United States

Titled Chess Coaches in Nevada

Nevada's chess scene runs on Las Vegas: a strip of casino resorts that has hosted major national opens for decades, plus a steady grassroots network of scholastic and club chess across the state. This page keeps the focus on titled coaches while still connecting you to the broader local chess scene.

3
Clubs
734
Nevada USCF players
The state scene

Nevada chess is organized through the Silver State Chess Association (formerly Nevada Chess, Inc.), the state's USCF affiliate, which runs separate Northern and Southern Nevada scholastic championships that feed into statewide finals. Las Vegas is the hub for adult tournament play, anchored by clubs like the Southern Nevada Chess Club, which runs mostly rated events each month, and by the city's long history as a host for large national tournaments. The North American Open, held annually in Las Vegas since 1991 over the winter holidays, draws hundreds of players for a nine-round Open section with GM and IM norm chances and a six-figure prize fund. Reno has its own tradition too — it hosted the 100th U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1999, the same year Caesars Palace on the Strip hosted the FIDE World Chess Championship. Outside the two metro areas, casual play continues in smaller settings like the Carson City Library Chess Club, which meets on Saturdays.

  • Southern Nevada Chess Club in Las Vegas runs mostly rated tournaments each month for local players of all strengths, with the occasional unrated event.
  • The North American Open (late December, Las Vegas) is one of the largest annual opens in the country, with real GM/IM norm chances alongside amateur sections.
  • Scholastic players can work up through Silver State Chess Association's Northern or Southern Nevada regional championships toward a statewide title.
Notable names tied to Nevada chess
N

Nazí Paikidze

WGM and IM, two-time U.S. Women's Chess Champion (2016, 2018), who lives in the Las Vegas area.

R

Richard Bitoon

Grandmaster and head coach at StarWizard Chess in Las Vegas, among Nevada's highest-rated active USCF players.

USCF Chess in Nevada by the Numbers

Official USCF rating list · July 1, 2026

734
USCF-rated players
842
Median rating
2400
Top rating
Top rated players in Nevada
  1. 1Paikidze, Nazi2400
  2. 2Radke, Harry O2322
  3. 3Dorobanov, Svetoslav2277
  4. 4Middleton, Ervin2261
  5. 5Heinrich, Paul2229
See full Nevada USCF stats

Map

SC

A premier chess club and training center led by Grandmaster Richard Bitoon, offering tournaments, lessons, camps, and a strong local chess community.

Titled Coaches

These coach profiles match the titled title filter for Nevada.

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Chess Clubs in Nevada

3 results

Join local clubs, scholastic programs, and community organizers tied to Nevada.

SC

A premier chess club and training center led by Grandmaster Richard Bitoon, offering tournaments, lessons, camps, and a strong local chess community.

UC

UNLV Chess Club on Chess67

UC

UNR Chess Club on Chess67

Upcoming Tournaments

Upcoming rated and unrated competition linked to Nevada.

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Upcoming Events

Upcoming club nights, camps, workshops, and community events linked to Nevada.

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More Links

A few more useful paths from the same area.