Author: Lori Balkum

An online, 6 round USCF quick-rated chess tournament in ELEVEN SECTIONS on Saturday, January 22, 2022 sponsored by the Texas Chess Association. This quick event is for all scholastic players in grades K thru 12, regardless of residence. Visit the EVENT WEBSITE for full details and online registration.

Basics:
Six (6) Rounds — G/15 + 2-second increment

Round Times (Central Time Zone):
10am — 11am — 12noon — 1pm — 2pm — 3pm

11 SECTIONS
High School Championship (Grade 9 – 12)
High School JV (U1000; Grade 9 – 12)
Middle School Championship (Grade  6 – 8)
Middle School JV (U900; Grade 6 – 8)
Middle School Novice (U600; Grade 6 – 8)
Elementary School Championship (Grade K – 5)
Elementary School JV (U800; Grade K – 5)
Elementary School Novice (U500; Grade K – 5)
Primary School Championship (Grade K – 3)
Primary School JV (U600; Grade K – 3)
K – 1 Championship (Grade Pre-K – 1)

Playing up is only allowed within the same grade range.

January 2022 US Rating Supplement will be used.  The highest of the Over-the-Board, Online Regular, and Quick ratings determines eligibility for section and prizes.  

 PRIZES
Personalized plaques will be awarded to the Top 8 Individuals and Top 3 Teams in each section.  Prizes will be increased based on registrations for each section, at the rate of one extra award for each 10 entries exceeding 80 in any one section.  For example, if a section has 120 players then the top 12 players will receive prizes.  

Team scores
A team must have a minimum of two players to be eligible for team prizes.  There is no maximum number of students who may play for a team.  Only the top four scores count for team standings  and the top four players in a team will get team awards.

The top Texas player in each section will be recognized as the Texas Champion.

ENTRY FEE
$35 by Midnight January 11; $42 by Midnight January 18; $50 by Midnight January 20.

No entries accepted after January 20.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS
– US Chess Membership, expiring on or after 1/31/2022, required.  Players with no current US Chess membership may be able to obtain a voucher membership at a reduced rate, through US Chess Voucher Membership.  The cost of the voucher US Chess membership is $9.83.

– All games will be played on Chess.com.  All players must have a chess.com account in good standing (free account is sufficient).  Any previously closed accounts must be disclosed to the Tournament Organizers prior to the tournament.

– There will be a “Town Hall” meeting on Wednesday 1/19, invitation sent via email.  All players/parents are encouraged to attend and get answers to their questions. 

–  Each player will be required to join a Zoom meeting with an active side-view camera showing them and their computer.  Specific requirements for this video feed are listed on the EVENT WEBSITE.

– All players will be sent a welcome email on Thursday, 1/20, with important details on what players need to do to be ready to play their games, including the Zoom meeting links players must join.  

Communication during the event
Players will be instructed to communicate with the Tournament Directors via the Zoom chat and all players and their games will be subject to detailed Fair-Play review during and post-tournament.

The Organizer and Chief TD reserve the right to remove a player from the tournament and make an adjustment to the scores of the players and her/his opponents.

A full list of rules, regulations, and penalties are listed on the EVENT WEBSITE:

For questions about the event, please contact Franc Guadalupe, or Barbara Swafford.  

A 4-round USCF rated tournament beginning on Wednesday, December 1st. 1 game per week. Two sections.

What: 4-Round G/90; +30 — One round per Wednesday for four consecutive Wednesdays in December. Elite (1400+)  and Reserve (U1400) sections

When: Rounds start by 6:15 PM each Wednesday: Round 1:Dec 1, Round 2: Dec 8, Round 3: Dec 15, Round 4: Dec 22

Where: 2nd Floor Community Room, Georgetown Public Library, Georgetown TX

Registration: Limited space, please pre-register with your name and USCF ID by email: vvanburen@gmail.com. On-site Registration 5:30-6 PM on December 1

Required: Must be current USCF Member (May not expire before 12/31/2021)

Byes: One half-point BYE available, but must be requested (vvanburen@gmail.com) by noon on Monday December 6.

