Grays Harbor and Pacific county youth from 6th to 12th grades are invited to compete in the Southwest Washington High School and Middle School Chess Championships, to be held Saturday, Feb. 4, at Centralia College. Students of all skill levels are welcome to play.

Both tournaments are regional championships, limited to students in Western Washington who reside south and west of King County. The high school championship is both an individual and team event. Winning high school teams qualify to play in the 57th annual Washington State High School Chess Team Championships, to be held March 4, at Stanwood High School.

In the past, teams would qualify for the state tournament out of their high school chess league, said Tournament Director Randy Kaech.

“Last March, Regional Qualifying Tournaments were approved to provide a path to state for areas without a high school chess league, such as Grays Harbor and Pacific counties,” he said.

Both the middle school and high school tournaments are offered free of charge, courtesy of the Washington High School Chess Association and the Chess Enrichment Association, two nonprofits helping to bring the benefits of chess to students.

Advance entry is required. To enter, visit whsca.org for further details on each tournament.