Events
Come and join in on the fun with the UNSW Chess Club! We have something for everyone, no matter your skill level. From thrilling simultaneous exhibitions, brain-teasing chess puzzles, weekly online tournaments to our esteemed End-Of-Term tournaments, there's always something exciting happening. Bring your friends and be a part of the action at our upcoming events - we can't wait to see you there!
Upcoming Events
Term 1 2025
Weekly Online Tournament
Every Monday night from 8-9 pm we host an online tournament on chess.com Keep an eye out for a variety of different formats including Fischer random (chess960), bullet and special openings!
Welcome Picnic Week 1 Friday Welcome Picnic| Chess Club x SWSA x SocSciSoc x TTGSoc
For our first event of the term, we're pairing up with Social Sciences Society, Tabletop Games Society and Social Work Students Association to bring you a welcome picnic! Join us at the roundhouse anytime between 12-3 for some chess games and food! Catering will be provided. Please don’t forget to put in your EOI here: https://forms.gle/qUtiGxie8VS4YWfc9
Date: February 21st 12-3pm
Location: Roundhouse Beer Garden (Outdoor seated area)
Blitzfriending (Week 3)
Blitzfriending makes a return in 2025 as the first official UNSW Chess Club Event! We bring back our classic blitzfriending with a twist: Xiangqi! Come along to meet some new friends, play some blitz games and de-stress from the first three weeks of uni. This event is the perfect opportunity for new members and first-year students to enjoy a chat over some casual chess and meet some like-minded people!
Date: March 7th 12pm-3pm
Location: TBD - UNSW
Flex-Week Tournament (Week 6)
Take a break from studies and participate in a competitive event. This may be FIDE/ACF rated depending on interest or a different variant of chess (960, duck chess, etc).
Inter-University Collab (Week 8)
Get hyped for the return collab event with the biggest university chess clubs in Sydney! A night full of fun games, snacks and trivia. Bring all your friends to battle it out for the title of best Uni Chess Club!
Date: Friday 11th of April (Week 8)
Location: TBD
End of Term Tournament 1
Compete in the esteemed tri-annual traditional event and win a share of cash prizes. The tournament will be 9 rounds, in a Swiss format, with a nicely paced 5|3 time control. This event is held after the T2 exam period - more details will be announced closer to the date.
Date: Friday 16th of May (First Friday after Exams End)
Location: TBD - UNSW
Daily Boards
As a staple of the Chess Club, the daily boards (and xiangqi) are located between the Robert Webster Building and the Quadrangle. They will be out every week, Monday to Fridays from 10-5pm (weather permitting). Message in #looking-for-game in our discord to find any players nearby looking for a game!
Term 2 2025
Term 3 2025
Term 2 2024
Week 3: Chan-Wong Cup
Date: 14 June
Location: QUADG034
Time: 6pm-9pm
Week 4: Project Hope Board Games Night
Date: 21 June
Location: QUADG034
Time: 6pm-9pm
Week 6: Bughouse Battle Royale Tournament
Date: TBA
Location: TBA
Week 7: Australian Universities Chess League
Date: 12-14 July
Location: QUADG034 (players only), QUADG040 or the UNSW Chess Club YouTube channel (spectators)
Week 8: International Chess Day Blitz and more
Date: 20th July (Blitz) and 21st July (other events)
Location: QUADG034
Weekly Meetups
Date: Every Friday (except Week 6)
Location: QUADG034
Time: 6pm to late
International Chess day Blitz
To celebrate FIDE International Chess Day, and contribute to the FIDE 100 GWR attempt, UNSW is holding an 11 round blitz tournament on 20th July.
Date and Time: 20 July 2024, starting 1pm (part of the UNSW Weekend of Chess festival, more info soon)
Venue: UNSW Quadrangle G034
Format:
3 mins + 2 secs increment from move 1
FIDE and ACF rated 11 round swiss
Prizes:
1st: $200
2nd: $150
3rd: $100
Top u1600: $50 (conditional on 5 eligible players)
Top Junior (u18): $50 (conditional on 5 eligible players)
Chief Arbiter:
NA Edward Rust
Registration:
Capacity is currently 60 players. This may increase if the tournament fills quickly.
Entry fee is $15 for UNSW Arc members, and $25 for all other participants. UNSW Arc members will be required to be signed up through the SpArc portal and show their student ID.
Register here: https://www.trybooking.com/CTICW
Past Events
End of Term 1 Tournament
10-05-2024
Our first end of term tournament for 2024! Come back at the end of each term to compete!
15-03-2024 to 17-03-2024
UNSW Chess Club hosting it's first ever FIDE Open rated tournament.
Chess Simultaneous Exhibition
07-02-2024
Our very own International Master Cameron McGowan will play against every person who turns up in a simultaneous display.
15-12-2023
Compete in our esteemed tri-annual End Of Term Tournament! This is a 9-round tournament with the nicely paced 5+3 time control, swiss format. At UNSW Matthew 214, from 12pm to 4pm! Rego Form
19-11-2023
An exciting joint event with UNSW Piano Society at Cockatoo Island!! While listening to some music, we can explore Cockatoo Island’s heritage buildings, distinctive terrain and panoramic view of the World Heritage site and play at the giant chess board.
Meet at: Circulat Quay Ferry Wharf
Time: 11:30am-5pm
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HAND AND BRAIN TOURNAMENT
20-10-2023
Meet new people! Make new friends! Team up as a duo, one being the brain and another being the hand to take down opponents and win large amounts of prize money!
