2026 Chess Academy Australia & New Zealand - Expression of Interest

Presented by IMC and Team Liquid

What if your next chess move took you to Sydney to play the world champion?

The Chess Academy Australia and New Zealand is a one-of-a-kind program open to all students across Australia and New Zealand colleges and universities, whether you're a seasoned competitor or just love the game. In partnership with Team Liquid, IMC is bringing together the brightest student chess players in the country for a chance to qualify through an online Swiss-format tournament on Chess.com and, if you advance, travel to Sydney to compete in the championship finals against the best student players in the country.

This is more than a chess tournament. It's an opportunity to step inside one of the world's leading trading firms, connect with IMC's traders, researchers and technologists, and experience what it's like to think fast, compete hard, and perform under pressure — skills that define both great chess players and the people who thrive at the world's top trading firms.

What You'll Do

Compete at the highest level: Compete in an online Swiss-format qualifying tournament on Chess.com and play for one of the sports that advance to the championship finals in Sydney.

Play Magnus Carlsen: All finalists take part in a showmatch experience with the World Chess Champion, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit across the board from one of the greatest players in history

Learn from the best: Finalists will take part in an exclusive masterclass led by Magnus and Grandmaster Robert Hess, an opportunity to hear how two of the world's elite players think about the game

Go behind the scenes at IMC: Tour IMC's Sydney office and get a firsthand look at the environment where some of the world's fastest and most sophisticated trading takes place.

Build your network: Connect directly with IMC traders, researchers, technologists, and recruiters. Whether or not a career in trading is on your radar, this is a rare chance to meet and learn from world-class professions

Key Dates

Applications Close: Sunday November 1st 2026

Eligibility Notifications: Wednesday November 4th 2026

Virtual Qualifiers: Monday 9th November, Tuesday 10th November, Wednesday 11th November 2026

Championship at IMC Sydney: Wednesday 9th December 2026

What You'll Need

Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate student at an Australian or New Zealand college or university

Participants enrolled at a university in New Zealand must also hold New Zealand citizenship

18 years of age or older

A valid Chess.com account

Available to compete in the virtual qualifiers during the week of the 9, 10 or 11th November 2026

Available to travel to Sydney for the finals on 9th December 2026

Open to all majors and academic backgrounds — all skill levels welcome

Ready to Apply?

Applications are open to all enrolled students regardless of chess rating or experience level. If you love the game and want to test yourself against the best, we want to hear from you.

Apply by Sunday November 1st 2026.

About Us

IMC is a research-driven trading firm where quantitative modeling, machine learning, and engineering shape how modern markets are traded. A stabilizing force in markets since 1989, we provide liquidity across trading venues, delivering the best outcome in value and risk management to investors. Using our own technology and capital, we build proprietary systems and algorithms that operate across global markets. Our researchers, traders, and engineers work as a collective, combining rapid experimentation, advanced infrastructure, and real-time feedback to turn insight into execution and execution into advantage.