Category: Upcoming Events

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AGCA Summer Camp 3 – 2025

Description: A full day, week long chess camp, hosted by the Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy from August 4-8, 2025.  All scholastic players are invited to register. Day passes available!

Location:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729

Coaches: GM Kamil Dragun, CM Jeffrey Serna, Shahin Masoumi

Groups:
Each camp features five  days of instruction. Students will be separated into 5 groups:
Beginner Group: Under 400 USCF (including unrated)
Novice Group: 400-800 USCF
Intermediate Group: 800-1200 USCF
Advanced Group: 1200 – 1600 USCF
Expert Group: 1500+ USCF
**NOTE: It is, however, required for the kids to know all the rules of chess and how each pieces move!
For more information, link to the the camp website.

Date and Time: 3rd camp session: August 4-8, 2025, 9am – 4pm

Daily Schedule
Drop-off: 8:30 – 9:00 am
Camp start: 9:00 am
Lunch break: 12:00 -1:00 pm
Camp resumes: 1:00 pm
Pick up: 4:00 – 4:30 pm

Food:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy staff will provide light snacks and beverages during scheduled snack times. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch. 

**NOTE: Please email us at info@austin-chess.com with any food allergies and/or restrictions your child may have! 

Registration:
Please register and pay online. 
Full week attendance is preferred; however, Day Passes are available – just send us an email (info@austin-chess.com).
Weekly Fee is $500.
Day Pass Fee is $115

Cancellation Policy
A full refund, minus a $50 service fee, will be provided for all cancellation requests received 7 days prior to camp start date. No refunds are provided if the cancellation is not received a week prior to camp start date.

Questions:
Contact  the Austin Grandmaster staff (info@austin-chess.com) if you have questions about registering for this event. 

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AGCA Summer Camp 2 – 2025

Description: A full day, week long chess camp, hosted by the Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy from June 16-20, 2025.  All scholastic players are invited to register. Day passes available!

Location:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729

Coaches: GM Kamil Dragun, CM Jeffrey Serna, Shahin Masoumi

Groups:
Each camp features five  days of instruction. Students will be separated into 5 groups:
Beginner Group: Under 400 USCF (including unrated)
Novice Group: 400-800 USCF
Intermediate Group: 800-1200 USCF
Advanced Group: 1200-1600 USCF
Expert Group: 1500+ USCF
**NOTE: It is, however, required for the kids to know all the rules of chess and how each pieces move!
For more information, link to the the camp website.

Date and Time: 2nd camp session: June `16-20, 2025, 9am – 4pm

Daily Schedule
Drop-off: 8:30 – 9:00 am
Camp start: 9:00 am
Lunch break: 12:00 -1:00 pm
Camp resumes: 1:00 pm
Pick up: 4:00 – 4:30 pm

Food:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy staff will provide light snacks and beverages during scheduled snack times. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch. 

**NOTE: Please email us at info@austin-chess.com with any food allergies and/or restrictions your child may have! 

Registration:
Please register and pay online. 
Full week attendance is preferred; however, Day Passes are available – just send us an email (info@austin-chess.com).
Weekly Fee is $500.
Day Pass Fee is $115

Cancellation Policy
A full refund, minus a $50 service fee, will be provided for all cancellation requests received 7 days prior to camp start date. No refunds are provided if the cancellation is not received a week prior to camp start date.

Questions:
Contact  the Austin Grandmaster staff (info@austin-chess.com) if you have questions about registering for this event. 

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AGCA Summer Camp 1 – 2025

Description: A full day, week long chess camp, hosted by the Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy from June 2-6, 2025.  All scholastic players are invited to register. Day passes available!

Location:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729

Coaches: GM Kamil Dragun, CM Jeffrey Serna, Shahin Masoumi

Groups:
Each camp features five  days of instruction. Students will be separated into 5 groups:
Beginner Group: Under 400 USCF (including unrated)
Novice Group: 400-800 USCF
Intermediate Group: 800-1200 USCF
Advanced Group: 1200 – 1600 USCF
Expert Group: 1500+ USCF
**NOTE: It is, however, required for the kids to know all the rules of chess and how each pieces move!
For more information, link to the the camp website.

Date and Time: 1st camp session: June 2-6, 2025, 9am – 4pm

Daily Schedule
Drop-off: 8:30 – 9:00 am
Camp start: 9:00 am
Lunch break: 12:00 -1:00 pm
Camp resumes: 1:00 pm
Pick up: 4:00 – 4:30 pm

Food:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy staff will provide light snacks and beverages during scheduled snack times. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch. 