Entry Fee: $0 Special

Address:
Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor Community Room
402 W. 8th Street
Georgetown, TX 78626

Contact Vincent VanBuren, organizer with questions: email: vvanburen@gmail.com, phone: 512-970-2057

Tournament Day Links

Maps: Campus Map – – Grammar Building Floor Plan
Pairings, wall charts, and standings: all sections
Reminder Emails: OPEN
**please note – because section counts are variable due to registrations and withdrawals, locations may change due to size constraints**

NEW!!!

Following the award ceremony, GM Vladimir Belous, the 2021 US Class Champion, will be hosting a short lecture and a simultaneous exhibition.  The simul is open to any parent/relative/coach that is playing in the event, or has a child playing in the event, or ANY child for a cost of $10.  A commemorative notation sheet will be given to all participants and signed by GM Belous at the finish of their game.  

Basics

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 (bring your own if at all possible), and mandatory notation.

Location

Regents School of Austin
3230 Travis Country Circle
Austin, Texas 78735

Parents may wait in the cafeteria. Open section chess play will take place in the Rhetoric building library. No specators, please.

Eligibility

All adults
Any youth who have reached 1200 at some point in their ratings’ history.
Ineligible entries will be moved to the appropriate scholastic section of the 2022 Winter Scholastic at Regents School. 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 January 31, 2022.  USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out.

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!
9:00 a.m. Open section begins. Open has 4 rounds, all rounds are are G/45, d5.
No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, player info edits and school information may be made onsite and go into effect as of round 2. Onsite registrations only at the discretion of the open section TD. Register online!.

Approximate Round Times

Open Section:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd2 – 11:00am, rd3 – 1:00pm, rd4 – 3:00pm

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.

Concessions will be provided by Regents School. Coolers welcome. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

COVID-19 protocols are set based on the Travis County Stage of COVID-19. As of January 15th, Travis county is at Stage 5. Facemasks are required. Players are asked to wash hands frequently and use common sense. If you’re not feeling well or have been exposed to COVID-19 in the 14 days preceding the event, please do not attend. All pairings and wall charts will be posted online only to avoid crowding. If Austin-Travis County is reduced to Stage 3 by the time of the event, facemasks will become optional. Proper handwashing and adherence to exposure guidelines are always in force!

Awards

Cash prizes, based on number of entries. Special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Parent & Child teams.

Registration Information

Entry fee pricing is staggered and based on date of entry/payment. Online registration is closed.

*Early entry (youth $25, adult $20) thru Saturday, 11/27/2021.
*Regular entry (youth $30, adult $25) thru Saturday, 01/15/2022.
*Late entry (youth $40, adult $35) begins Sunday, 01/16/2022 and ENDS at NOON on Thursday 01/27/2022, at which time online entry closes.
*If space permits, onsite registration will be permitted, $50 regardless of age. Cash preferred. First round play requires registration before 8:45am.

Withdrawals requested before Thursday, 01/27/2022 are eligible for a refund (minus a $5 service fee). No refunds for USCF memberships after purchased from the USCF. NO email/phone entries.

Email Lori Balkum, registrar with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.

Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer.

View the preregistration list here.

Tournament Day Links

Maps: Campus Map – – Grammar Building Floor Plan
Pairings, wall charts, and standings: all sections
Reminder Emails: Scholastic
**please note – because section counts are variable due to registrations and withdrawals, locations may change due to size constraints**

NEW!!!

Following the award ceremony, GM Vladimir Belous, the 2021 US Class Champion, will be hosting a short lecture and a simultaneous exhibition.  The simul is open to any parent/relative/coach that is playing in the event, or has a child playing in the event, or ANY child for a cost of $10.  A commemorative notation sheet will be given to all participants and signed by GM Belous at the finish of their game.  

Basics

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

Regents School of Austin
3230 Travis Country Circle
Austin, Texas 78735

Parents may wait in the Events Center or outside. Chess play will take place in classrooms.
Review a map of campus.

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 January 31, 2022. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out. (JTPs ok in K-3 and younger 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: ‘Regular’ OTB ratings will be used for pairing purposes. If no regular rating is available, then other USCF ratings (quick, blitz, online) can and will be considered for section placement.

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 section begins. 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 will be provided by Regents School. Coolers welcome. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

COVID-19 protocols are set based on the Travis County Stage of COVID-19. As of January 15th, Travis county is at Stage 5. Facemasks are required. Players are asked to wash hands frequently and use common sense. If you’re not feeling well or have been exposed to COVID-19 in the 14 days preceding the event, please do not attend. All pairings and wall charts will be posted online only to avoid crowding. If Austin-Travis County is reduced to Stage 3 by the time of the event, facemasks will become optional. 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 Parent & Child teams.

