Shanghai qualifier
SCIS
Registration deadline9 Nov 2026
Inter-School Teams Chess Challenge
Your school.
Your team.
Every move matters.
Four boards. One team. Bring your school together for over-the-board chess in Shanghai and Beijing.
Organised by SCA Chess Academy & Pavilion Knight
U12 + U18Age groups
4 playersUp to 2 reserves
School teamsOne adult team leader
Shanghai + BeijingQualifiers · Shanghai final
Plan your season
The 2026–27 season
Two cities. A shared challenge.
The road to the final starts with your school team.
Beijing qualifier
HD Beijing School
Registration deadline18 Nov 2026
Final in Shanghai
HIBA
Registration deadlineTo be announced
Dates and venues follow the organiser’s final event announcement. Final entry follows the season’s qualification rules.
Shanghai qualifier fees
RMB 1,200 per team
+ RMB 200 for each reserve player (up to two). Lunch arrangements and charges are provided in the event information.
Four boards. One result.
Individual decisions.
Team responsibility.
ISTCC gives students the chance to represent their school, meet other school communities and grow through competition. Every game contributes to the team’s result.
SCA organises the Shanghai events; Pavilion Knight organises the Beijing events. Together, they bring school chess communities across the two cities to the board.
Build your team
Enter four main players and up to two reserves. A teacher or parent accompanies the team as its adult leader.
Play school against school
Four games run simultaneously in each match. Qualifier groups with up to six teams play round-robin; groups with seven or more use the Swiss system.
Prepare for your event
Check age eligibility, round times, time controls and logistics in the event information. The final offers Championship and Challengers sections for U12 and U18, under the season regulations.
For schools
A place for your school community.
Bring your school team
Schools can enter teams in the relevant age groups and appoint a teacher or parent as team leader. Multiple teams from the same campus may enter the 2026–27 qualifiers.
The organisers provide event information, tournament arrangements and results access to help you prepare. Team leaders should attend the pre-event technical meeting.
Discuss team entry →Host an ISTCC event
Welcome the inter-school chess community to your campus. Hosting is an opportunity to support student participation and bring schools together.
Venue arrangements and responsibilities are agreed with the organiser before the event. Get in touch to explore what hosting would involve for your school.
Talk about hosting →Celebrating achievement: ISTCC recognises school team results and individual board performance. Awards and participation certificates follow each event’s regulations.
The ISTCC community
More than the moves.
School teams, memorable games and shared achievements.
Select a photograph to take a closer look.
Photographs from previous ISTCC tournaments.
Results & history
Every season has a story.
Browse the published results on Chess-Results.
These are previous events, separate from the current season.
2025–26 Finals+
2024–25 Shanghai qualifiers+
2024 The first ISTCC+
The first ISTCC was held on 14 April 2024 at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong, with U12 and U18 team competition.
Who can enter?
ISTCC is a school team competition for international schools. Entry and age eligibility follow each event’s regulations. The 2026–27 qualifiers have U12 and U18 groups.
Is this an individual tournament?
No. School teams are paired against each other, with four games played simultaneously in each match. Every game contributes to the team result.
How many players are on a team?
Four main players and up to two reserves, accompanied by an adult team leader such as a teacher or parent.
Can a school enter more than one team?
Yes. Multiple teams from the same school campus may enter the 2026–27 qualifiers. Entry to the final follows the season’s qualification rules.
Where do we find the full arrangements?
Contact the organising team for the event information covering age eligibility, team composition, round times, time controls, venue logistics, lunch and submission deadlines. Team leaders should also attend the pre-event technical meeting.
Make your next move together
Bring your school to the board.
Entering a team or interested in hosting? SCA can help with Shanghai participation and school enquiries.