DSU Chess Club Competes in Fall Collegiate Chess League

The DSU Chess Club is back on the competitive board this semester, representing Dakota State University in the Fall 2026 season of the Collegiate Chess League (CCL).

Organized online through Chess.com, the league matches collegiate teams across the country every Saturday during a seven-week regular season running from Sept. 26 through Nov. 7. DSU is competing in Division 22 Group A with a six-player roster composed of four starters and two alternates. Matches use a 4v4 blitz format with a 5-minute plus 2-second increment time control, running across four rounds for a total of 16 games per matchup.

Through the opening stretch of the season, DSU has faced stiff competition across its group. After an opening 5.5–10.5 loss to Northeastern University’s B team on Sept. 26, the team rebounded in Week 2 with an emphatic 12–4 victory over the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) D team. That win was followed by a competitive 6–10 contest against Northwest Vista College in Week 3.

The tighter competition marks a tougher road than the club experienced during its first season in the league, when DSU made a run all the way to the division quarterfinals.

“The first season was straightforward with it ending in quarterfinals,” said former DSU Chess Club president Shden Haile. “This season is challenging, with the final weeks essentially becoming a do-or-die test every week until playoffs. But last season the team was often down early before snatching victory out of the jaws of defeat. No matter how it turns out, I’m proud of the dedication displayed by the team.”

DSU now looks toward the second half of the schedule to build momentum ahead of the single-elimination playoffs, which begin Nov. 14 and conclude Nov. 22. While top cash payouts are reserved for Division 1, teams across the remaining divisions are playing for division titles and a share of a $5,300 prize pool.

Students interested in playing casually or getting involved with the club can attend weekly meetings on Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Room 201 of the Karl E. Mundt Library.