Chess Tournaments in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA is part of the chess community in Iowa. This page brings together the clubs, coaches, and tournaments we can verify in and around the city, so local options sit in one place instead of scattered across separate searches.
- 11
- Clubs
- 12
- Upcoming activities
- 350
- Iowa USCF players
Local chess rarely lives in a single venue. The most reliable way to read Des Moines is to treat the clubs, coaches, and tournaments below as one connected picture: a regular club night to play, a coach when you want to improve, and weekend events when you are ready to compete. If Des Moines looks quiet, nearby places like Urbandale, IA, Ankeny, IA, and Waverly, IA are usually the fastest next step.
- Tournaments are where rated results happen — check the dates and format before you commit to travel.
- If the local list is short, widen to nearby cities — players often treat the whole area as one scene.
Iowa has 350 USCF-rated players. See full Iowa USCF stats
Map
Upcoming Tournaments
1 listingUpcoming rated and unrated competition in Des Moines, IA first, followed by close-in nearby events worth the drive.
See More Events in Des MoinesIn Des Moines, IA
No listings in Des Moines yet.
Nearby — outside Des Moines
Upcoming Events
11 listingsUpcoming club nights, camps, workshops, and community events in Des Moines, IA and nearby areas.
See More Events in Des MoinesIn Des Moines, IA
Regular meeting
Hosted by Des Moines Chess Club
Regular meeting on Chess67
Recurring · Next Tomorrow at 6:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- Tomorrow at 6:00 PM
- Oct 13th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 20th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
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Recurring · Next Tomorrow at 6:00 PM
Nearby — outside Des Moines
Club meeting
Hosted by Urbandale Chess Club
Club meeting on Chess67
Recurring · Next This Saturday at 1:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- This Saturday at 1:00 PM
- Oct 17th, 2026 at 1:00 PM
- Oct 24th, 2026 at 1:00 PM
- Oct 31st, 2026 at 1:00 PM
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- Jan 2nd, 2027 at 1:00 PM
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- Jan 16th, 2027 at 1:00 PM
club meeting
Hosted by Ankeny Chess Club
club meeting on Chess67
Recurring · Next This Thursday at 6:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- This Thursday at 6:00 PM
- Oct 15th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 22nd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 29th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 5th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 12th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
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- Dec 10th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 17th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 24th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 31st, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 7th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 14th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
Club Meeting
Hosted by Newton Chess Club
Come join us to play chess, get out, and meet new people. We host all levels from beginner to intermediate.
Recurring · Next This Thursday at 6:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- This Thursday at 6:00 PM
- Oct 15th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 22nd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 29th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 5th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 12th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 19th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 26th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 3rd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 10th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 17th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 24th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 31st, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 7th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 14th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
Scholastic Chess Tournament 5 round swiss G/25; d5 Sections K-3, K-5, K-8, K-12 Team scoring top 4 players from each school make up the school score trophies to top 3 schools in every section - cumulative across both...
Club Meeting
Hosted by Cedar Rapids Chess Club
Club Meeting on Chess67
Recurring · Next This Wednesday at 5:30 PM
See upcoming dates
- This Wednesday at 5:30 PM
- Oct 14th, 2026 at 5:30 PM
- Oct 21st, 2026 at 5:30 PM
- Oct 28th, 2026 at 5:30 PM
- Nov 4th, 2026 at 5:30 PM
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- Dec 2nd, 2026 at 5:30 PM
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- Jan 6th, 2027 at 5:30 PM
- Jan 13th, 2027 at 5:30 PM
US Chess and FIDE rared Five-Double Round Swiss g3+2 rounds 7pm then ASAP You must have US Chess and FIDE ID which can be obtained onsite entry fee $7 contact Eric Vigil (319) 621-3116 or evigil@gmail.com
contact Rich Rector at rrector1217@gmail.com or call 563-940-0179
Recurring · Next This Wednesday at 7:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- This Wednesday at 7:00 PM
- Oct 14th, 2026 at 7:00 PM
- Oct 21st, 2026 at 7:00 PM
- Oct 28th, 2026 at 7:00 PM
- Nov 4th, 2026 at 7:00 PM
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- Dec 30th, 2026 at 7:00 PM
- Jan 6th, 2027 at 7:00 PM
- Jan 13th, 2027 at 7:00 PM
Club meeting
Hosted by Dubuque Chess Club
Club meeting on Chess67
Recurring · Next Today at 6:00 PM
See upcoming dates
- Today at 6:00 PM
- Oct 12th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 19th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Oct 26th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 2nd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 9th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 16th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 23rd, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Nov 30th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 7th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 14th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 21st, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Dec 28th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 4th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 11th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
- Jan 18th, 2027 at 6:00 PM
Chess Clubs Nearby
11 listingsStart with clubs in Des Moines, IA, then use the nearby options that are an easy drive away.
See More Clubs in Des MoinesIn Des Moines, IA
Nearby — outside Des Moines
The Iowa State Chess Association is a nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to promoting chess throughout Iowa. The association supports players, chess clubs, tournament directors, organizers, and scholastic prog...
We meet on Thursday nights from 6pm to 9pm. We have all skill levels and ages showing up.
We hold tournaments on the third Wednesday of each month and everything is free.
Chess Coaches Nearby
Browse coaches in Des Moines, IA first, then compare a few strong nearby options from the surrounding area.
See More Coaches in Des MoinesNothing listed here yet.
No coach profiles are currently listed for Des Moines, IA.
More Links
A few more useful paths from the same area.