Category: Uncategorized

2027 PanAms Qualifier

Published on by harthousechess

2027 PanAms Qualifier

Published on September 4, 2026 by harthousechess

The Club will be holding a qualifying tournament from September 19th-20th, 2026 to select players to represent the University of Toronto at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Championships to be held next year in Tempe, Arizona Jan 1st – 4th, 2027. Travel and accommodation will be covered partially by HHCC.

PANAM INFO:

The annual Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship is the pinnacle of international collegiate chess. Dubbed the “World Series of College Chess”, the Club has fundraised and fielded teams to the tournament every year since 1965 (less COVID-restricted years). The storied championship pits the best collegiate chess teams from the North and South Americas against one another. The Hart House Chess Club, representing the University of Toronto, has won the championship 6 times, the most from any non-American school.

Pan-Am-Qualifiers SCHEDULE:

Time Control:  60 minutes + 30 seconds increment

Check-in: 9:00 am – 9:30 am September 19th
Round 1:  9:30 am September 19th
Round 2:  12:45 pm September 19th
Round 3:  4:00 pm September 19th
Round 4:  9:30 am September 20th
Round 5:  12:45 pm September 20th
Tiebreaks (if needed): 4:00 pm September 20th

0-point byes are in effect.  Players are expected to play all rounds.
Forced byes will be awarded 1 point.

No draw offers allowed before move 40.

Players are required to check in by 9:30 am to be paired for Round 1.

Ratings will be used for seeding/pairing purposes, but the tournament itself will not be rated with the Chess Federation of Canada.

REGISTRATION: Registration will be available at this link until 17th September, 11:59 PM, or in-person at the Hart House Info Desk. Registration is also available in person before 9:20 am on the day of the event, with valid proof of student enrollment. Capacity is limited to 60 as of the release of this post.
WHAT: Unrated 5 Round Swiss Tournament with a 60 min + 30 sec increment time control.
COST: Free
WHERE: Hart House Reading Room
ELIGIBILITY: Current U of T students.

For more info, see the event report from the 2025 PanAms in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The tournament will select 8 players based on final standings to represent the Hart House Chess Club and the University of Toronto at this year’s Pan-Ams. A mandatory $250 fee for all participants is due before the end of September; however, the Club will cover the remaining fundraising costs. We ask that you only play in the qualifier tournament if you want to play in the Pan-Ams.

PLEASE only attend the qualifier if you are ready to commit to the tournament in January.

UTSU Club Fair 2026/2027

Published on by harthousechess

The HHCC will be present at the 2026/2027 UTSU Club Fair, happening on September 3rd, 2026, from 12pm to 4pm. Feel free to drop by to get a better understanding of the events our club offers, meet some of our Execs, and get a chance to ask any questions you may have.

Everyone, regardless of their chess skill level, is welcome to drop by our booth and play a quick game of chess. There will also be an opportunity to enter a raffle for a chance to win a free HHCC T-Shirt!

More details will be available at the in-person event. We hope to see you there!

2026 Back-to-School Blitz + Pizza

Published on by harthousechess

2026 Back-to-School Blitz and Pizza Party

Published on 6 by harthousechess

Welcome back to a new school year! The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its Back-To-School Blitz and Pizza Party on Friday, September 11th, 2026. At 6 pm, come to Hart House to indulge in pizza, meet this year’s Executives, ask questions, and learn about our offerings this upcoming year. After that, join the first blitz tournament of the fall at Hart House! We’re playing 9 rounds of 3 minutes + 2 seconds blitz chess! We hope to see you there!

FORMAT AND EVENT DETAILS

  • WHEN:
    • Welcome Back Pizza: Friday, September 11th 6 pm – 7 pm – Reading Room.
    • Blitz Event: Friday, September 11th, 7 pm – 9:30 pm
      • Registration onsite between 4 pm and 6:45 pm. 
  • WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Debates Room.
  • WHAT: 9-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 3 minute + 2 second time control. One section. Unrated
  • RATED: Unrated
  • ENTRY FEE: Free for members, Free for students & community. Non members are ineligible for prizes. 
  • PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $200. Distribution announced onsite. Prizes for top-woman, top-unrated.
  • MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 60 players.
  • NOTE: chess sets and boards provided
  • REGISTRATION
    • Blitz only in-person before 7 pm. 

