Experiencing the NYC Metro Scholastic Championships with Chessnut

A Times Square Weekend Supporting Youth Chess

I was invited by Chessnut to represent the brand at the 1st Annual NYC Metro Scholastic Championships, held in the heart of Times Square, New York. As someone who genuinely enjoys tournament environments—and the unique energy of New York City—it was an opportunity I was excited to be part of.

Scholastic chess events have a special atmosphere. They are competitive, energetic, and full of emotion—not only for the players, but also for the families supporting them. Being on-site for one of the largest junior chess events in the United States was a memorable experience, and a great chance to help introduce more young players to Chessnut’s connected chess technology.

Day 1: Setup and First Impressions

Day 1 focused on setting up the Chessnut booth and preparing for steady foot traffic. I arrived early to get ahead of the rush, but the venue was already active and full of enthusiastic visitors.

Before the booth was fully set, people began stopping to ask questions and take a closer look at the boards. Throughout the day, I showcased a range of Chessnut products, including two Chessnut Move units, an EVO, an Air+, a GO, and an Air.

The Chessnut Move quickly stood out as a crowd favorite—watching pieces move automatically drew immediate attention, especially from players encountering smart boards for the first time. The audience was entirely chess-focused, which made the conversations and demonstrations consistently positive and engaging.

I also had the pleasure of meeting a few visitors who recognized me from YouTube, which added a personal highlight to the day.

Day 2: Booth Engagement and Giveaways

Day 2 was just as busy, and we planned a simple booth activity to keep things interactive while the foot traffic remained high. Once again, I set up early, and the booth saw strong engagement from the start.

The Move and EVO continued to attract the largest groups, with visitors lining up to try them. At the same time, the Air+, GO, and Air also received plenty of attention—especially from younger players choosing boards based on design, feel, and overall experience.

Originally, I considered running several different competitions, but given the pace of the day, I kept it simple with one straightforward question:

“Which Chessnut board do you like the look of the most?”

Children were invited to choose their favorite board, with the understanding that a Chessnut GO would be awarded as a prize. What they didn’t know was that Chessnut had additional surprises planned.

As expected, the Move and EVO remained highly popular throughout the activity, with strong interest also going to the Air+ and GO. Interestingly, no one selected the Air—until one young girl confidently chose it.

That moment became a highlight: the first person to choose the Air won an Air. The reaction from the crowd was fantastic, and it created a genuinely joyful moment around the booth.

Later in the day, another major prize was awarded to a randomly selected participant from the activity, which added to the excitement and kept the booth atmosphere lively through the afternoon.

Prize Giving and Championship Celebrations

As Day 2 came to an end, the booth was packed down and preparations began for the prize-giving ceremonies.

Chessnut supported the tournament with a strong prize presence. In addition to the prizes awarded through the booth activity, Chessnut provided Chessnut Air boards for the Under divisions, and additional prizes including Chessnut GO, Air+, and EVO across multiple championship divisions (by division and availability).

Outside the championship hall, there was a clear buzz of excitement as players and families gathered. Once the doors opened, the hall filled quickly, and the prize giving itself was high energy—with constant applause and cheering from the crowd. Winners collected their trophies, and I had the opportunity to personally present many of them with their Chessnut prizes.

Given the pace of the ceremony (and the size of some trophies and boards), a few winners needed a hand carrying everything, and helping them collect their prizes became part of the flow of the event.

Wrapping Up

With the event complete, it was time for a quick wrap-up and a well-earned rest. The following morning, I packed up and began the journey back to Sydney.

My thanks go to Chessnut and the NYC Metro Scholastic Championships organizers for having me at the event and delivering such an impressive tournament. Chessnut is proud to support scholastic chess and help bring innovative, connected chess experiences to the next generation.

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