Win Prizes In The Fall 2026 CCL Predictions Challenge

The Collegiate Chess League Fall 2026 Season Playoffs are upon us and you can join in on the excitement by predicting who wins!

Will UT Dallas defend their championship title, or will SRM IST get their revenge and their first-ever CCL Championship? Will SLU or Mizzou make their way back to the top? Tell us what you think will happen and join the CCL prediction challenge tradition that started back in the fall of 2021. Now is your chance to become a part of college chess history and earn your prize!

The bracket prediction winner in each of the 27 divisions will walk away with a six-month Chess.com Diamond Membership.*

To enter, submit your predictions by Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CET / 11:30 p.m. IST.

Fill Out The Brackets

• How To Participate
• Division 1 Top Contenders

How To Participate

Click the button above for the Fall 2026 prediction brackets. Each division has its own bracket. Make predictions for as many divisions as you'd like. Fill out all 27 for your best chance to win!

Then, sit back and watch your favorite teams duke it out in the Playoffs-knowing each of their wins brings you closer to a chance to win six months of Chess.com Diamond Membership!

Winners will be notified by email at the email address provided, the first weekend of December.*

*One winner per bracket. No purchase is necessary to participate or win. Prizes cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash. Participants may not win more than one bracket. Void where prohibited.

Division 1 Top Contenders

Reigning Champions: University of Texas at Dallas

Dallas is looking to defend their championship after winning in the finals last season against SRM IST. They did well this regular season only losing to the number-one seeded SLU team. Dallas lost their board one from last season GM Gergely Kantor who transferred to Mizzou during the off season.

The Number One Seed: Saint Louis University

GMs Viktor Gazik and Aryan Chopra are back for this SLU team looking to regain their title from the previous Fall 2025 season. They had an undefeated regular season earning them the number-one seed. Their only draw came at the hands of their in-state rivals, Mizzou.

Always a Contender: University of Missouri-Columbia

The Missouri Tigers were the number-two seed going into the season led by their top board GM Aryan Tari. After missing the semifinals last season, they made a major roster improvement in the off season adding Kantor who transferred from the championship UT Dallas team. Mizzou was the only team to not lose to SLU this regular season holding them to a draw, and if they win their quarterfinal round against the newcomers UMBC they will have a rematch with their in-state rivals in the semifinals.

The Indian Team: SRM Institute of Science and Technology

SRM IST has been the powerhouse team from India winning four of the first five India College Chess Championships and is looking to earn their first-ever CCL championship. Their lineup features veteran GMs Pranesh M and Srihari L R, and they were the runners-up from last season.

For all standings and results for Division 1, see our events page.

Lower Divisions

With 27 divisions in competition, anyone has a shot at making the winning prediction bracket.

For all standings and results, see the CCL platform.

The Collegiate Chess League (CCL) is the premier online chess competition for college students. It is a team event with an all-play-all blitz format, featuring a $25,000 prize fund.

Previous coverage:

• Week 1
• Week 4 Update
• Week 6 Update
• College Chess League Fall 2026 Registration