2026-27 Executive Elections

Published on by harthousechess

Attention all members,

Interested in being a part of the executive team of the coolest Hart House Student Club? Our annual election process begins this month!

Please carefully read the short outline below if you wish to exercise your right to vote or to become a part of the HHCC Executive Board!

The following are our six Executive positions.

The Secretary is responsible for calling meetings of the Executive, maintaining records (minutes) of all such meetings, refereeing all votes taken by the Executive, ensuring communication of all relevant Club information among Executive members, managing the schedule of weekly club meetings/events for rotations and ensuring executive commitment, maintaining an inventory of club equipment, organizing an annual General Assembly of the Club members, liaising with the Hart House staff via the Club’s Programme Advisor, and acting as the Club’s representative where necessary.

The Events-Coordinator is responsible for informing the Executive about the specifics of the Pan-Ams, the Pan-Ams Qualifier and the Canadian University Chess Championship, communicating with tournament organizers and all other relevant parties, overseeing the assembly of the Team, working with the Programme Advisor to organize accommodation, registration, and transportation for the Team, and dealing with all other concerns pertaining to these three events. The Events Co-ordinator is also charged with administering the special events hosted by the Club, such as the Master Lectures, the Casual Chess Tournaments, the Chess Lessons and the Simultaneous Chess Exhibitions.

The two Communications Representatives maintain a directory of email addresses for all Club members and interested parties, inform Club members of upcoming events, promote the Club to prospective members, advertise Club events when required, and maintain the Club’s website and social media accounts.

The Treasurer is responsible for keeping an account of the Club’s revenues and expenditures, informing the Executive of any deviation from established budgets, and devising the annual budget with the input and approval of the Executive. The Treasurer is also responsible for keeping track of the chess materials borrowed by members as part of the Club’s lending library.

The Fundraising Representative acts closely with the Treasurer to determine the extent and nature of the Club’s financial needs, and organizes corresponding fundraising initiatives with the assistance of other Executive members.

Eligibility

All student club members have the right to vote and to be candidates for an executive position, provided they have been Hart House Chess Club members for at least one month as of March 27th, 2025.

A Memorandum containing information regarding all the candidates and their election statements is now available here.

If there are two or more candidates for a position, a vote will be held on March 27th at 7:00pm to determine the successful candidate. A person can be a candidate for more than one Executive position. The voting is done by secret ballot.

Immediately after election speeches, cake will be served at the 2027 End-of-Year Social.

The electoral process will be administered by the club’s Alumni Chair, Ben Hahn. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Hahn at elections@harthousechess.com, indicating [HHCC Elections] as the subject of your e-mail.

Hart House Chess Club is an open and inclusive environment. As a positive space, we welcome and encourage members of all sexes, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, languages, abilities, religions, and creeds to participate in the club’s student government, whether as members of the executive or as volunteers!

Thank you very much for your attention!

2026 Reading Week Open

Published on by harthousechess

The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce the 2026 edition of our annual Reading Week Open held over the Family Day weekend from Saturday, February 14th to Monday, February 16th. With six different sections to accommodate varying skill levels, the tournament is suitable for everyone – from experienced players to those playing their first ever tournament. 

We are also running the Juniors section with a shorter time control, similar to the Junior section at the 2026 Holidays Open. The Junior section is a separate event geared towards children (under the age of 18) rated U1500. 

