USCF rated Scholastic chess tournament in 11 sections held on February 22, 2025 at NYOS Charter School. Trophies, medals, and regional championships awarded.
Weather Announcement:
The tournament is still on! Please allow extra time for a safe arrival! If conditions are questionable in the morning, I will post a phone number on the website to contact for delayed arrivals. If you wish to request a 1st round bye in advance, please email asap. I will hold off pairing as long as possible, but we must pair on Friday.
Please register late/onsite. Complete your ‘onsite registration’ online in advance or at the event by clicking on the link and filling out the form. Onsite entry closes at 9:45am on Saturday 02/22/2025 or when we max out our playing space, whichever comes first. Registration into round 2 is now closed.
View the Advance Entry List !
Follow your Pairings and Standings!
Day-of reminders:
+Read our player reminders (you are responsible for all this info!)
+No Check in necessary. You have paid, so you will play!
+Playing locations (campus map):
–High School Championship – rm 100, bldg A
–Middle School Championship – rms 100 & 101, bldg A
–Elementary Championship – rm 324, bldg 2
–Primary Championship – rm 422, bldg 2
ALL Varsity, JV, and Novice Sections – gym, bldg 3
+Championship sections start at 8:15am with announcements at 8:00!
+Non-Championship sections start at 9:00am with announcements at 8:40!
+Pairings will be online.
+Food will be offered for purchase (see description of offerings below). You may also bring lunch and snacks. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.
+Watch for a player reminder email. Check your junk folder!
A note regarding concessions from the NYOS Chess Club Organizer:
Additionally, a limited amount of chess themed pens, pencils, erasers, and keychains will be available for purchase.
Cash and Venmo accepted.
Basics
USCF rated chess tournament on February 22nd in eleven RATED scholastic sections with fancy names:
Primary Championship (any Pre-K-3, JTP Ok)
Primary JV (PreK-3, U600, JTP Ok)
Primary Novice (PreK-3, U300, JTP Ok)
Elementary Championship (any Pre-K-5/6*)
Elementary Varsity (PreK – 5/6*, U900)
Elementary JV (PreK – 5/6*, U600)
Elementary Novice (PreK – 5/6*, U300)
Middle School Championship (any 5/6*-8/9*)
Middle School Varsity (5/6* – 8/9*, U1000)
High School Championship (all 9-12)
High School Varsity (9-12, U1000)
* Elementary sections are restricted to Elementary students. Middle School sections are restricted to Middle School students. Homeschoolers should follow traditional age guidelines, with 6th grade age players in Middle School.
This is a Swiss-system tournament, so everyone plays all day—there is no “elimination.” Players must reside and attend school in Region VI. Players must know how to play the game of chess! We follow USCF rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks if available, and notation. Primary (K-3) are excused from taking notation. If you are K-3 and choose to play in an Elementary section, you must take notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering. Please note, at the event pairings will be posted only online.
We also offer an ‘Open’ Chess Tournament for any adults as well as scholastic players who live out of the Region. Special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams (Uncles, Aunts, Parents, Grandparents, or Adult Siblings paired with at least one scholastic aged player.).
Location
NYOS Charter School
12333 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78753
Chess play will take place in classrooms (Championship sections) and the gym (non-championship sections).
Review a map of the campus.
Eligibility
This is a rated tournament. You must reside and attend school in Region VI in order to participate.
This tournament is an official Texas Chess Association sanctioned event. TCA has specific guidelines on section placement. If you are unsure of which section you should choose, please read a description of the TCA guidelines.
“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 ask your chess coach for placement information, or email the registrar (registrar@austinchesstournaments.com).
In an effort to produce a clear winner, any section that grows too large may be divided into two sections, or small similar sections may be combined. In the case of a late split, sections will be combined for team trophy calculations.
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 February 28, 2025. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out. (JTPs ok in Primary (K-3) sections only. New players in 3rd grade and below must request a non-member ID as a part of USCF’s Junior Tournament Player Program during registration). No registration is complete without a valid USCF ID.
Please note: February Supplement ‘Regular’ OTB ratings will be used for pairing purposes. If no regular rating is available, then other February 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. Please, verify your entry ONLINE!
8:00 a.m Announcements begin in championship playing rooms.
8:15a.m. Rd 1 begins in Championship sections. Rds 1-3, G/45, d5/ Rds 4-5, G/60, d5
8:30 a.m Announcements begin in Varsity, JV and Novice playing hall.
Players and coaches should be present.
9:00 a.m. Rd 1 begins in the Varsity, JV and Novice playing hall. 5 rounds of G/30, d5.
9:15 Open section (separate event allowing adults and non-R6 residents) begins. Open has 4 rounds, all rounds are are G/45, d5.
7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Chess Control 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. Onsite registration may or may not be available – contingent on turnout and space.
Round Times
Championship Sections:
rd 1 – 8:15am, rd 2 – 10:15am, rd 3 – 12:15 pm, rd 4 – 2:15 pm
rd 5 – 4:30 pm
Varsity, JV, and Novice Sections:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 11:00am, rd 3 – 12:45 pm, rd 4 – 2:30 pm
rd 5 – 4:00 pm
Notes
Awards
Trophies to the top individuals in each scholastic section (4.0 and above).
Medals to positive scores (3.0 and 3.5), not receiving a trophy.
Ribbons to all participants!
Trophies to the top teams in all sections.
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. NO EXCEPTIONS. Please register late/onsite. Complete your ‘onsite registration’ online – either in advance or at the event. Onsite entry closes at 9:30am on Saturday 04/12/2025 or when we max out our playing space, whichever comes first.
*October entry $35 thru Thursday, 10/31/2024
* November entry $40 thru Saturday, 11/30/2024
* December entry $45 thru Tuesday, 12/31/2024
* January entry $50 thru Friday, 01/31/2025
* February entry $55 thru Thursday, 02/20/2025. Online entry closes at NOON.
*Late/Onsite entries $60 (IF ALLOWED) and an online link will be provided. Onsite entries will receive a bye in round 1. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Withdrawals requested via email before noon on Thursday 02/20/2025 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 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 the close of online registration, noon on Thursday, 02/20/2025. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.
Questions
General chess tournament/registration answers, as well as information specific to the Region VI Championships, is available on our FAQ list. Please refer to this list before you contact Lori with questions.
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 our ONLINE TLA!
Special Information Regarding National Summer Invitationals:
For the upcoming National Summer Invitational tournaments (Rockefeller, Barber, Denker, Haring), the Texas Chess Association has recently decided to hold a qualifier tournament rather than simply sending the state champion to compete in each. A representative from each region of Texas will be among the participants for each section of the qualifier tournament.
Our Region VI representatives for the Rockefeller, Barber, and Denker sections of the Texas qualifier event will be the champions of their respective sections* at the Region VI Championships to be held on February 22nd in Austin.
More information to come regarding Haring qualification; you can email txchessmom@gmail.com with questions about Haring qualification in the meantime.
*If the Region VI champion also qualifies through either the North or South State Championship events, the Region VI 2nd place finisher will represent Region VI in the qualifier tournament.