IHSA - Illinois High School Association
02/11/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/12/2026 11:16
STATE CENTRAL: 2026 Chess State Finals
The 2026 IHSA Chess Tennis State Finals, presented by COUNTRY Financial, are set for Friday and Saturday, February 13-14 at the Peoria Civic Center.
The 2025-26 school year is the 125th in the IHSA's storied history. Learn more about some of the pivotal athletes, coaches, and moments from the IHSA's first 125 years here.
A schedule, links to important state final info, and a preview can be found below:
---2026 IHSA CHESS STATE FINALS---
Peoria Civic Center | Peoria | Directions
State Final Info | Qualifiers | Seeds | Rosters | Results
Live State Final Scoreboard | Virtual Ballroom
State Final Merchandise | Minerva Promotions
Download/Order State Final Program | PIP Printing
Photos from Visual Image Photography
State Chess 50th Anniversary | Watch Video
The 52nd annual IHSA Team Chess State Tournament returns to the Peoria Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, February 13-14. A total of 153 teams from across the state are entered in this year's competition. Due to continued growth in participation, the IHSA added Sectional qualifier tournaments in 2018, which unfolded on January 31 and whittled down the field to 128 state final qualifying teams.
The media has taken notice of the uniqueness of the IHSA Chess state tournament, which was the subject of a 2015 documentary called "Chess State".
A chess team consists of eight players and up to four alternates. Approximately 1,500 competitors and 250 coaches will be participate in the two-day event.
"The largest team chess tournament in the world happens right here in Peoria," said former IHSA Assistant Executive Director Scott Johnson, who now serves as the State Final Statistician. "People think of chess as an individual pursuit. Turning it into a team competition encourages players to help their teammates improve and fosters a sense of camaraderie. They cheer for each other after a good win - or even a good draw."
The 2025 state tournament saw Whitney Young High School win its seventh team state championship, all of which have come since 2011. The Dolphins ended Stevenson's streak of three consecutive state titles a year ago, as the Patriots placed second to extend their streak of winning of finishing in the Top 3 and bringing home a state final trophy to eight consecutive years. Fremd placed third in 2025, giving the program its first trophy in school history. Walter Payton Prep finished placed fourth, just missing its third consecutive trophy after placing third in 2023 and second in 2024, while Waubonsie Valley rounded out the Top 5 with its best finish in school history and enters the 2026 state tourney as the top seed. Dunlap (6th), Evanston (7th), IMSA (8th), Neuqua Valley (9th) and Hinsdale Central (10th) all return to state after Top 10 finishes a year ago.
The first of seven rounds starts at 10 a.m. Friday and action continues until about 8 pm. On Saturday the teams return to play at 9 am, with the awards ceremony about 5 pm. In each round, the teams are paired off and 512 (128 / 2 × 8) chess games are played simultaneously. While you can hear a pin drop during the competition, the play can be intense, especially "inside the ropes," a special viewing area where the top teams play.
The IHSA Chess Tournament is open to the public. Elementary and junior high school players who are interested in watching high school competition are especially welcome. The Illinois Elementary School Association will hold its state chess tournament in the Peoria Civic Center Ballroom later in February.
Reporters and photographers are welcome but are asked to check in at the Tournament Office prior to entering the competition area.
The 2025-26 school year is the 125th in the IHSA's storied history. Learn more about some of the pivotal athletes, coaches, and moments from the IHSA's first 125 years here.
A schedule, links to important state final info, and a preview can be found below:
---2026 IHSA CHESS STATE FINALS---
Peoria Civic Center | Peoria | Directions
State Final Info | Qualifiers | Seeds | Rosters | Results
Live State Final Scoreboard | Virtual Ballroom
State Final Merchandise | Minerva Promotions
Download/Order State Final Program | PIP Printing
Photos from Visual Image Photography
State Chess 50th Anniversary | Watch Video
The 52nd annual IHSA Team Chess State Tournament returns to the Peoria Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, February 13-14. A total of 153 teams from across the state are entered in this year's competition. Due to continued growth in participation, the IHSA added Sectional qualifier tournaments in 2018, which unfolded on January 31 and whittled down the field to 128 state final qualifying teams.
The media has taken notice of the uniqueness of the IHSA Chess state tournament, which was the subject of a 2015 documentary called "Chess State".
A chess team consists of eight players and up to four alternates. Approximately 1,500 competitors and 250 coaches will be participate in the two-day event.
"The largest team chess tournament in the world happens right here in Peoria," said former IHSA Assistant Executive Director Scott Johnson, who now serves as the State Final Statistician. "People think of chess as an individual pursuit. Turning it into a team competition encourages players to help their teammates improve and fosters a sense of camaraderie. They cheer for each other after a good win - or even a good draw."
The 2025 state tournament saw Whitney Young High School win its seventh team state championship, all of which have come since 2011. The Dolphins ended Stevenson's streak of three consecutive state titles a year ago, as the Patriots placed second to extend their streak of winning of finishing in the Top 3 and bringing home a state final trophy to eight consecutive years. Fremd placed third in 2025, giving the program its first trophy in school history. Walter Payton Prep finished placed fourth, just missing its third consecutive trophy after placing third in 2023 and second in 2024, while Waubonsie Valley rounded out the Top 5 with its best finish in school history and enters the 2026 state tourney as the top seed. Dunlap (6th), Evanston (7th), IMSA (8th), Neuqua Valley (9th) and Hinsdale Central (10th) all return to state after Top 10 finishes a year ago.
The first of seven rounds starts at 10 a.m. Friday and action continues until about 8 pm. On Saturday the teams return to play at 9 am, with the awards ceremony about 5 pm. In each round, the teams are paired off and 512 (128 / 2 × 8) chess games are played simultaneously. While you can hear a pin drop during the competition, the play can be intense, especially "inside the ropes," a special viewing area where the top teams play.
The IHSA Chess Tournament is open to the public. Elementary and junior high school players who are interested in watching high school competition are especially welcome. The Illinois Elementary School Association will hold its state chess tournament in the Peoria Civic Center Ballroom later in February.
Reporters and photographers are welcome but are asked to check in at the Tournament Office prior to entering the competition area.
IHSA - Illinois High School Association published this content on February 11, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 12, 2026 at 17:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]