More than 200 students (K-6) representing more than 28 public and private schools from Seattle and the Eastside will compete in the sixth annual chess tournament at The Bear Creek School on Saturday, March 13.

The event runs from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in The Bear Creek School Gym and Commons, 8905 208th Ave. NE, Redmond.

Check-in is from 8 a.m.–8:30 a.m. and the first round starts at 9 a.m. The final round is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. with an award ceremony immediately following. The tournament is sponsored by The Bear Creek School and Chess4Life (www.Chess4Life.org).

This chess tournament is a K-6 grade qualifying event for the Washington State Elementary Chess Championship on April 24. Students will be rated using the Northwest Scholastic Rating System and all K-6 students receiving 3.0 or more points, out of a possible 5.0, will qualify to participate in the state championship.

The format for The Bear Creek School tournament will be:

• Kindergarten – K Only

• Grades 1 – 3 – Open

• Grades 1 – 3 – U800

• Grades 4 – 6 – Open

• Grades 4 – 6 – U900

Coaching The Bear Creek School Chess Team is chess master Slava Mikhailiouk and coach Bert Rutgers. There will be a waiting room available with tables for all participating schools, in addition to sequestered player’s only chess rooms and a separate Kindergarten section.