Approximately 375 players representing more than 40 teams are expected to compete this weekend at the 4th IESA Chess Championships. The matches will not be rated by the USCF but will feature many players who are no stranger to USCF competition.

For the second consecutive year, the Bone Student Center on the campus of Illinois State University will serve as the host site.

The seven-round tournament featuring two sections, designated for 7th and 8th graders, will take place February 28 and March 1. Younger students who are expected to attend a particular school in the future are allowed to compete for that school.

For the first time, the IESA is doing away with board-based competition in favor of a Swiss-paired open section for each grade level. This means that schools with just one or a small handful of players can now compete.

Those just hearing of this competition for the first time will have to wait until next year to participate; registrations ended February 14.  Entries are allowed from any of the more than 700 IESA member-schools.

First through fourth place team trophies will be awarded in each section, with medals going to the members and head coach of each top-four team. Individual awards will be presented to anyone achieving at least 5.0/7 scores.

The awards ceremony is expected to convene at 3 pm on Saturday.

Lincolnshire's Daniel Wright Junior High School is the defending 7th grade champion. Last year, Lincolnshire's Alex Bian earned a perfect 7.0/7 on first board, while teammate James Wei posted a similar result on board two. Classmate Verun Malladi claimed top honors on board three with an undefeated 6.5/7 score. Dunlap Middle School, located near Peoria, took second place team honors.

Daniel Wright JHS is also the defending 8th grade champion, out-pointing Rockford Marshall in 2013. In fact, Wright has won all three previous eighth grade competitions.

Last year, Wright's Zach Holecek swept his opponents on first board in the 8th grade section, while teammate Jack Xiao did the same on second board, both with 7.0/7 scores. 

More information on the IESA competition can be found here.