Registration Information

Entry fee pricing is staggered and based on date of entry/payment. Registration is now closed.

*Early entry $25 thru Saturday 11/27/2021.
* Regular entry $30 thru Saturday, 01/15/2022
*Late entry $40 begins Sunday, 01/16/2022 and ENDS at NOON on Thursday 01/27/2022, 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 1/27/2022 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 1/28/2022. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.

Email Lori Balkum, registrar@austinchesstournaments.com with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.

Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer (ggaiffe@att.net).

View the preregistration list here.

3SS Quads on Saturday, December 18th! **28 player limit! Please contact danieljguel@gmail.com to have your name placed on the waiting list**

LOCATION:
1001 Lake Air Dr.
Waco, TX 76710
United States

FORMAT:
Players will be divided into quads. Meaning that the top four players will be grouped in Quad 1, the next four players in Quad 2, etc. This will ensure that players get to compete against other players of a similar level throughout the tournament.  (Note: if the number of entries is not divisible by four, the last section will merge with the “remaining” players for a 3-round swiss)

• Four players per section, single round robin (3 games) (View the current Pre-Registration list!)
• Time control: G/75;d5 (75 minutes per side, with 5-second delay)
• Entry fee is $30 before 12/18, $35 the day of the event.

SCHEDULE:
Round 1: 9:00 AM
Round 2: 12:00 PM
Round 3: 3:00 PM

PRIZE FUND:
Exact prizes will be determined onsite. One prize per section. 80% of funds after expenses will be returned for prizes.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
To pay your entry fee in advance and to secure a spot in the tournament, please use one of the following payment options:
Paypal: danieljguel@gmail.com (don’t miss the “J” in the middle!)
Venmo: @Daniel-Guel-1
Request my address to mail a check

Byes are not being offered, as it would affect the round-robin system. Withdrawals are highly discouraged. Players who register, please understand this, and plan to play all three rounds that day, unless in the case of an emergency.

CONTACT INFO and TO REGISTER:
Daniel Guel
danieljguel@gmail.com (don’t miss the “J” in the middle!)
254-495-7286 (call or text, text preferred)

PLAYING SPACE:

Knights of Columbus Council 8158
Martin Luther King Jr
Scholastic Chess Tournament
Saturday, January 22, 2022

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This event has been cancelled. Please contact Lexfierros@yahoo.com with refund questions.
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Resurrection of the Lord Church
7990 W Military Dr, San Antonio, TX 78227
UNRATED FIVE ROUND SWISS TOURNAMENT

Unrated 5SS in 5 sections. Download the event flyer!

Sections
Grades (K-1) (2-3) (4-5) (6-8) (9-12)

Check In
Please check in 8:45 – 9:45 am
At check-in, line up to verify names entered.

5 Rounds
Round one 10:30 am (Rounds are one hour each)
Round one subject to change to ensure correct pairings

Registration Guidelines
Names must be emailed by January 20, 2022 to: Lexfierros@yahoo.com
Entry Fee is $ $10
Cash or checks must be made out to: Knights of Columbus 8158
Pay by Credit Card will be available on site

Walk ons will get a 1st round bye unless registered by 9:00 a.m. at site.
Bring your chess sets in case of large turnout

Parents/Sponsors
This is an all day tournament.
Please bring folding or lawn chairs since seating is very limited.

There will be lots of food and drinks available from the concession stand..
No outside food except for dietary restrictions.
Please note you may play “up” a level, but your score may not be used for the overall team for your actual grade level.

Mask required for Chess players while playing. No Mask No Play.

Prizes
Individual Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in all sections.
Individual Medals for 4th, 5th and 6th places in all sections.
Team Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in all sections.
*To be considered a team there must be at least 4 players from the same school all playing within the same section*

+++++++++++++++

Please submit the following information:

Send registration to: Lexfierros@yahoo.com

Student Name: _____________________________

School/Organization Name_____________________________

Grade Level (circle one)

Primer (Pk-1) Primary (2-3) Elementary (4-5) Middle (6-8) High (9-12)

Chess For Trees is a nonprofit.

