Every year, the Pittsburgh Chess Club and the Carnegie Library jointly sponsor an annual series of free chess tournaments known as the Carnegie Library Chess Tournaments. In recent years, about 40 to 45 branch libraries throughout Allegheny County participate each year. Beginning in year 2000, the Pittsburgh Chess Club also started hosted free beginner's chess classes at various libraries in conjunction with the tournaments, thanks to generous funding from the Frick Educational Fund (of the Buhl Foundation), the Grable Foundation, and the Heinz Endowments.

The competition at each library is held in two sections: Grades K - 4 and Grades 5 - 8. Recently we have also begun experimenting with a high school section, and may eventually add it if there is adequate interest, space, and manpower to handle it.

The top two finishers in each section at each branch library receive a trophy. All participants who register and complete their games receive a certificate of participation. The 1st place winner in each division is also invited to participate in the finals competition, where they compete against the winners in their grade divisions from all the other participating libraries.

The links below will take you to the names of the winners of the local branch libraries, and pictures of the Finals Tournaments.

To see full crosstables and listings of the prizewinners for the various Finals tournaments, click here and look up the specific event you are interested in Past Tournament Results