a school team score. If you want to organise a team from your school, share the link with other families before registration closes.
At checkout you will see a school name field. Enter your school's official name. All entries with the same school name are combined into one school team. If you are unsure which name to use, email admin@reelchess.com before booking so we make sure all your school's entries combine correctly.
If two schools end the day with identical top-4 totals, the tiebreaker is the combined score of all entries from that school (not just the top 4). The school with the higher total across all entries wins. If still tied after this, the tiebreaker shifts to the individual Buchholz scores of the school's top scorers.
Parents are welcome to stay and watch at the venue throughout the day. There is a 30-minute break at approximately 11:15am. Alternatively parents can drop off and return for the 1:30pm finish. Parking is available around The Ponds High School.
Nothing chess-related. We provide all sets, boards, and clocks. Bring a water bottle and a snack for the break. No uniform required. Arrive by 9:45am for registration before round one at 10:00am.
Yes. Medals are awarded to the top 3 finishers at the prize ceremony from 1:00pm, plus a special Best Under 8 award for the highest-scoring player aged 8 or under. Every participant receives a certificate of participation. The winning school takes home the team trophy plus a chess kit donated to the school. The event finishes by 1:30pm.
Our next event after July is the ReelChess Open in October 2026, followed by the ReelChess Summer Tournament in December 2026. Click Notify Me on the upcoming event listings and we will contact you as soon as registration opens.
Sunday 12 July.
The Ponds.
School vs school.
Spots are limited. Register now and we confirm within 3 business days.