Our Chess Programs
HRCA Membership
HRCA is a member-based nonprofit organization. Many of our classes have a $25 Annual Registration Fee which includes HRCA Basic Membership. HRCC and PSCC require an HRCA Regular Membership, but you get free visits all year with your membership. You can also visit for free to check us out before joining!
Click here to visit our membership page for more information and to become an HRCA member!
Completing our membership form does NOT register you for classes. Please continue to see our chess classes and programs!
Our Core Chess Programs
HRCA’s Core Chess Programs are our “house” clubs and classes.
- Guppies Chess for Early Learners (Age 4-6)
- Hampton Roads Scholastic Chess Club (HRSCC)
- Masters Classes
- Homeschool Club
- Girls Rock Chess Club
- Hampton Roads Chess Club (HRCC) for adults and advanced youth
- Peninsula Satellite Chess Club (PSCC) for mixed ages and abilities
- HRCA Chess Queens Ladies Chess Club (starts September 19, 2024!)
Our Community Chess Programs
HRCA partners with different community organizations to expand our reach across the Seven Cities. We teach classes in recreation centers and libraries, at community festivals, and more!
- Kempsville Recreation Center, Virginia Beach
- Slover Library, Norfolk
- Newport News Library, Main Street
- Newport News Recreation Center (Denbigh)
- Nauticus
- Norfolk FestEvents
- Girls on the Run (coming summer 2025)
- India Fest
- Taste of India
Our School Chess Programs
HRCA is a partner in education with Virginia Beach City Public Schools and City of Norfolk Public Schools. We teach chess classes and clubs/teams, provide support to teachers, and more! We work with all schools — public, private, homeschoolers, and co-ops. Click here to learn more about our educational offerings.
Our Events
HRCA hosts a number of tournaments throughout the year!
Our weekly house clubs, HRCC and PSCC, hold rated tournaments for adults and advanced youth.
HRCA holds scholastic tournaments monthly during the school year, which average about 80 players each. Our scholastic venues vary – from libraries to recreation centers to schools to even battleships! Our largest tournament – the Seven Cities School Chess Championship – featured a record 220 players in 2024!
We also hold 3 larger cash prize tournaments (with trophy-prize scholastic sections) annually for our rated players – the Zofchak Memorial in September, the Holiday Hustle in December, and the Coastal Virginia Open in January/February.
Please visit our Upcoming Events page and our Find a Tournament page for more information about HRCA events and tournaments hosted by our trusted partners.
Our Outreach Efforts
HRCA works with local enforcement departments, at-risk youth centers, and Title I schools to bring the life benefits of chess to those who may have difficulty accessing our programs. We also have invested in our girls and women’s chess programming, and boast a number of girls in our programs that is higher than the national average!
Many of these programs rely on sponsorships and donations. When you give with HRCA, you can choose to have your gift designated for these programs! Learn more about our outreach programs and make a tax-deductible gift to support them here.
Program Overview List
Please visit our Program Overview page for a bird’s eye view of our chess offerings! (best viewed on desktop)