**NOTE: Please email us at info@austin-chess.com with any food allergies and/or restrictions your child may have! 

Registration:
Please register and pay online. 
Full week attendance is preferred; however, Day Passes are available – just send us an email (info@austin-chess.com).
Weekly Fee is $500.
Day Pass Fee is $115

Cancellation Policy
A full refund, minus a $50 service fee, will be provided for all cancellation requests received 7 days prior to camp start date. No refunds are provided if the cancellation is not received a week prior to camp start date.

Questions:
Contact  the Austin Grandmaster staff (info@austin-chess.com) if you have questions about registering for this event. 

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Evan Boatwright Memorial Chess Tournament – Temple, TX

Join us for a Chess Tournament in memory of Evan Boatwright hosted by the Temple Chess Club. USCF rated 4SS, G/45, d5 in 3 sections on March 29, 2025 in Temple, TX. Limited to the first 60 players!

View Entry List  (This is manually entered, so it does not always reflect the most recent registrations.)

Tournament Details and Advance Registration (Online) Form

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn
5247 S General Bruch Dr
Temple, TX 76502
Free parking provided!

BASICS:
4 rounds of G/45, d5
3 sections: Open, U1600, U1000

Registration & Check-in: 9:00 to 9:20 AM.
(*Because we do not accept payment in advance, players not checked in by 9:20 am will NOT be paired in Round 1, unless you notify us that you are on the way. If you are registered, but can no longer play, please let us know.)

Round Times: 
Round 1- 9:30 AM
Round 2- 11:15 AM 
Round 3- 1:30 PM (after lunch)
Round 4- 3:15 PM

Entry Fee: $20 CASH (no credit, no debit) upon arrival. Exact change is appreciated!

Prize Fund: $800 guaranteed

Open Section: $150-$100-50,  U1800 – $60-$40

Under 1600 Section: $100-$60-$40

Under 1000 Section: $100-$60-$40

Limited Capacity of 60 players!
Register online to ensure you get a spot.
(If you show up onsite without preregistering, there’s a chance the tournament will already be full.)

Current USCF membership required! Please check that your membership is active before registering.

**Please bring your own tournament size chess set and chess clock.  None will be provided.

For questions or problems registering, please contact Forrest Marler, fzmarler@gmail.com, (254) 231-7026.

USCF Online TLA!

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2025 St Andrews Summer Chess Camp

Description: A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by St. Andrew’s Episcopal School at their Shoal Creek Campus from June 23-27, 2025.  The camp will be run by Gary Gaiffe and a team of local chess instructors. All scholastic players are invited to register!

The Summer Catalog is now available!
Registration is available at the link above.

Camp dates: Camp week #4, June 23 – June 27, 2024.
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Price: $560
Location: 31st St. Campus
Teacher: St. Andrew’s Summer Camp Specialist, Gary Gaiffe
Target audience: kids grades 1 – 8

Chess Camp includes formal instruction and play, plus a camp-wide tournament at the end of the week! Beginners learn basic chess theory, game objectives, piece movement, game and tournament rules. Intermediates study chess analysis and decision-making, tactics, checkmate patterns and tournament strategies. Advanced students are taught more sophisticated chess techniques and decision-making, complex tactics, calculated and intuitive sacrifices, opening and endgame analysis.

Contact instructor Gary Gaiffe, ggaiffe@att.net, 512-426-7841 with questions as to camp content and appropriateness for your students.

For all other questions, including those regarding registration procedures, please contact the Summer Camp office, summercamp@sasaustin.org..

Please visit the camp website before making inquiries. The website covers the topics of early arrival and aftercare, drop-off and pick-up, lunch and supervision, student conduct, class sizes, and cancellation policy.

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2025 Paragon Summer Camp: Chess for Enjoyment and Improvement

Description: Save the date!!! A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by Paragon Prep on June 9-13, 2025.  Featuring Gary Gaiffe and local area instructors. All scholastic players are invited to register!

Grades K – 8th.  Chess Camp includes formal instruction and play, plus a camp-wide tournament at the end of the week! Beginners learn basic chess theory, game objectives, piece movement, game and tournament rules. Intermediates study chess analysis and decision-making, tactics, checkmate patterns and tournament strategies. Advanced students are taught more sophisticated chess techniques and decision-making, complex tactics, calculated and intuitive sacrifices, opening and endgame analysis.

Date and Time: 3rd camp session: June 9-13, 2024, 9am –4pm

Registration: To register, please register on Paragon Prep’s Summer Camp website (more details and registration coming soon). 

Location:
Paragon Prep Elementary
7938 Great Northern Blvd
Austin, TX 78757

Questions:
Contact Paragon Prep Summer Programs (summer@paragonprep.com, 512-459-5040) if you have questions about registering for this event. Contact Gary gaiffe (ggaiffe@att.net) if you have questions about chess content.

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2025 NYOS Summer Chess Camp

Registration is open!

Description: A full day, week-long chess camp hosted by NYOS Charter School.  Located on the north side of Austin, the camp is open to all scholastic chess players, and is run by Mr. Gary Gaiffe. Great price for a full week of learning and fun!

Campers will be broken into skill level groups.  Different topics will be covered depending on which group the camper is in.  From tactics to positional play, game analysis to variant play, the camp will be both instructional and entertaining.  The final day will include a camp-wide tournament.

Dates and Times:  July 14-18; 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location:           
NYOS Charter School
12301 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78753

Registration and Payment information:  View or download the  camp registration (pdf) or (docx) form!

Questions:  Contact Gary Gaiffe at ggaiffe@att.net or 512-426-7841

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Open and K-12 Elite Sections at the Paragon Prep 2025 April Scholastic Tournament

The Open and K-12 Sections held in conjunction with the Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament on April 12, 2025. The last major Rocks & Rooks event of the school year! This USCF rated chess tournament is for adults and more advanced scholastic players.

Online Registration is now open!

Verify your entry on the advance entry list.

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. If registrations exceed 32 in any one section, we reserve the right to split into two sections.

Location

Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757

Eligibility

Open Section:
All adults
Any youth who have reached at least 1200 on the April 2025 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).
K-12 Elite:
Any youth rated between 950 and 1299 on the April 2025 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).

Ineligible entries will be moved to the appropriate ‘under’ scholastic section of the Paragon Prep April 2025 Scholastic Tournament

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. Adults new to tournament chess are welcome to play in the open section. Youth players MUST have a ratings-history. Your USCF membership cannot expire before April 12, 2025.  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!
8:45 a.m. K-12 Elite begins
9:15 a.m. Open  sections begin. Open has 4 rounds of G/45,+5; K-12 Elite has 5 rounds of G/40, +5.

No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, player info edits be made onsite with your chief TD and go into effect as of round 2.

Approximate Round Times

Open and K-12 Elite Sections*:
Open (4 rounds):
rd 1 – 9:15am, rd 2 – 11:10am, rd 3 – 1:25pm, rd 4 – 3:30pm
K-12 Elite (5 rounds):
rd 1 – 8:45am, rd 2 – 10:35am, rd 3 – 12:25pm, rd 4 – 2:15pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm

(Sections will play in separate rooms.)

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 offered for purchase. You may bring your lunch and snacks.  Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

Proper handwashing and adherence to COVID 19 exposure guidelines mandatory!

Awards

Open section:
Cash prizes based on number of entries. Special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams  (Uncles, Aunts, Siblings, Parents, or Grandparents paired with at least one scholastic aged player.). 
K-12 Elite:
Trophies to top finishers. Medals to positive scores not receiving a trophy. Trophies top teams.  

Registration Information

Registration is now open!

*$40 (youth) /$30 (adult) thru Saturday, 3/1/2025
*$50 (youth) /$40 (adult) thru Saturday, 3/22/2025
*$55 (youth) /$45 (adult) as of Sunday, 3/23/2025 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 04/10/25, at which time online entry closes.
*$65 (youth) / $50 (adult) Late entry (after regular online entry closes), IF space is available. Link will be available from the time regular online entry closes thru 9:30am Saturday 4/12/2025.  All scholastic late entries receive a 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begin play in round 2. Open section first round play requires registration and payment before 8:45am Saturday.

Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday 04/09/25 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No exceptions. 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.
*K-12 Elite: Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 04/11/2025. All 1/2-point byes must be requested or removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.
*Open section: Will be paired onsite.  Round 1 changes must be made no later than 8:45am.

Email Lori Balkum, registrar (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 ONLINE TLA!

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Paragon Prep April 2025 Scholastic Tournament

The last Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament of the school year, held on April 12, 2025  All sections are G/25, +5.  Trophies and medals awarded top individuals AND teams! A tournament for adults and youth rated 1000+ offered as well! 
A (timed) chess puzzle contest will be held from 10am – 4pm (come when you have free time). $5 entry onsite (venmo or cash). Trophies to top winner(s) in each age bracket.

Registration is open!

Verify your entry on the Advance Entry (Pre-registration) list. 

