The New Zealand Interschools Championship is organised by the New Zealand Chess Federation and regional organisers around New Zealand. The 2025 rules are available here (pdf document). The Interschool Coordinator for 2025 is Craig Hall – to contact him, please email craig.hall@newzealandchess.co.nz.

Updates for 2025: Manawatū and Wanganui are merged into Manawatū-Whanganui and Wairarapa is merged into Wellington in line with the regional council boundaries. All regions other than Auckland are defined using regional council boundaries (Auckland will be worked on for 2026). Outside of Auckland, a school is in the region as indicated here: https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/directories/list-of-nz-schools. The entry fee cap is removed i.e. there is no longer a maximum entry fee. Where organisers run competitions at a host school, interschool fees for teams from that school are waived if entry fees are not charged (a common arrangement in place of venue hire costs). Tiebreaks are updated to replace weighted boards with direct encounter (winner of the individual match). The National Finals are clarified as being run as a Team Swiss with average NZCF rapid ratings as the seeding (unrated players will be given an estimated rating at the chief arbiter’s discretion). Individual board prizes will be shared by players on the same score.

2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018 calendars and the 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 results can be viewed on the old NZCF website. Prior to 2017, the Interschools finals (only) results are available in the main NZCF results pages, accessible from the archives.

Events are below in date order. Currently we do not have regional organisers for Gisborne, Manawatū-Whanganui or the West Coast of the South Island – if you are interested, please contact the Interschool Coordinator. To add official regional events or to update event information, regional organisers should also contact the Interschool Coordinator and NZCF Administrator.

South Auckland

https://interschools.chessclub.nz/2025/south-auckland

Thurs 22 May South Auckland Intermediate @ Manurewa Intermediate 

Fri 06 June South Auckland Secondary @ Papatoetoe High School

Thurs 12 June South Auckland Primary @ Everglade School

East Auckland

https://interschools.chessclub.nz/2025/east-auckland

Thurs 29 May East Auckland Intermediate @ Somerville Intermediate

Thurs 10 June East Auckland Primary @ Point View School

Wed 04 June East Auckland Secondary @ Bucklands Beach War Memorial Hall

West Auckland

For more information about West Auckland events please visit Waitakere Chess Club website here.

June 6th – High School

June 13th – Intermediate

June 27th – Primary

Central Auckland

4,5,6 August 2025

Wellington

16 June Primary 1-6 – Newlands Primary

18 June Intermediate 7-8 – HIBS

19 June Secondary 9-13 – HIBS

Division	Venue	Date	Year
Primary	Newlands Primary	16th June	1-6
Intermediate	HIBS	18th June	7-8
Secondary	HIBS	19th June	9-13Division Venue Date Year Primary Newlands Primary 16th June 1-6 Intermediate HIBS 18th June 7-8 Secondary HIBS 19th June 9-13

Canterbury

10 June: Year 1-6 (Primary)

11 June: Year 7-8 (Intermediate)

12 June: Year 9-13 (Secondary)

All competitions will be held at the Christchurch Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre.