Tournament Day Links
Maps: Campus Map –
Pairings, wall charts, and standings: ALL SECTIONS (master list of section links. Please bookmark your individual section’s page)
Reminder Email: scholastic
**please note – because section counts are variable due to registrations and withdrawals, locations may change due to size constraints**
Online Registration is now closed! No onsite registrations.
Basics
USCF rated chess tournament on April 23rd in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-1 U300, K-3 U300, K-3 U600, K-5 U600, K-5 U1100, 6-12 U600, 6-12 U1100, and K-12 Any. Please note: all scholastic players rated 1600 and over must play in the Open section. View the preregistration list here. Pairings will be posted only online.
This is a Swiss-system tournament, so everyone plays all day—there is no “elimination.” Players must know how to play the game of chess! We follow USCF rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks if available, and notation. K-3 and younger sections are excused from taking notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering!
Location
NYOS Charter School
12333 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78753
Eligibility
This is a rated tournament. You must have a USCF ID and your membership (can be purchased/renewed at check out or online with the USCF in advance of registration) . You can verify your USCF membership ID and expiration by visiting the USCF’s Member Services Area. Anyone can become a USCF member. Players new to tournament chess are welcome to play. Your USCF membership cannot expire before April 30, 2022. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out. (JTPs ok in K-3 and K-1 sections only. New players in 3rd grade and below may request a non-member ID as a part of USCF’s Junior Tournament Player Program during registration)
“Under” sections are only for students meeting the rating criteria. All players who are new to tournaments are eligible for their age appropriate ‘under’ section. (Look up your player’s rating here. Please email the registrar or ask your chess coach for placement information.
If your 6th grader attends an Elementary School, please contact the registrar for options. With enough registrations, any section may be divided into two sections, or small similar sections may be combined.
Please note: April ‘Regular’ OTB ratings will be used for pairing purposes. If no regular rating is available, then other April USCF ratings (quick, blitz, online) can and will be considered for section placement. If you play at the Regents Spring event, any rating changes from that event will not show up for pairing purposes until May. You may choose your section based on your April rating or a higher section based on your actual rating. Requests to play down will not be honored.
All players in this event must be in 12th grade (or lower).
Schedule
No check-in necessary for preregistrations. We will make every attempt to contact you in advance if we see a problem with your registration. Verify your entry ONLINE!
8:30 a.m Announcements begin in all scholastic playing rooms.
Players and coaches should be present.
9:00 a.m. Rd 1 begins. Scholastic sections have 5 rds, G/30, d5.
9:00 a.m. Open sections (different event allowing adults) begin. Open has 4 rounds, all rounds are are G/45, d5.
9:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Problem desk open. No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, and player or school information edits go in effect immediately if made via email before the close of online registration. Changes requested onsite go into effect as of round 2. NO Onsite registrations.
Approximate Round Times
Scholastic Sections:
round 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 11:00am, rd 3 – 12:45 pm, rd 4 – 2:30 pm
rd 5 – 4:00 pm
Notes
There will be some “down time” between rounds since many games will finish early. We will provide an area (outside the tournament room) for casual “skittles” chess and/or other indoor activities. Parents and/or coaches, please provide age-appropriate activities during the time between rounds. The organizers cannot baby-sit. No child should be left unattended!
Concessions TBD. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.
COVID-19 protocols TBD. Facemask policy will be announced soon. Proper handwashing and adherence to exposure guidelines are always in force!
Awards
Trophies & Medals to Top Contenders! Ribbons to all participants! Trophies to the top individuals in each scholastic section. Trophies to the top teams in all sections. Number of individual and team trophies will depend on number of entries. Chess medals will go to all players (excluding Open section) that finish the tournament with a positive score (3.0 & 3.5 points). Trophies to players scoring 4.0 and above. No teams in Open section, but special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams (Uncles, Aunts, Adult siblings, Parents, or Grandparents paired with at least one scholastic aged player.)
Registration Information
Entry fee pricing is staggered and based on date of entry/payment. Online registration is now closed.
*Early entry $25 thru Saturday 03/12/2022.
* Regular entry $30 thru Saturday, 04/9/2022
*Late entry $40 begins Sunday, 04/10/2022 and ENDS at NOON on Thursday 04/21/2022, at which time online entry closes.
*No onsite entries allowed. No entries accepted after online registration closes.
Withdrawals requested via email before noon on Thursday 4/21/2022 are eligible for a refund (minus a $5 service fee). No refunds for USCF memberships after purchased from the USCF. NO email/phone entries.
Please request byes when you register if possible. First bye receives 1/2-point. Further byes receive 0-points. Email the registrar to make changes to your requested byes. Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 4/22/2022. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.
Email Lori Balkum, registrar with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.
Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer.