Another Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament in multiple sections on October 5, 2024 in celebration of National Chess Week. 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!
Verify your entry on the Advance Entry (Pre-registration) list.
Thank you for playing! Final Results are online! The tournament has been rated by the USCF.
Day-of reminders:
+We play in the ELEMENTARY BUILDING on Great Northern. This is tbe building behind the big black middle school building!
+Read our player reminders (you are responsible for all this info!)
+Pairings will be online.
+Playing locations (changes have been boldfaced! – current as of 5pm on Friday 10/4): K-3 U400 in Room 121, K-5 U600 in Room 113, K-5 U1000 in Room 114, 6-12 U600 in Room 122, 6-12 U1000 in Room 114. (building map).
+We start promptly at 9am! Announcements start at 8:45!
+NO LUNCH CONCESSIONS will be offered (only light snacks and drinks will be available for purchase)
+Watch for a player reminder email – check your junk folder!
Basics
USCF rated chess tournament on October 5th 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 October 31, 2024. 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: October 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 September 18th will not affect your October supplement rating, as those events takes place after October 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!
No concessions are currently offered. Please 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
*$35 thru Saturday, 8/31/2024
*$40 thru Saturday, 9/14/2024
*$45 thru Saturday, 9/28/2024
*Late entry $50 begins Sunday, 9/29/2024 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 10/3/24, at which time online entry closes.
*$60 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, 10/2/24 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 10/4/2024. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.
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).
