The Albuquerque Schools Chess League (ASCL) is divided into three divisions called the A League, B League, and C League. The A League is for high school teams, the B League is for middle school teams, and the C League is for elementary school (K-5) teams.

There are six tournament nights during the course of the season, with one round played each evening. The competition is between 5-player teams, with the team winning the most games winning the round. The A League and B League meet together at the same time and place. Due to it's large growth, the C League is hosted by two separate schools for each meet.

The pairings are based on the "Swiss" system which attempts to match teams with similar point scores. As the league progresses, the stronger teams will end up playing each other to determine the final standings. Also, the teams which are struggling will also be matched against teams in a similar situation.