Tag: chess

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C.J. presents Chess in the Hill Country – Llano 2023 Open Chess Tournament

Basics

An hour west of Austin the asphalt turns to lush hills and sparkling waters.  Llano is located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country – only 72 miles northwest of Austin and 90 miles northwest of San Antonio! Once here, there is more to make you stop than our 4 traffic lights!  Come and spend the weekend in Llano! Let’s play some chess!

CJ Ares is sponsoring the club’s inaugural Llano Open Chess Tournament! The event will be organized by Rocks & Rooks. This is a USCF rated 5SS chess tournament on November 11-12, 2023 in two RATED scholastic sections: Open and Reserve U1200. The tournament offers a guaranteed prize fund of $1000!

View Advance Entry List.  

Thank you for playing! Visit our final standings page.  The event has been rated by the USCF.

This is a Swiss-system tournament, so everyone plays all day—there is no “elimination.” We follow USCF rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks if available, and notation. Less experienced youth are encouraged to register for the 2023 Llano Scholastic Tournament. 

Location

Saturday
First Baptist Church of Llano
Fellowship Hall
907 Berry St
Llano, TX 78643

Sunday
Sandstone Street Bed & Breakfast
508 East Sandstone
Llano, TX 78643

Eligibility

This is a rated tournament intended for all adults and more advance  youth players.

You 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) . 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 November 30, 2023. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out.

Schedule and Time Controls

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!

Saturday (at First Baptist Llano):
Onsite Registration 8-8:30am only IF space is available.
9 a.m. – Round 1 (G/60, +10)
1:00pm – Round 2 (G/90, +30)
6:30pm – Round 3 (G/90, +30)

 

Sunday (at the Sandstone Street B&B):
10:00 am – Round 4 (G/90, +30)
3:30 pm – Round 5 (G/90, +30)

Byes

*No changes for round 1 after 9am on Friday 11/10/2023.
*Requests for section changes, byes, withdrawals, etc. go in effect immediately if made via email before the close of online registration.
*Changes requested onsite go into effect as of round 2.
All 1/2 point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.
*Onsite registrations may receive a 1st round bye if you arrive too late.  Please arrive by 8:35am to register onsite and secure a 1st round pairing.

Registration Information

Entry fees are staggered and we’d like for you to register early! Online registration is closed. Please register onsite!
Veteran discount available (see below)! Contact the registrar!

  • $25 if received by Saturday, 10/28/2023, 11:59 p.m. CST.
  • $40 thru Thursday,11/9/2023, 12:00 noon CST.
  • $50 on-site

 

Active duty military or Veterans, who email the registrar before registering and provide their service branch and time frame served, will be given a 50% off coupon code for their entry.

Withdrawals requested via email before online registration closes are eligible for a refund (minus a $5 service fee to cover CC processing fees).

No refunds for USCF memberships after purchased from the USCF. NO email/phone entries.

Questions?

For registration questions – contact  Lori Balkum, registrar (registrar@AustinChessTournaments.com).  No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.

For questions about Llano and the chess venue – contact JoLeigh Ares, sponsor (joleighares@yahoo.com)

View our ONLINE TLA!

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ACC USCF G/24 Quick-Rated Swiss

A one-day tournament on October 7th offering G/24 with 5 sec. delay per move. 4 Round Swiss. Sections dependent on turnout. EF: $15.00 all. USCF membership required.  Online registration and payment suggested.

Austin Chess Club is a wonderful atmosphere for the mature, experienced chess player. Scholastic players are welcome, but expected to play quiet, serious chess. We suggest that scholastic players have reached a rating of 400 before participating.  USCF membership must not expire before October 31, 2023. Please renew with the USCF (https://new.uschess.org/) before coming to the event.

We would like to start on-time. Please arrive early. Entries must be received and paid in full by 3:45pm. Online entry preferred.

Cost is $15/player. We would like the first round to begin at 4:00pm sharp. Doors open at 3:00pm, so please arrive early. Follow the signs to our meeting areas.

Please bring a set and a board and some patience as we get used to our new surroundings. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again and meeting new people!

Location:
The Upbring School of Arts and Sciences
3407 Red River St
Austin TX 78705

Finding the club Click for picture of area.
FIND THE ENTRANCE: Enter the front parking lot of the school via Luther Lane (green line on photo). Find the elevator outside the building (marked on photo by green dot);
go up the stairs to enter via the door, follow the hallway until you find lit classrooms.
PARKING: Additional parking may be found at:

  • St. Paul Lutheran Church parking lot (marked by a blue blotch)
  • Sabina Apartments (underground?) parking, open to the public

For more information about the Austin Chess Club, click here.
Please read the website before contacting us. Contact information is available at http://austinchessclub.com/. Please read the website thoroughly before emailing with questions.