Tournament Details

  • WHEN: February 14th to February 16th
  • WHERE: Hart House Great Hall (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
  • ROUNDTIMES: 6-Round Swiss
    • Open: Saturday 10:00 am & 4:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, and Monday at 10:00 am & 4:00 pm
    • Juniors: Sunday 10:30 am, 12:30, 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm 
  • TIME CONTROL:
    • Open: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
    • Juniors: 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
  • SECTIONS:
    • Open: Crown, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400 
    • Juniors: U1500
      • The Juniors section will be split into two pools if more than 20 players register. Pool compositions will be based on seedings as follows:  “Group 1 = players 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12…” and “Group 2 = players 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11…” We will avoid placing siblings in the same pool.
  • RATING: Sections will be determined using the highest of CFC or FIDE rating. All sections will be CFC rated. U1600 and above will also be FIDE rated. Crown section paired using FIDE ratings. 
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment.
  • FORFEIT TIME: Players who do not arrive within 30 minutes of the round start time will be forfeited.
  • BYES: Maximum 2 half-point byes in Rounds 1-4 if requested in advance before the start of Round 1. 
  • ORGANISER: Hart House Chess Club 
  • EMAIL: hhtournaments@gmail.com
  • CAPACITY:
    • 210 for Open, 200 spots available for registration
    • 40 for Juniors 

Registration – OPEN

Online registration is available until Wednesday, February 11th, 11:59 PM. In-person and telephone registration is available through the Hart House Information Desk during Hart House Hours.

Open Registration

Juniors Registration

Entry Fees

Open: $70 by January 31st at 11:59 pm, $80 by February 11th at 11:59 pm. $100 cash-only onsite if space permits.

$35 discount for student members and unrated players (max one discount per player). Unrated players are not eligible for prizes. Free entry for IMs/WIMs/GMs/WGMs if registered by January 31st. Please email us for complete discount information.

Juniors: $40 by January 31st at 11:59 pm, $50 by February 11th at 11:59 pm. $60 onsite if space permits. No discounts for juniors. 

Playing up

Extra $20 to play up a section. Playing up is allowed only for players within 100 rating points of the section’s minimum rating. For example, a player in the Under 1600 section wanting to play up in the Under 1800 section must have a rating no lower than 1500. Play-up fees must be paid in cash on-site at the tournament.

No playing up to the Crown section. Players must be 2200+ CFC or 2000+ FIDE.

Other Info

  • DGT boards: HHCC will utilize DGT boards for portions of the Crown section.
  • CFC memberships: Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment prior to playing — please visit https://chess.ca/membership-join for more info
  • Withdrawals: see FAQ below. 
  • New Players: review our New To Tournament Guide.
  • Parking: Parking is available at a daily rate; however, it is limited. Be prepared and come early to find parking.
  • Prize Payments: Any prize less than $100 will be paid via Gift Cards. Direct deposit is required for prizes above $100. All prizes will be payable via direct deposit on request. Please expect at least 1 week – 3 weeks for payments to be processed
  • Photography: By signing up, you permit HHCC the ability to take and use photos from the tournament on its social media. If you would not like your photo used, please email us.
  • Foreign Ratings: All participants must disclose all foreign ratings at time of registration or via email.
    Accessibility and Visitor Information: Hart House is an accessible building and conveniently located. For further details, visit Visitor Information and Accessibility.
  • TEAM PRIZE: $400 ($100 per player), teams of 4 players, representing at least 3 different sections. All individual scores will be added up to find the winning team. Register your teams in-person before Round 2.
  • Questions? Any question regarding the tournament, including registrations, must be sent to hhtournaments@gmail.com, not the Hart House Hub.

Pre-Registered

Chess Results: https://s2.chess-results.com/tnr1337511.aspx?lan=1&SNode=S0

Live Broadcast

Lichess: https://lichess.org/broadcast/2026-hart-house-reading-week-open/round-1/3AsRltfd

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I request a bye?

There is a field for noting byes in the registration form. If you have already registered but did not include a bye request, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name, CFC ID, Section, and the round(s) you would like to request a bye for.

  • How do I avail the unrated player or titled player discount?

Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name and CFC ID. We will provide you with a discount code.

  • I only have a quick/provisional rating. Am I considered unrated?

