Category: Past Events

Posted on by

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament

We are hosting another Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament on September 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  USCF Membership required.   Capacity: 40 players! *First 5 players above 1900 USCF to register get a minimum guaranteed prize of $50 if they finish all their games.

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
7801 North Lamar Blvd
Suite A123
Austin, TX 78752
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
SECTION A: 1,400+ USCF rated
SECTION B: Under 1,400 USCF rated and/or unrated.
*Note that no player will be allowed to play up or down*
**If there are not enough players in a given section, we reserve the right to merge them**
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*

RATING INFORMATION:
● September official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.

4-Round Swiss System Schedule
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:30 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:00 PM
●  3rd round: 2:00 PM.
●  4th round: 3:30 PM.
●  Closing ceremony: After the last game finishes.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
●  Online: $50 at https://austin-chess.com by September 15th, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
●  On-site: $60 on September 16th via PayPal or cash (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/uscf-rated/

PRIZES:
●  1400+ section : $400, $150, $100 + medals
●  U1400: $150, $100, $50 + medals

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance for a $35 refund. We reserve the right to charge a $15 service fee for cancellations. 

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director and sign a withdrawal form in the lobby prior to leaving the premises. 

NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins. 

NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.

Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns. 

Posted on by

Spicewood Springs Chess Club Online Charity Chess Tournament

The Spicewood Springs Chess club will have a charity chess tournament on July 30th, 2023. The tournament is USCF ONLINE RATED.

The Basics:
The format is a 5 round swiss, with a G15+2 time control. The tournament will be held on chess.com on July 30th at 10am, CST. All participants must have a chess.com account and an ACTIVE USCF membership (cannot expire before 7/31/2023 – no JTP’s). All proceeds will be donated to Children’s Hope India.

Registration and Payment:
Register online here!
The entry fee is $12. Payment will be made on PayPal. Registration (and the date to withdraw) closes on July 27th More details can be found on our registration form.

Current Memberships required:
Please join chess.com and USCF.

Details on how to join chess.com can be found here.

The tournament will be held through our chess.com club, so all participants must join. A link to join can be found here.

Details on how to create a USCF membership can be found here.

Chess.com has certain Fair-Play regulations in order to minimize cheating. These can be found here. If a Fair-Play violation is detected, you will be banned from chess.com, and will not be able to play tournaments with us for six months.

Children’s Hope India:
Children’s Hope India (or CHI) is a charity that lifts children from poverty to prosperity by providing education, nutrition, medical care and career building.

More about CHI can be found here.

Reminder:
The tournament starts at 10:00 A.M. CST on July 30th.

Questions:
If you have any questions, please email us at swspringschessclub@gmail.com.

Posted on by

NEW DATE! Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament

To avoid conflicts with other local area events, we have changed our date to August 26th!

We are hosting another Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament on August 26, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  USCF Membership required.  Free Parking.  Capacity: 40 players! *First 5 players above 1900 USCF to register get a minimum guaranteed prize of $50 if they finish all their games.

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
7801 North Lamar Blvd
Suite A123
Austin, TX 78752
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
SECTION A: 1,400+ USCF rated
SECTION B: Under 1,400 USCF rated and/or unrated.
*Note that no player will be allowed to play up or down*
**If there are not enough players in a given section, we reserve the right to merge them**
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*

RATING INFORMATION:
● August official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.

4-Round Swiss System Schedule
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:30 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:00 PM
●  3rd round: 2:00 PM.
●  4th round: 3:30 PM.
●  Closing ceremony: After the last game finishes.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
●  Online: $50 at https://austin-chess.com by August 25th, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
●  On-site: $60 on August 26th via PayPal or cash (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/uscf-rated/

PRIZES:
●  1400+ section : $400, $150, $100 + medals
●  U1400: $150, $100, $50 + medals

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance for a $35 refund. We reserve the right to charge a $15 service fee for cancellations. 

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director and sign a withdrawal form in the lobby prior to leaving the premises. 

NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins. 

NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.

Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns. 

Posted on by

Alamo City Summer Open

Come beat the heat and play some chess!  This is a USCF regular-rated chess tournament on July 8th and 9th open all chess players.  We will play 4 rounds on Saturday and slow it down on Sunday for the last two rounds.

Location:
Weybridge Clubhouse
10280 Dover Ridge
San Antonio, TX 78250

Sections:
● Open

Time Control:
● Round 1 – 4 are G/60 +5
● Rounds 5 – 6 are G/90 + 30

Schedule:
● Saturday July 8, 2023
● Registration: 9am
● Round 1: 10:00am
● Round 2: 12:30pm
● Round 3: 3:30pm
● Round 4: 6:00pm
● Sunday July 9, 2023
● Round 5: 10:00am
● Round 6: 3:00pm

May request 1/2 point bye before 8/7, no last round bye; No Re-entry

Entry and Registration:
● $45
● Online registration available
www.kingregistration.com/event/acsummeropen23
● Phone: 305.323.9635 (text is best)
● PayPal: officialSATXchess210@gmail.com (F&F; G&S w/fee)
● Advance entry (address): Aaron Reyes, Treasurer, 206 National Blvd., Universal City, TX 78148

Please remember that your USCF membership must be current.

Prizes/Awards:
● Open section: 1ST- $300, 2ND- $175, 3RD- $120, U1700- $90, U1400- $70, U1100- $45
● Guaranteed prizes: 1ST- $200, 2ND- $115, 3RD- $80, 4TH- $60, 5TH- $45

Misc Details:
●Venue has kitchen, may bring own food and beverages!
●Bring own set and clocks (there may not be enough on hand)

 

Please email the organizer (Angel Reyes, officialSATXchess210@gmail.com) for all other information!

Posted on by

2023 Southwest Scholastic Chess Championships

A 1 day tournament on Saturday, September 2, 2023 for scholastic players (Pre-K thru 12th grade) in 4 sections (mixed ages).  All sections play G/25, d 5.

Event website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/SW-Scholastic

Location:
Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental
15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
(take the JFK exit off of Beltway 8 in north Houston near IAH Airport)

Sections:
USCF rated chess tournament on September 2nd in four RATED scholastic sections.
Section I (1000+)
Section II (700-999)
Section III (400-699)
Section IV (unrated-399) 
All sections will use US Chess Sept 2023 Rating Supplement (Regular OTB Ratings) for pairings and prizes.

Prizes:
Trophies awarded to the top 8 Individuals and top 3 teams in each section.
Commemorative medals awarded to all players!

An awards ceremony will follow the last round.

Round Times:
Round 1: 9am
Round 2: 10:15am
Round 3: 11:30am
Lunch Break:  12:30-1:30pm
Round 4: 1:30pm
Round 5: 2:45pm
(all round times are approximate)

Two 1/2-point byes are available for any round.  You must advise the Chief Tournament Director or Organizer upon registration or arrival to the tournament by 9am on Saturday if you need to skip a round.

Important Expectations:
Players are expected to
#1 Bring a clock and writing instrument. We will be providing boards and sets only for the scholastic event. If you do not own a chess clock, you may purchase one at the chess store on-site.
#2 inform the organizer/TD via text message to 281.698.0068 if you will miss a round or are running very late (please do this at least 15 min prior to the start time of the round)
#3 know how to set your own clock – guidelines here
#4 parents are responsible for their children in between rounds – please ensure they are on their best behavior both during a round and afterwards
#5 if both kids arrive to a board without a clock then they will start the game without a clock and one may be added by a TD when nearing the last ten minutes of the round

Other information:
No parents or coaches in the playing room during play.
See the event website for information on notation, electronic notaton devices, and the possibility of playing in the open and scholastic events simultaneously.

Questions:
Contact us via email to “southwestopen@gmail.com”.
You can also text message to 281.698.0068.
(Text messaging is preferred – calls will likely not be answered right away.)

Please identify yourself and the player’s name for reference.
Voicemails are welcome!

Chess Control will be in the XXXX room at the event to address any tournament related inquiries.

Posted on by

89th Annual Southwest Open

Event website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/89SWO
View or download the event flyer!

Overview: 7SS G/90 with 30 sec inc.  Tournament has 3 Sections. Sep 1-4 or Sept 2-4, 2023

Venue: Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental, 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
(take the JFK exit off of Beltway 8 in north Houston near IAH Airport). Hotel rates: $95+tax. Reserve online or call 281-442-5100 or 800-325-3535 and mention 2023 Southwest Open by 8/25 .  Hotel has complimentary hotel shuttle to/from IAH airport (call 281-442-5100 for details). Complimentary on-site parking.  Off-site overflow parking is at Doubletree by Hilton (across the street).

Open Section: This section is FIDE rated and uses FIDE rules.  USCF rules/ratings used for awarding prizes. USCF ratings used for pairing purposes.  Please check tournament website for rules about FIDE registration. $$ 1,200 -800-600-400-200, 2200-2399 $750, 2000-2199 $700, U2000 $650.

Reserve Section: Open to U2000. $ This section is FIDE rated and uses FIDE rules. Please check tournament website for rules about FIDE registration. $ 900-600-400. Class/section Prizes will be determined at tournament based on entries. Unrateds may play in this section but only win place prizes.

Novice Section: Opened to U1400 and Unrated. This section is USChess rated only. $ 900-600-400. Class/section Prizes (if any) will be determined at tournament based on entries. Unrateds may play in this section but only win place prizes.

“Champion’s Plaque” awarded to the 1st Place finisher in each section.  In the event of ties, plaque and trophy winners will be determined by US Chess tiebreaks (MSCO).  Official Sept 2023 US Chess Rating Supplement used.

“Commemorative Chess Clock” for the oldest player and for the player whose home is the furthest from the venue (among all sections).

Entry fees: EF: $109 if received by 8/18, $120 by 8/25, $132 thereafter and on-site. Titled players (GM, IM, WGM, WIM) $0 EF (register online).

Register online today.  If you wish to register and pay by US mail, instructions are on the event website for doing so.

Rounds:  4 day:  Rounds. Fri.: 7:00 pm, Sat.: 2:00 pm & 7:0, Sun: 11:00 am & 4:30 pm, Mon.: 9:00 am & 2:30 pm. 3 day: Rd. 1 on Sat. 9/2 at 9 am then merge with 4 day.  Up to two ½-pt byes available if requested before end of rd. 2, but byes for both rd. 6 AND 7 not permitted. Texas Chess Association meeting on Sunday 9/3 at 8:30 am.

Questions: Contact Franc or Kwunnie at southwestopen@gmail.com

Event website: https://www.kingregistration.com/event/89SWO

Posted on by

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament

We are hosting another Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy In-Person USCF Rated Tournament on July 15, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  USCF Membership required.  Free Parking.  Capacity: 40 players! *Free entry to the first 5 players rated over 1900 (USCF)! (deducted from their prize). Please email us at info@austin-chess.com to register if you are above 1900 USCF! 

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
7801 North Lamar Blvd
Suite A123
Austin, TX 78752
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
All players will be divided into two sections:
SECTION A: 1,000+ USCF rated
SECTION B: Under 1,000 USCF rated and/or unrated.
**If there are not enough players in a given section, we reserve the right to merge them**
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*

RATING INFORMATION:
● July official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.

4-Round Swiss System Schedule
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:30 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:00 PM
●  3rd round: 2:00 PM.
●  4th round: 3:30 PM.
●  Closing ceremony: After the last game finishes.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
●  Online: $50 at https://austin-chess.com by July 14th, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
●  On-site: $60 on July 15th via PayPal or cash (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/uscf-rated/

PRIZES:
●  Open: $200, $150, $100 + medals
●  U1000: $150, $100, $50 + medals

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance for a $35 refund. We reserve the right to charge a $15 service fee for cancellations. 

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director and sign a withdrawal form in the lobby prior to leaving the premises. 

NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins. 

NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.

Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns. 

Posted on by

Austin Chess Club 2023 Summer Championship

Thank you for Playing!
We were so happy with turnout that we’ve added a bit to the prize fund, bringing it to over $4800! Final awards have been posted.  The event has been rated by the USCF!

Description: USCF rated swiss chess tournament on August 5-6, 2023   We offer 3 sections and a guaranteed prize fund of $4500. There will be 5 rounds in total – everyone plays the same schedule. One 1/2 point bye available –  please request at time of registration if possible. Round 1 byes must be requested/removed by 8:30am Saturday morning.  Deadline to add or remove all other 1/2 point byes is noon on Saturday.

Final Results

LIMIT 80 people in any single section.

Location:
Doubletree NW Arboretum
8901 Business Park Dr
Austin, TX 78759

Round times (all sections):
• Onsite Registration 8-8:30am only IF space is available.
• Rounds 1, 2, & 3 starts promptly on Saturday, August 5th at 9:00am, 1:00pm, and 6:30pm.
• Rounds 4 & 5 starts promptly on Sunday, August 6th at 10:00am and 3:30pm.
No-shows in round 1 will be withdrawn and their games reassigned. Contact us(Lori Balkum and Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you are running late for any round or wish to withdraw! (Phone number will be posted onsite). This is showing common courtesy to your opponent!

Time controls (all sections):
• Rounds 1 : G/60, +10 sec.
• Rounds 2, 3, 4, & 5: G/90+30 sec.

Entry fee (all sections):
Entry fees are staggered and we’d like for you to register early!

  • $79 if received by Saturday, 7/8/2023, 11:59pm CST.
  • $99  thru Wednesday, 8/2/2023, 11:59 CST.
  • $119 onsite, IF space available. Any registrations made onsite after 8:30am receive a 1st point bye.

Withdrawal with refund available if requested by 9pm on Saturday, 7/29/2023.  After that time, no refunds. NO EXCEPTIONS. Any refunds will incur a $10 processing and transaction fee. $20 up-charges (listed below) are NON-refundable.

Please Register Onsite for Reserve or Championship
+A limited number of Reserve and Championship onsite registrations will be accepted.
+NO NOVICE onsite registrations accepted.

Sections and Prizes:
$4800 in prizes 100% guaranteed
One prize per person

Three Sections with class prizes.
Limit 80 entries in each section.
Players are only eligible for the prizes listed within their section.

(Championship 1800+) 
*Players rated 1700-1799 may pay an extra $20 at registration (non-refundable) to compete in this section, but are only eligible for place prizes*
• 1st -$900 2nd-$450 3rd-$335
• Expert(2000-2199): 1st -$330 2nd-$165
• Class A(1800-1999): 1st -$265 2nd-$120

(Reserve  1400-1799)
*Players rated 1300-1399 may pay an extra $20 at registration (non-refundable) to compete in this section, but are only eligible for place prizes*
• 1st -$500 2nd-$300 3rd-$225
• Class C (1400-1599): 1st -$220 2nd-$110

(Novice U1400)
• 1st -$310 2nd-$160 3rd-$100
• Class E (1000-1199): 1st -$140 2nd-$75
• U1000: 1st -$75
Because of the high number of registrations, the Novice U1400 section is now two separate sections. Participants in Novice U800 are only eligible for the prizes listed below.

(Novice youth U800)
• 1st -$65 2nd-$35

**August 2023 Supplement (‘Regular’ OTB) ratings will be used for pairings 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 up or down will not be honored.
**Unrated players will be placed at TD’s discretion and are only eligible for place prizes
*Unrated players must disclose foreign and online ratings before their section placement is considered complete.

Device Policy (all sections):
Internet enabled devices must be turned off completely during play (not just on silent) and must remain in the player’s bag or on the playing table.  Devices, including smart watches, may NOT be on the player’s person or leave the board during the games.  Penalties up to or including forfeiture of game for violations of this policy. Link to formal device policy.

Any notation devices must be reviewed and logged at chess control no later than 8:30am on Saturday to receive an approval card.  Please review the US Chess Notation Device policy. 

Spectators, if allowed, must have devices turned completely off.

Other misc details:
Bring your own board and increment capable clock if possible!
Only water (drinks) allowed at the chess board.  All food must remain outside the playing room.
We will provide an area for waiting parents and for players to review their chess games.  However, we will not babysit your kids.  No child should be left unattended.

Questions:
Contact Lori Balkum and Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you have questions about this event.

View our ONLINE TLA!

Posted on by

Win or Learn Chess Club Public Speaking and Casual Play

Description:
Public speaking and casual play event hosted by Win or Learn Chess Club. Kids will be able to participate in a “kids teach kids” session where they can practice public speaking.  Kids who wish to talk  will have up to 5 minutes to talk about anything chess related – this could be a memorable game they have played in the past, a famous chess player, the history of chess, some chess tactics/strategies, chess news, etc. There will be casual play for the rest of the meeting

Location:
Spicewood Springs Library
8637 Spicewood Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78759

Date and Time:
Saturday, June 10, 2023
1pm – 4pm

Price:
Free

Registration link:
 https://forms.gle/Q53hpyRovS2EMG7k7

Registration is only required for those who wish to participate in the public speaking session.

Reminders:
Please follow library rules and respect the other chess players.

Contact Information:
winorlearnchess@gmail.com

Posted on by

Chess For Trees Summer Scholastic Championship – June 2023

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, and you must be a current USCF member.

Instructions on how to create chess.com account, register to compete in USCF online rated events, and linking your USCF profile to your chess.com username can be found on the tournament website.

Registration Fee: $15
Registration closes on June 8th at midnight.
Register online today!

Prizes
Top 3 in each section will receive 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.

Note: Only people who have paid the registration fee will be admitted to 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-12 section then join the June Rapid – K-12 tournament, and if you’re playing in the K-5 section join the June Rapid – K-5 tournament.

Please note:
Both sections will start at 11 AM CST on 6/10.

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 6/7.

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