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Sunday Open Play at the Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy – Cancelled

Free Open Play was offered on Sundays thru 7/1/2024 at the Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy. No longer available. Please see our website for other opportunities.

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy

 ***NEW ADDRESS!!!***
12466 Los Indios Trail
Suite 100
Austin, TX 78729-7934
Free parking provided!

Sunday Open Play is no longer available.  We hope to see you at one of our tournaments!

For any questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com.

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Waco October 14 Swiss – National Chess Day Tournament

Rated National Chess Day Tourament 4SS in 4 sections. This event takes place on October 14, 2023. Limited to 60 players!
View the pre-registration list here!
The tournament is currently full.  You’ll find the Waiting List Registration here!

Location
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church
1624 Wooded Acres Dr
Waco, TX 76710

The church is behind the Target shopping center. Enter through main doors and turn right. The tournament room is at the end the of hallway.

Sections

  • Over 1800
  • Under 1800
  • Under 1300
  • Under 800

Rounds and Times
Four Rounds

  • Registration & Check-in for all sections: 8:50 to 9:10 AM
  • Round One (all sections): 9:15 AM

The Under sections have a time control of G/45,d5

  • Round Two: 11:00 AM
  • Round Three: 1:15 PM (after lunch)
  • Round Four: 3:00 PM


The Over 1800 section has a time control of G/60,d5

  • Round Two: 11:30 AM
  • Round Three: 2:00 PM (after lunch)
  • Round Four: 4:15 PM
  • $20 – Cash only (exact change appreciated). Paid when you arrive to tournament. 
  • 1st & 2nd Place Cash Prizes in each section, amount based on the number of entries. The prize list will be posted on-site, after the start of Round 1.

Registration Link and tournament info

  • Onsite Registration is 8:50 – 9:10 AM.  If you show up onsite without preregistering, there’s a chance the tournament will already be full.
  • Pre-registered not checked in by 9:10am will not be paired in round 1, unless you notify us (via email or text) that you are on the way.
  • (For parents registering children, you may enter the parent email and phone number, but please enter the player’s name.)

Details

  • Please bring a clock if you have one! We will provide chess sets.
  • US Chess Membership is required. Please be responsible for your membership prior to the event to help the organizers and prevent delays.
  • Notation is required.  Notation sheets and pens will be available if needed.

Questions

For questions or problems registering, please email or text:
Dan Shafer (daniel_m_shafer@baylor.edu)
Deborah Shafer (dshaferchess@yahoo.com)
Or visit our site (wacochess.org)

Read our ONLINE TLA!

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Waco September Swiss

Rated 4SS in 3 sections; G/45, d5. This event takes place on September 30, 2023. Limited to 60 players!

Location
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church
1624 Wooded Acres Dr
Waco, TX 76710

The church is behind the Target shopping center. Enter through main doors and turn right. The tournament room is at the end the of hallway.

Sections

  • Championship (Open)
  • Under 1600
  • Under 1000

Rounds and Times
Four Rounds at a time control of G/45;d5

  • Registration & Check-in: 9:00 to 9:20 AM
  • Round One: 9:30 AM
  • Round Two: 11:10 AM
  • Round Three: 1:30 PM (after lunch)
  • Round Four: 3:10 PM
  • $20 – Cash only (exact change appreciated). Paid when you arrive to tournament. 
  • Cash Prizes– Based on the number of entries

Registration Link and tournament info

  • Onsite Registration is 9:00 – 9:20 AM.  If you show up onsite without preregistering, there’s a chance the tournament will already be full.
  • Pre-registered not checked in by 9:20am will not be paired in round 1, unless you notify us (via email or text) that you are on the way.
  • (For parents registering children, you may enter the parent email and phone number, but please enter the player’s name.)

Details

  • Please bring a clock if you have one! We will provide chess sets.
  • US Chess Membership is required. Please be responsible for your membership prior to the event to help the organizers and prevent delays.
  • Notation is required.  Notation sheets and pens will be available if needed.