Overview
The tournament will consist of a K-5 section and a K-12 section. There will be trophy prizes for both sections. The format of the tournament will be 5 Round Swiss – 15 minutes with 2 second increment. The tournament will be hosted on chess.com. You will need a chess.com account to play the tournament. Instructions on how to create an account can be found on: https://support.chess.com/article/671-how-do-i-create-an-account

The tournament is not USCF rated. Everyone is eligible to play!

Registration Fee: $15
Registration closes on November 4th
Register online today!

Prizes
Top 3 in each section will get trophies.  Number of trophies given out may increase based on the number of participants.

Fair Play
Tournament results will be finalized after 1-2 weeks in order to give chess.com time to do a fair play analysis. If chess.com determines you have cheated then you will not be eligible for any prizes and your chess.com account might be closed. Chess.com’s decision is final.

Technical Difficulties
Unfortunately due to the nature of virtual tournaments nothing can be done if you lose a match or face any other difficulties due to internet issues and other technical difficulties. Note: You will not be refunded for any loss due to technical difficulties.

More Instructions
Once you have registered and paid the registration fee of $15, please join the “Chess For Trees” club on chess.com. The club is private so you will have to leave a message stating your full name.

Note: Only people who have paid the registration fee will be admitted in the club.

On the day of the tournament sign into your chess.com account and go to https://www.chess.com/live and then on the tournaments tab you should see our tournament. Please join the tournament and wait for the rounds to start. The next round will start after all games are finished. The whole tournament will last for no more than 3-4 hours.

Please only join the tournament for your section, as if you fail to do this then you will end up playing the wrong section, and will not be counted for prizes.

If you’re playing the K-5 section then join the November Rapid – K-5 tournament, and if you’re playing in the K-12 section join the November Rapid – K-12 tournament.

Please note:
Both sections will start at 11 AM CST on 11/6.

Payment Information and Refund Policy
To pay for your tournament entry, please visit the event page. A payment link is located at the bottom. If the tournament is cancelled for any reason, all entries be refunded 100% . If you decide to withdraw your entry fee will be refunded as long as you contact the organizer by email no later than 11/4.

If you have any questions please email us at chessfortrees@gmail.com

Please visit the EVENT WEBSITE!

Please read the online TLA!
Read or download the basic flyer!
Read or download the thorough tournament details!

Date: November 13, 2021

Tournament Location: Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave, Waco, TX 76701.

Four Sections: Open, U1000, U600 and Unrated

Ratings: For section qualification and pairing purposes, we will be using the greater of players’ over-the-board or online USCF regular ratings (if any). However, tournament results will affect only over-the-board USCF regular/quick ratings.

Rounds and Time Control: Five Rounds. Swiss system (no elimination). G/30;d5.

Qualifications:

Every scholastic player, who is a member of the United States Chess Federation in good standing, shall
be qualified for this tournament, regardless of geographic location. For avoidance of doubt, a scholastic player is defined as a person who is currently in twelfth grade or lower (including preschoolers), but shall also include persons who have graduated high school and are younger than seventeen years of age. Players may play-up (e.g., an 800-rated player may participate in either the Open or Reserve section, but not the Novice section).

Entry fee: $15 by 9/30; $20 by 10/15; $25 by 10/30; and $30 thereafter.

Registration: Online registration may be processed on Eventbrite. All entry fees are refundable if requested within 30 days of the event, minus the Eventbrite service fee. No registrations after October 15th, 10pm. No onsite registrations for main event.

Schedule: Round 1, 8:00-9:00; Round 2, 9:30-10:30; Round 3, 11:00am-12:00pm; lunch break; Blitz, 1:00-2:00; Round 4, 2:30-3:30; Round 5, 4:00-5:00. The awards ceremony approx 5:30pm.

Byes: One ½ bye allowed, but not for the final round; all byes (or bye removals) must be requested before registration closes.

Blitz: 5SS, G/5;d0. Fee is $5, payable onsite until 12:00pm or when registering online through Eventbrite. Trophies to the top 3 scores.

Prizes: Trophies to top scorers in each section. Plaques to highest scoring teams. Medals to all players who complete round 5.

Notation: Notation required in the Open and U1000 sections. Taking notation is highly recommended to all players. Notation sheets will be provided upon request.

Other Notes: Please bring your chess clocks. The organizer is providing chess sets.

Contact: Questions? Contact csbrown.entrepreneur@gmail.com.