Players with any sort of rating, whether active, quick, or only provisional, are NOT considered unrated for the purposes of a discount. The unrated discount is targeted specifically at players in their first rated tournament.

For pairings purposes, ratings are picked at arbiters’ discretion.

  • My rating has changed since I registered. What section will I be playing in?

Sections will be assigned based on the latest rating update prior to the tournament. If your rating is over the threshold for the section you registered in, we will automatically move you up.

  • Playing Up

Please indicate in the ‘Comments’ section of the registration form that you would like to play up. Players must be within 100 points of the section’s minimum rating in order to play up.

Play-up fee is $20 and must be paid in cash in-person.

  • Withdrawals and Refunds

Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com AND cc hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca to let us know that you will be withdrawing. Full refunds are available up to 48 hours before tournament start time, 50% refunds are available up to 24 hours before tournament start time. No refunds will be provided if withdrawing within 24 hours of tournament start time, or after.

Last minute withdrawals, bye requests, inquiries, please email hhtournaments@gmail.com, and do not call Hart House.

  • Other Questions

For any other questions, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com

Header photo by Franklin Wu.

2026 Winter Welcome Back Party

Published on by harthousechess

Welcome back to a new semester! The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its Back-To-School Blitz and Pizza Party on Friday, January 9th, 2026. At 6 pm, come to Hart House to indulge in pizza, meet your friends, ask questions, and learn about our offerings this upcoming semester. After that, join a blitz tournament starting at 7 PM! We’re playing 9 rounds of 3 minutes + 2 seconds blitz chess! We hope to see you there!

FORMAT AND EVENT DETAILS

  • WHEN:
    • Welcome Back Pizza: Friday, January 9th 6 pm – 7 pm – Reading Room
      • RSVP required by 6 pm, Thursday, September 4th, see this form
    • Blitz Event: Friday, January 9th, 7 pm – 9:30 pm – East Common Room
      • Registration onsite between 4 pm and 6:45 pm. 
  • WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – East Common Room.
  • WHAT: 9-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 3 minute + 2 second time control. One section. Unrated
  • RATED: Unrated
  • ENTRY FEE: Free for members, Free for students & community. Non members are ineligible for prizes. 
  • PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $200. Distribution announced onsite. Prizes for top-woman, top-unrated.
  • MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 60 players.
  • NOTE: chess sets and boards provided
  • REGISTRATION
    • All pizza party attendees must RSVP. Students + members are free to RSVP online via form before 4pm, January 8th. Please note that this form is only for the pizza party and does not serve as registration for the Blitz.
    • Blitz on-site only before 6:45 pm. 

CUCC 2026 – Internal UofT Registration

Published on by harthousechess

Hi everyone! The 2026 Canadian University Chess Championship is being hosted by the Hart House Chess Club and will take place from January 16th to 18th right here at Hart House! There is no qualifying procedure and everyone is welcome to play. Five teams will represent the Hart House Chess Club at CUCC this year on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note the following:

  • The cost for playing is $20 per player. You do not need to already have a team to register — we can assign you to teams ourselves.
  • The registration fee is non-refundable — we will not be able to refund you if you decide not to play after registering.
  • We will allow and honour teammate requests to the best of our ability, but they must be mutual, i.e. if you and a friend want to play together on a team, you both must request the other as a teammate. Once again, you do not need to have a full team in mind to put in requests.
  • Please note that you may be asked to play as an alternate.
  • You must be a student at UofT and have an HHCC membership in order to play. Memberships can be purchased here: https://www.harthouseregistration.ca/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=c56187ec-ede2-4abd-b46c-fa07e3b70c45

Please note that 8 spots have currently been reserved for the highest rated members of the club. More information is available on our website here: https://harthousechess.com/cucc-2026/

Registration Procedure: Registration will open at 10 AM on Monday, December 22nd.

Winter 2025 Lessons

Published on by harthousechess

The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce the Fall 2025 Lessons Schedule! All Lessons will be held in the Bickersteth Room of Hart House. All are free to attend or participate for Members of the Club.

Lessons: This Winter, join us on Fridays throughout the semester for exciting lessons and lectures to help you become a better player. Members are entitled to free lessons this winter, provided by expert lecturers and experienced players. 

*Please note that although the coach names are very similar they are DIFFERENT people 🙂

Lessons Details

Beginner Lessons: 

  • Prior chess experience is not required, and pace will be adjusted based on class strength. Interactive sessions, informative demonstrations, resources, and discussions will be provided to help students learn how to play. 6 lessons will be offered, and participants can still learn from them even if they miss a class. Registration is required for all prospective attendees.
  • Where: Hart House, Bickersteth Room (Third Floor)
  • Lessons will be taught by: Samuel Zheng (FIDE 1830)
  • Registration: Registration is required. Participants may join at any time throughout if space is available. Please email us at hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca to register.
  • Schedule: 4:00 to 5:30 pm on the following Fridays
    • February 13, 27
    • March 6, 13, 20, 27

Intermediate Lessons: 

  • The expected audience is players who are looking to up their game. Players are expected to know fundamental ideas of piece movement, basic strategies of chess, and calculation methods. 7 lessons will be offered and participants can still learn something if they miss a class. All participants are expected to be members of the Hart House Chess Club.
  • Where: Hart House, Bickersteth Room (Third Floor)
  • Registration: Registration is required. However, participants can join at any point during the lesson schedule. Please email us to register.
  • Lessons will be taught by: Samuel Zhang (CFC 2313)
  • Schedule: 5:30 pm to 7 pm on the following Fridays
    • February 13, 27
    • March 6, 13, 20, 27

2026 PanAms Qualifier

Published on by harthousechess

The Club will be holding a qualifying tournament from September 13th-14th to select players to represent the University of Toronto at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Championships to be held next year in Chicago, Illinois Jan 2nd – 5th, 2026. Travel and accommodation will be covered partially by HHCC.

PANAM INFO:

The annual Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship is the pinnacle of international collegiate chess. Dubbed the “World Series of College Chess”, the Club had fundraised and fielded teams to the tournament every year since 1965 (less COVID restricted years). The storied championship pits the best collegiate chess teams against one another from the North and South Americas. The Hart House Chess Club, representing the University of Toronto, has won the championship 6 times, the most from any non-American school.

Pan-Am-Qualifiers SCHEDULE:

Time Control:  60 minutes + 30 seconds increment

Check-in: 9:00 am – 9:30 am September 13th
Round 1:  9:30 am September 13th
Round 2:  12:45 pm September 13th
Round 3:  4:00 pm September 13th
Round 4:  9:30 am September 14th
Round 5:  12:45 pm September 14th
Tiebreaks (if needed)  4:00 pm September 14th

0-point-byes are in effect.  Players are expected to play all rounds.
Forced byes will be awarded 1 point.

No draw offers allowed before move 40.

Players are required to check-in by 9:30 am to be paired for Round 1.

Ratings will be used for seeding/pairing purposes but the tournament itself will not be rated with the Chess Federation of Canada.

REGISTRATION: available online here before 10th September, 11:59 PM , or in-person at the Hart House Info Desk. Registration is also available in-person before 9:20 am day of the event with valid proof of student enrollment.
WHAT: Unrated 5 Round Swiss Tournament with a 60 min + 30 sec increment time control.
COST: Free
WHERE: Hart House Reading Room
ELIGIBILITY: Current U of T students.

For more info, see the event report from last year’s PanAms in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The tournament will select 8 players based on final standings to represent the Hart House Chess Club and the University of Toronto at this year’s Pan-Ams. A mandatory fee of $250 for all participants is required and paid before end-of-September, however, the Club will cover the rest of fundraising costs. We ask that you only play in the qualifier tournament if you want to play in the Pan-Ams.

