"Legacy on the board. Legacy in Life." ™
HBCU CHESS FEDERATION
❖Welcome to the virtual home of HBCU Chess Federation! If you made it this far, you probably have a pretty good idea of the many cognitive benefits of chess. Chess is one of the few "sports" where students, teachers, adults, and children can all compete equally based solely on rated skill level. This unique opportunity is exactly why we formed HBCU Chess Federation: to provide an outlet for HBCU students to compete, learn, and meet awesome chess friends along the way!❖
#HBCUChess CHAMPIONSHIPS
Details about the he 2024 HBCU Scholastic State Championships will be posted in the near future. Please check back for details!
Registration Form
Who We Are
HBCU Chess Federation was born out of a simple mission: to help make chess widely available to under-served communities. We are accomplishing this by:• Helping to increase accessibility of chess
• Providing competitive play for students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, collegiate and academic institutions, alumni associations, and communities
• Facilitating positive platforms to enrich lives and help educate communities about the cognitive benefits, strategic thinking advantages, and problem-solving skills that chess education provides.
ABOUT COACH CLIFF
Our organization wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the years-long dedication of chess advocacy by K.I.N.G. Chess League's founder, Coach Cliff. Like many students today, Coach Cliff's collegiate tenure was spent focusing on the promise of a football career that never happened. Even though his own father is an HBCU alum, he, himself didn't understand the value of HBCUs until after a freshman year injury that changed his academic trajectory.Instead of sports, he decided to focus on the field of psychology as a way to understand the ills of our society. Already an avid chess player, he began giving informal lessons and found that many children were naturally adept in what's considered one of the most influential and intellectual games of all time.Today, Coach Cliff's unique curriculum has reached dozens of Houston-area schools and beyond. His students compete in local, state, and national tournaments, including the 2017 Super Nationals championships-the largest scholastic chess tournament in the United States! It was at this above-mentioned tournament that Coach Cliff had the esteemed honor of meeting the legendary Maurice Ashley, our first African American International Grandmaster!The legacy that GM Ashley holds is a legacy that permeates across all of our institutions, and it's a legacy that HBCU Chess Federation aims to cultivate and preserve. Our Board members are all HBCU alums, and together, we're determined to uphold a long legacy of academic excellence and chess success!
Thank you...
Thank you for your message! If you just registered for a tournament, don't forget to complete your registration by submitting your payment below. If this is a general message, we'll be in touch soon! :)
Terms & Privacy Policy
All students, parents and guardians, associates, teachers, and participants of HBCU Chess Fedeartion programs and events must adhere to the following Terms & Policies:❖Cancellation & Refund Policy:
If you register yourself, your child, or a student for a HBCU Chess Federation non-rated tournament and can't attend, you may request that your tournament fee be transferred to the next available tournament hosted by us. Refunds are not available for these tournaments. If you register for a USCF rated tournament, your payment is subjected to the Tournament Director's (TD) refund policy only.❖COVID-19/Health Policy:
HBCU Chess Federation, our representatives, volunteers, interns, associate, and guests must adhere to local and federal COVID-19/Health mandates. This includes wearing face coverings or masks and social distancing. This rule is mandatory unless otherwise noted in writing.For everyone's safety and well-being, we're asking that anyone who currently has COVID-19, has been in contact with anyone who has had COVID-19 within 21 days prior to our event, or has symptoms of COVID-19 to please not attend our events and classes. If you have to cancel your event because of COVID-19, we will transfer your registration to the next available tournament or class hosted by us. If transferring is not possible, we will offer a full refund.❖Media Release:
We love to commemorate our programs, tournaments, and events with photos, videos, and other forms of media. This media will only be used in promotional and/or other educational-related material. When you register for an HBCU Chess Federation program, tournament, or event, you give us consent to capture and use the above-mentioned media without compensation. This Media Release will be valid indefinitely unless otherwise notified in writing. To change or update your Media Release, please contact us.
*Please note that this Media Release only covers HBCU Chess Federation programs and events, and does not cover media captured and/or released by another individual, group, or other entity. Thank you.❖PRIVACY POLICY:Data Collection & Usage:
Your privacy is important to us and we will only collect and use personally identifiable information when you fill out our "RSVP" forms, "Media Release" forms, "Contact Us" forms, email subscription forms or in electronic mail (email) communication.❖How We Protect Your Privacy:
We protect all of the personally identifiable info mentioned above by storing the information using password protected databases and email servers from 3rd party vendors, such as Weebly, Square, Cash App, Donor Box, Google, Microsoft, Carrd, and other corporations. We are not responsible for data breaches or any type of damage caused by our networks or third-party vendors.❖GDPR EU Policy:
To our students, parents, schools, chess clubs, and chess enthusiasts located in the European Union (EU), our aforementioned Privacy Policy also pertains to you, along with the added abilities to opt in and out of our Sites' cookies. (Cookie opt-in capability is only visible when you visit our Sites using a device with an EU IP address.)❖Third Party Exceptions:
Our Sites may link to other external websites-including, but not limited to Weebly, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, PayPal, Square, Cash App, Donor Box, the United States Chess Federation (USCF), and other third-party sites. Each of these third-party sites have their own separate privacy policies and are not covered by our Privacy Policy.This policy is effective as of May 25, 2021. Your continued use of our website and any registration or payments made will be regarded as acceptance of the above-mentioned Policies and Terms. As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to serving you in the future!
Join the #ChessMatters Campaign
Your donation will help us maintain a community of chess scholars and future leaders who engage in cognitive competition, positive community engagement, and the willingness to continue to push our culture forward!There are so many ways to keep our initiative going year after year. You can volunteer with us, become a sponsor at an event, or giving a heartfelt donation, but the easiest way is to give a donation towards our #ChessMatters campaign below via DonorBox or CashApp! For sponsorship opportunities, please contact us.Thank you in advance for your donation!
Volunteering & Internships
Description of Internship:
Prospective interns will aid in instructional environments and/or academic events (tournaments, seminars, etc.) or athletic events. Prior chess knowledge is not required, and free training is provided. We typically have interns of all academic, educational, and psychological fields of study—as well as other interns who may benefit from teaching in several diverse learning environments.Criteria:
Interns must be 18 years of age or older. (High school students needing volunteer hours are also welcomed to apply.) All applicants must be able to pass a background check, work well with children (students age range is typically from 4-18 years old), and have their own reliable transportation. Both interns and volunteers must be aware that they will be in an academic and/or athletic environment and are required to maintain a certain level of professionalism. The positions available are for students in need of internships or non-court ordered volunteer hours.How to Apply:
If you are seeking a volunteer or internship opportunity, you may fill out our online application below. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon!