Chess Tournaments in Atlanta
Rated and unrated chess tournaments, quads and club nights in metro Atlanta — and what to expect if it is your first one.
What is on
A fast-growing scholastic scene with several active clubs running monthly rated events.
| Event | Format | Who it is for | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Chess - Friday Knight Face-Off✓ Verified 14 Aug 20263-round US Chess rated Swiss at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites on Innovation Way, first round 7:00 PM, capped at 48 players, $30 advance entry. (Alpharetta) | Swiss | Open to all rated and unrated players, all ages; three sections (Premier, Amateur U1400, Reserve U800/unrated) | Weekly on Fridays (Aug-Sep 2026 dates open for registration on ChessRegister) |
| Chess Zone Rated Game of the Week✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026One USCF-rated game at G/60+5 each week at the Chess Zone facility on Old Alabama Road, free for members. (Roswell) | Club night | Chess Zone members with US Chess membership | Every Tuesday at 7:30 PM |
| Marietta Stonehaven Scholastic (K-12)✓ Verified 14 Aug 20263-round Swiss at G/25;d5 held at The Stonehaven School, $30 entry, registration via ChessRegister. (Marietta) | Scholastic | Students in grades K-12, four sections from Beginner (Unrated-399) to Champion (1100+) | Recurring dates through 2026 (e.g., June 6, July 18, October 3) |
| Kid Chess Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Rapid re-paired unrated scholastic tournaments held at the Chess.Zone facility, run by Kid Chess Atlanta. (Roswell) | Scholastic | K-8 students who know piece movement, castling, and checkmate (unrated events); USCF-rated scholastic events also offered via Chess.Zone | Monthly Saturday dates |
| Friday Knight Chess (Atlanta Checkmate Club)✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Casual games and tournaments at Park Tavern at 10th and Monroe by Piedmont Park; connect via @atlantacheckmateclub on Instagram. (Midtown Atlanta) | Club night | Open to all skill levels | Weekly on Fridays at 7:00 PM |
| Thad Rogers Georgia Class Championships✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026State class championships held at the Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Dunwoody in Chamblee, listed on US Chess. (Chamblee / Dunwoody) | Open | Open by rating class; 2026 edition October 16-18 | Annual (2026: Oct 16-18) |
Always check the organiser’s own page before you travel. Dates, venues and sections change, and no directory is a substitute for the source.
Who runs chess here
The organisations behind the listings above — their own calendars are the authoritative source for dates and entry details.
- Georgia Chess Association — Official US Chess state affiliate; maintains the statewide tournament and club calendar, including metro Atlanta events. — their calendar
- Georgia Chess Club — Metro Atlanta chess lessons provider that organizes recurring USCF-rated tournaments (including the Friday Knight Face-Off), with registration on ChessRegister.com. — their calendar
- Chess Zone — Roswell chess center hosting weekly rated events, quads, classes, and scholastic tournaments for the metro Atlanta area. — their calendar
- Kid Chess Atlanta — Scholastic chess organization running monthly K-8 tournaments and USCF-rated scholastic events at the Chess.Zone facility in Roswell. — their calendar
If this is your first one
Start with a quad if you can find one. Four players, three games, everybody near your child’s strength, finished in an afternoon. A Swiss is fine too — nobody is eliminated and pairings follow your score — but it is a longer day and the first round can be a mismatch.
Plan for the whole day even when the chess is only three hours. There are gaps between rounds, and the awards ceremony always runs late. Bring a book and food.
The full version is here: Is my child ready for their first tournament?
Looking for a coach in Atlanta?
We do not run a coach directory, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. What helps more is knowing what to ask before you hire anyone — a coach’s own rating predicts very little about whether your child will improve.
How to choose a chess coach · Club or private coach?
Running something in Atlanta?
List your event — free, forever
There is no fee, no account and no catch. Send the details and it goes into this page and the national directory. We link straight to your own entry page, so the traffic is yours.
Running a club rather than a one-off? Say so and we will list the recurring schedule once rather than every date.