Pre-Registered Players

NameCFC IDFIDE ID
Cindy Qiao1558642620243
Nicolai Woltery190797436887
Ethan Moon1501542637022
Bingfei Wang1724448618585
Jayden Tan1793332663660
Samuel Zheng169160N/A
Samuel Zhang17114730942993
Yukuan Zou1781532658615
Tom Gribilas 1859782659760
Andria WongN/A6003982
Roman Krukowski1962482678446
Brook Mao1660332632586
Levon EttibaryanN/A2619091
Parth Bhasin190553N/A
Sergey Noritsyn1468932616408
Chol Elijah Akol179537N/A
Denver Martin1911782672634
Irmuunkhuslen BadrakhbayarN/AN/A
Jack Klein19252630978467
Joshua Bakradze1774442648415

Pairings & Standings

https://www.chessmanager.com/tournaments/6480616986771456

Tiebreaks

https://www.chessmanager.com/tournaments/5909700741431296

2025 Summer Rapid and Blitz

Published on by harthousechess

The Hart House Chess Club is hosting a Summer Rapid and Blitz Festival this July 5-6! The event is a 7-round double-round blitz tournament on Saturday, July 5th followed by a 6-round Rapid event on Sunday, July 6th. Come join us this summer for some fun! 

Tournament Details

Blitz

  • WHEN: Saturday, July 5
  • WHERE: Hart House Debates Room, (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
  • FORMAT: 7 double-round Swiss Tournament
  • ROUND TIMES:  Rd #1 at 5 PM, and then ASAP (ending around 9 pm)
  • TIME CONTROL:  3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move
  • SECTIONS: Crown, U1600
  • RATING: CFC Quick Rated and FIDE Blitz Rated (Crown)
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment
  • CAPACITY: 80
  • PRIZES: $800 based on 80 fully paid entries
  • REGISTRATION: Online
  • ARBITERS: FA Victor Zheng, NA Deepanshi Matai

RAPID

  • WHEN: Sunday, July 6 
  • WHERE: Hart House Debates Room, (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
  • FORMAT: 6 round Swiss Tournament
  • ROUND TIMES:  10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 noon, 1:00 PM, lunch, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM
  • TIME CONTROL: 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move
  • SECTIONS: Crown, U1800, U1200
  • RATING: CFC Quick Rated and FIDE Rapid Rated (Crown, U1800)
  • BYES: Up to two 1/2-point byes for rounds 1-4 if requested before 9:30 AM on Sunday, July 6. 0-point byes only for rounds 5 and 6. Any byes requested for any round after 9:30 AM will also be 0-point byes.
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment
  • CAPACITY: 80
  • PRIZES: $1600 based on 80 fully paid entries
  • REGISTRATION: Online
  • ARBITERS: FA Victor Zheng, NA Deepanshi Matai

Registration Details

  • Entry Fees:
    • Blitz only: $20 by June 27th midnight, $25 by July 3rd midnight. $10 discount for UofT students. Onsite: $30 before 4:00 PM if space permits.
    • Rapid only: $40 by June 27th midnight, $45 by July 3rd midnight. $15 discount for UofT students. No onsite registration. 
    • Rapid and Blitz: $45 by June 27th midnight, $50 by July 3rd midnight. $20 discount for UofT students. 
    • Free entry for GM/WGMs/IMs/WIMs by June 27th — email us for details.
  • Section Eligibility: No playing up allowed. Highest of CFC Regular, CFC Quick, and FIDE Rapid/Blitz will be used for section eligibility at arbiters’ discretion. CFC Quick Ratings will be used for pairings.
  • Prize Payments: All prizes less than $100 will be paid via gift cards (direct deposit is available via request.) Prizes greater than or equal to $100 will be paid via direct deposit. 
  • Email: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

Chess Federation of Canada Memberships are required: $12 for a one-time adult, or $48 for one year. https://www.chess.ca/en/players/membership-join/

Appeals Procedure here.

PRE-REGISTERED PLAYERS

Please click here for a list of players. (Accurate as of 10:00 AM on Friday, June 27)

Chess-Results