Basics

USCF rated chess tournament on April 12th in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-3 U400, K-5 U600, K-5 U1000, 6-12 U600, and 6-12 U1000. Please note: all scholastic players rated 1000 and over must play in the Open or K-12 Elite sections. View the Advance Entry List online. Please note, at the event 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 U400 section is excused from taking notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering

Location

Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757

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, 2025. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out. (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. JTPs ok in K-3 U400 only.)

“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 so we can offer more prizes. Sections with fewer than 20 entries may be merged into a similar section to provide optimal pairings and competition.

Please note: April 2024 ‘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.  Requests to play down will not be honored. FYI: Any event that is rated after March 19th will not affect your April supplement rating, as those events takes place after April ratings are calculated.

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!
8:00 a.m. Chess Control opens for onsite registration.  Onsite registrations before 9:30am accepted, but must start play in round 2.
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/25, +5.
9:00 a.m. Open section (different event allowing adults) begins. Open has 4 rounds, all rounds are are G/45, +5.
9:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Chess control open for event issues. 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.

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!

Food will be offered for purchase.  You may also bring lunch and snacks.  Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

Proper handwashing and adherence to COVID 19 exposure guidelines mandatory!

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, Siblings, Parents, Grandparents, or coach paired with at least one scholastic aged player.)

Registration Information

Registration is now open!

*$40 thru Saturday, 3/1/2025
*$50 thru Saturday, 3/22/2025
*$55 as of Sunday, 3/23/2025 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 04/10/25, at which time online entry closes.
*$65 Onsite entry, if space is available . Receives 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begins play in round 2.

Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday, 4/09/2025 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No exceptions. 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 04/11/2025. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.

Email Lori Balkum, registrar (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 ONLINE TLA!

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2025 TCA South Texas Scholastic Championship

An in person, 7 round USCF USCF rated chess tournament on the weekend of March 15-16, 2025 for scholastic players in grades K thru 12 who live in Texas. Visit the EVENT WESBITE!

Where
Stillman Middle School
3450 W. Alton Gloor Blvd
Brownsville, TX 78520

Playing Hall: Spacious and comfortable classrooms designated as playing areas for each section.

Skittles Area: A designated space for players to relax, review games, and socialize between rounds.

Concessions: Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the event.

Important note:  Players, coaches, and parents should arrive early to allow time for parking and finding the designated areas.

Who is eligible to play:
This event is open ONLY to students attending Texas Schools, including home schoolers residing in Texas. 
All players in this event must be in 12th grade (or lower).
Eligibility description

All players must have a current USCF ID and your membership (can be purchased/renewed at check out or online with the USCF in advance of registration). Your membership may not expire before March 31, 2025. 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.

Sections
This event offers 9 rated sections: (March 2025 ratings used)
Choose your section based upon your grade level. There is no ‘playing up’. Review the TCA rules for section placement.

  • “Championship” sections are open to all players, including Unrated, with the grades specified.  JV sections are only open to those with established or provisional US Chess ratings below that threshold, including Unrated.
  • Ratings for pairings and section purposes are according to US Chess  Regular over the board ratings, using the US Chess March 2025 Rating Supplement. This event will be US Chess regular rated after it concludes.
  • Students may play only in a Championship or JV section allowed by their grade and rating.
  • If a player does not have an established US Chess rating in the March 2025 Rating Supplement (and is therefore “unrated”), then he/she may play in any section allowed for his/her grade.
  • The tournament staff will have discretion over section placement.

Schedule – 7 rounds
The schedule page can be found online!
All Championship except for K-1 play G/45, d5, All JV sections AND K-1 Championship play G/30, d5

Awards
Awards to the top 15 individuals and the top 10 teams in each of the 9 sections.

The top finisher in each Championship section will be named 2025 State Champion for that section!

The top player(s) in all Championships vie for the opportunity to represent Texas in National tournaments!

Registration and information
Register, request or renew a USCF membership (optional if not expired!) and pay online. The entry fees are:
Early Bird:  $53 until March 1st
Standard:  $83 from March 2nd to March 8th
Last Call:  $103 after March 8th, including onsite.

Register via email! (download the official batch registration form and email it in to stillmanchess@bisd.us

Visit the event website for full details. Contact the organizer ( Mr. Louis Leal, 956-698-1000, stillmanchess@bisd.us) for with general inquiries.

For general inquiries about the tournament, team rooms, registration, or any other details, please contact us at the information provided above.

We’re here to assist you and ensure you have a smooth and successful experience at this year’s championship. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

2025 TCA South Texas State Scholastic Championship Online TLA!