Questions

For questions or problems registering, please email or text:
Dan Shafer (daniel_m_shafer@baylor.edu)
Deborah Shafer (dshaferchess@yahoo.com)
Or visit our site (wacochess.org)

Read our ONLINE TLA!

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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!

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Chess For Trees Spring Scholastic Championship – April 2023

Chess For Trees is a nonprofit.

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 April 28th at midnight.
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.

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 Scholastic Champion – K-12 tournament, and if you’re playing in the Open section join the Scholastic Champion – K-5 tournament.

Please note:
Both sections will start at 11 AM CST on 4/29.

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 4/27.

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

Read our Online TLA!

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ACC USCF Dual-Rated G/45 Swiss

This slow swiss takes place over 2 weeks, with 2 games on April 8th and 2 games on April 15th. G/45 with 5 second delay.  4 round Swiss. Sections dependent on turnout. EF: $15.00 all. Online registration/payment  requested.

USCF membership must not expire before April 30, 2023. Please renew with the USCF (https://new.uschess.org/) before coming to the event.

Austin Chess Club is a wonderful atmosphere for the mature, experienced chess player.  Scholastic players are welcome, but expected to play quiet, serious chess. Each round go down to the wire!

Last chance registration happens onsite 3:00-3:45pm on April 8th. No pre-registration for round 1 is necessary. Email pre-registration is accepted; however, online payment  is preferred)! If you email to register, you must show up and pay no later than 3:45pm! First round begins at 4pm. Please be on time! Participants who wish to enter the tournament late may email Austin Chess Club. Late entry must be made (emailed) before 10am on Saturday, April 15th to secure a round 3 pairing.

Location:
The Upbring School of Arts and Sciences
3407 Red River St
Austin TX 78705

Finding the club Click for picture of area.
FIND THE ENTRANCE: Enter the front parking lot of the school via Luther Lane (green line on photo). Find the elevator outside the building (marked on photo by green dot);
go up the stairs to enter via the door, follow the hallway until you find lit classrooms.
PARKING: Additional parking may be found at:

  • St. Paul Lutheran Church parking lot (marked by a blue blotch)
  • Sabina Apartments (underground?) parking, open to the public

For more information about the Austin Chess Club, click here.
Please read the website before contacting us. Contact information is available at http://austinchessclub.com/. (Please read the website before emailing with questions.)

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Summer Chess Camp 2 at Huntington Learning Center

Description: A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by the Huntington Learning Center in Round Rock from July 31 – August 4, 2023.  Featuring Candidate Master Craig LaSalle. All scholastic players age 6 to 13 (rated up to USCF 1300) are invited to register!

Students will focus on the chess fundamentals, including opening strategy, endgame strategy, checkmating pattens, and tactics.  Students will experience a balance of chess play and instruction.

View our event flyer for a description of a typical day at camp!

Date and Time: 
2nd camp session: July 31 – August 4, 2023, 8:30am – 4pm

Registration:
To register, please fill out the registration form.  
You may also call 512-910-4051 or email roundrocktx@hlcmail.com.

Location:
Huntington Learning Center
2800 South Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Ste 150
Round Rock, TX 78681

Questions:
Contact Huntington Learning Center, 512-910-4051 if you have questions about registering for this event.
Contact Craig LaSalle, activepieces@hotmail.com if you have questions about chess content.

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Summer Chess Camp 1 at Huntington Learning Center

Description: A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by the Huntington Learning Center in Round Rock from June 12-16, 2023.  Featuring Candidate Master Craig LaSalle. All scholastic players age 6 to 13 (rated up to USCF 1300) are invited to register!

Local Candidate Master Coach Craig LaSalle will lead these chess camps.  Craig has over 20 years of coaching experience and has coached at Laurel Mountain Elementary for ten years.  Craig is enthusiastic and engaging and has mastered the knack of listening and then simplifying complex situations at the board.

Students will focus on the chess fundamentals, including opening strategy, endgame strategy, checkmating pattens, and tactics.  Students will experience a balance of chess play and instruction.

View our event flyer for a description of a typical day at camp!

Date and Time: 
1st camp session: June 12-16, 2023, 8:30am – 4pm

Registration:
To register, please fill out the registration form.  
You may also call 512-910-4051 or email roundrocktx@hlcmail.com.

Location:
Huntington Learning Center
2800 South Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Ste 150
Round Rock, TX 78681

Questions:
Contact Huntington Learning Center, 512-910-4051 if you have questions about registering for this event.
Contact Craig LaSalle, activepieces@hotmail.com if you have questions about chess content.