Location: UNSW Law building 203
Place: Friday 20/10/2023 (12-3)pm
15-10-2023
40 years ago, the USSR found its chess prowess unrivalled, and so challenged the entire world to a match. Today, the UNSW Chess Club finds itself in a similar position. We are hosting a 2 game, 16 board match between our elite chess team and a conglomerate of the strongest players from the rest of Sydney in our attempt to prove our unmatched dominance in NSW chess.
22-09-2023
Meet new people! Make new friends! Nerd out on chess theory, chess puzzles and more! Improve your game. Blitzfriending takes Speed-friending to a whole new realm over the chess board.
Location: UNSW, Bioscience G07. Time: 12-4pm.
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22-09-2023
Attention, chess enthusiasts and club members! It's that time of the year again when we come together to reflect on the past, plan for the future, and elect the next team of leaders for the UNSW Chess Club. We extend to all our members a sincere invitation to join us at the 2023 AGM as we organise the club's future!
Location: UNSW, Bioscience G07. Time: 12-1pm.
04-09-2023 - 06-09-2023
Visit our O-Week stall! Meet and play against some of the 2023 UNSW Chess Club Executives! Join us for some games, solve some chess puzzles and win cool prizes!.
25-08-2023
Compete in our esteemed tri-annual End Of Term Tournament! This is an 8-round tournament with the nicely paced 5+3 time control, swiss format. At UNSW Science & Engineering B25, from 11am to 2pm! Rego Form
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04-08-2023
UNSW Chess Club and UNSW Pokémon Society are teaming up to bring you PokéChess! A whole new level of chaotic fun to the board! Bring your laptops to join in! Catch us, (or check us), at Matthews 101 from 4pm - 7pm for a end of term wind down.
19-07-2023
UNSW Chess Club gathers together for some casual chess games with a twist!
Session theme: Bughouse Chess!
At UNSW, Law Building 163
Time: 2-4pm.
14-07-2023
UNSW Chess Club gathers together for some casual chess games with a twist!
Session theme: Duck Chess
At UNSW, Law Building 111
Time: 4-7pm.
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24-06-2023 - 08-07/2023
Represent the UNSW Chess Club at the 2023 AUCL! Registrations close 17/6/23 11:59pm.
07-07-2023
Enjoy a Bullet Tournament with the UNSW Chess Club during Flex Week!. Location: UNSW, Law Building 101. Time: 1-4pm.
29-06-2023
UNSW Chess Club gathers together for some casual chess games with a twist!
Location - UNSW
Time: 1-4pm.
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22-06-2023
Join the UNSW Chess Club in playing some team chess games! Location: Law Buildng 163. Time: 11am-2pm.
17-06-2023
UNSW Chess Club is challenged by IIT Kanpur Chess Club to a sub-battle-tournament!
Watch Tournament Here: LIVESTREAM
15-06-2023
UNSW Chess Club gathers together for some casual chess games with a twist!
Location - UNSW
Time: 11am-2pm.
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08-06-2023
IM Mihajlo Radovanovic will be doing a Simultaneous Exhibition against any challengers (You!), at the UNSW - Civil Engineering 701, from 5-8pm.
02-06-2023
Alongside Blitzfriending, UNSW Chess Club is hosting a Chess Basics workshop taught by experienced Chess Teachers Brendan Anderson (President) and Aidan Odenthal. Location: Squarehouse 115 - UNSW. Time: 1-4pm.
02-06-2023
Meet new people! Make new friends! Nerd out on chess theory, chess puzzles and more! Improve your game. Blitzfriending takes Speed-friending to a whole new realm over the chess board. Location: Squarehouse 115 - UNSW. Time: 1-4pm.
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22-05-2023 - 24-05-2023
Visit our O-Week stall! Meet and play against some of the 2023 UNSW Chess Club Executives! Join us for some games, solve some chess puzzles and win cool prizes!.
12-05-2023
Compete in our esteemed tri-annual End Of Term Tournament! This is an 8-round tournament with the nicely paced 5+3 time control, swiss format. At UNSW Science & Engineering B25, from 1pm to 4pm!
23-04-2023 & 30-04-2023
Chess.com has invited the University of New South Wales to participate in their International Bracket - Aussie Division - APRIL ARENAS Tournament, as part of their College Ambassador Program!
Semi-Finals: 23rd April, 1:30pm to 2:30pm.
Finals: 30th April, 1:30pm to 2:30pm.
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21-04-2023
A fun casual afternoon filled with logic puzzles, chess puzzles, and chess themed logic puzzles!
At UNSW Law Building 302 from 1pm to 4pm.
The ultimate MASHUP with the UNSW Puzzle Society!
24-03-2023
Enjoy an open Fischer Random/Chess960 Tournament during Flex week! The tournament will be held in UNSW Squarehouse 114 from 11am-2pm! This is a free 7-round tournament with the nicely paced 5+3 time control.
11-03-2023
A blitz tournament with 10+ Universities across Australia and New Zealand! Held on chess.com platform and sponsored by Chess.com, ChessVentures & Jane Street!
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03-03-2023
Meet new people! Make new friends! Nerd out on chess theory! Improve your game. Blitzfriending takes Speed-friending to a whole new realm over the chess board. At UNSW Tyree Energy Technology G16 from 1pm to 4pm.
13-02-2023 & 15-02-2023
A Chess Basics workshop taught by experienced Chess Teachers Brendan Anderson and Aidan Odenthal. The workshop will be in Goldstein G04, UNSW, 10am-12pm both Monday and Wednesday!
06-02-2023 - 09-02-2023
Visit our O-Week stall! Meet and play against some of the 2023 UNSW Chess Club Executives! Join us for some games, solve some chess puzzles and win cool prizes!