Category: Upcoming Events

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ACC USCF G/5 Rated Event

A one-day tournament on July 5th offering G/5, d3. Sections dependent on turnout. EF: $5.00 all. USCF membership required.  Online registration and payment available here.

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 July 5, 2025. 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 $5/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. We are looking forward to seeing you!

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/.

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Waco August 9 Swiss

Rated 4SS in 3 sections; G/45, d5. This event takes place on August 9, 2025. Limited to 60 players!

VIEW ENTRY LIST (This is manually entered, so it does not always reflect the most recent registrations.)

Location
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church
1624 Wooded Acres Dr
Waco, TX 76710
(free parking on site!)

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 to players rated 1400 and up)
  • U1600 (Open to players rated 800-1599)
  • U1000 (Open to players rated 1000 or less)
Notes on Sections:
-Players rated 1400-1599 may play in Under 1600 or play up to Championship.
-Players rated 800-999 may play in Under 1000 or play up to Under 1600.
-Most unrated players should play in the Under 1000 section. Please email us if you are unrated and want to play in a higher section.
*We go by monthly published ratings, but if your live current rating goes up before the tournament, you may email us and request to change sections.

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: 11:15 AM
  • Round Three: 1:30 PM (after lunch)
  • Round Four: 3:15 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 will be available if needed, but please bring a pencil or pen.

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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2025 Austin Summer Open

USCF rated swiss chess tournament on August 15-17, 2025, sponsored by the Austin Chess Club.   We offer FIVE sections and a guaranteed prize fund over $6000 and 30 Grand Prix Points. There will be 5 rounds in total over the weekend with two schedules. The Championship and Reserve sections are FIDE rated.

Advance registration is now open!  View the Advance Entry List.

View the Advance Entry List.
**If your August supplement rating is below the minimum for your section (Reserve or Championship) but your LIVE rating meets that minimum, you may email (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) and request to play up ($25 fee).  August Supplement ratings will be used for all pairings.**

Location

Austin Southpark Hotel
4140 Governors Row
Austin, TX 78744

Discounted group room rate at the Austin Southpark Hotel is only $95/night here: Book your group rate for the 2025 Austin Summer Open HERE

(This hotel has recently changed from a Marriott to Hilton property.  Please use the new link above for any new bookings. All previous bookings will be honored. )Please support the tournament by staying at the event hotel! The above room link is good thru (date pending).

Round Times

3-DAY
Round 1: Friday, 7:15pm (G/90, +30)
2-DAY
Round 1: Saturday, 9:00am (G/60, +10) (*Games in this round will not be FIDE rated*)

ALL PLAYERS (G/90, +30):
Round 2: Saturday, 1pm
Round 3: Saturday, 6:30pm
Round 4: Sunday, 10:00am
Round 5: Sunday 3:15pm

*Reentry: from 3-day to 2-day round 1 is available for a $40 fee. For entry into round 1, contact us no later than 8:30am, the Saturday of the event.

*If a player is 15 minutes late for round 1 without notice, they will be withdrawn. In Intermediate, Club, and Novice sections (non-FIDE) opponents’ games may be reassigned. Forfeit time for rounds 2-5 is 1 hour, but please contact us (Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com)) if you are running late for any round or wish to withdraw! (Phone number will be posted onsite and provided via email to players prior to round 1). This is showing common courtesy to your opponent!

Byes

Only ONE 1/2 point bye allowed.
*Deadline to request/remove half-point byes: Saturday 5pm, or before round 2 ends (whichever comes first for your section)
*Deadline to request zero-point byes/withdraw: before your section is paired for the affected round

Registration and Fees

Entry fees are staggered and we would like for you to register early! All Registrations (regular or late) will be completed online. Register Online!

  • $79 if received by Saturday, 06/21/2025, 11:59pm CST
  • $89 if received by Saturday, 07/12/2025, 11:59pm CST
  • $109 thru the Saturday before the tournament (08/09/2025), 11:59pm CST
  • $119 the week of the tournament, thru Thursday, 8/14/2025, 11:59pm CST
  • $129 on Friday and onsite, IF space available. Any registrations for the 3-day schedule made after 5:45pm receive a 1st round bye. Any registrations for the 2-day schedule made after 8:30am, Saturday 8/16/2025 receive a 1st round bye.
  • ALL Novice (U1100 section) rates will be $20 lower at checkout.  If you register for the Novice (U1100 section) and have to be moved, you will owe the $20 balance before being allowed to play.  All withdrawal deadlines and service fees apply if you do not make the additional payment.

Online registrations and online payment are requested. Please contact the registrar (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) to request help or accommodations.

Withdrawal with refund available if requested by 7pm on Friday one week before the event (08/08/2025).  After that time, no refunds. NO EXCEPTIONS. Any refunds will incur a $10 processing and transaction fee.

$25 up-charges (listed below) are NON-refundable.  Pay the upcharge later if unsure about eligibility.

Titled players (IM/GM/WIM/WGM) play for free if space allows. (No entry fee required and no entry fees deducted from winnings if registered by June 28th! Registrations as of June 29th must pay entry fee – returned after completion of 5 rounds of play.)  All players should register online.  Contact registrar (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) for coupon code and to inquire about other conditions.

Sections and Prizes

$6000+ in prizes 100% guaranteed
New: Mixed Doubles prizes, enter onsite before round 2

Five Sections!.
Players are only eligible for the prizes listed within their section. Limit 85 players in any one section (exceptions granted for ratings 2200+).

All sections are CLOSED.  That means there is no playing up unless you are rated within 100 points of the minimum of your chosen section by the event start date.

Mixed Doubles teams can be registered onsite prior to the start of round 2 with no extra fees.  NO changes to mixed doubles team after round 2 begins. A mixed doubles team is a male-female team. The team’s average rating cannot be above 2000.

Championship (2000+) 
*This section will be FIDE rated and will use FIDE rules. USCF ratings used for pairings.
*Registering for the FIDE section permits the tournament organizers to request a FIDE ID on behalf of a player who does not yet have a FIDE ID.
*Players rated 1900-1999 may pay an extra $25 to compete in this section, but are only eligible for place prizes*
• 1st -$925 2nd-$525 3rd-$375
• Expert (2000-2199): 1st -$250 2nd-$150

Reserve (1700-1999)
*This section will be FIDE rated and will use FIDE rules. USCF ratings used for pairings.
*Registering for the FIDE section permits the tournament organizers to request a FIDE ID on behalf of a player who does not yet have a FIDE ID.
*Players rated 1600-1699 may pay an extra $25 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$540 2nd-$320 3rd-$210 4th-$140

Intermediate (1300-1699)
*NOT FIDE rated.
*No playing up.  No exceptions. Players rated 1300 – 1399 may play in either Intermediate or Club.
• 1st -$480 2nd-$260 3rd-$160 4th-$100

Club (1000-1399)
*NOT FIDE rated.
*No playing up.  No exceptions. Players rated 1000 – 1099 may play in either Novice or Club. Players rated 1300 – 1399 may play in either Intermediate or Club.
• 1st -$430 2nd-$230 3rd-$140

Novice (U1100)
*NOT FIDE rated.
*No playing up.  No exceptions. Players rated 1000 – 1099 may play in either Novice or Club.
• 1st -$300 2nd-$150 3rd-$100

**August 2025 Supplement (‘Regular’ OTB) ratings will be used for pairing and placement 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.
**Requests to play up will only be honored if the conditions mentioned above are met and the appropriate fee has been paid. You do NOT need to pay the up-charge during registration, if unsure about rating or section. You will be contacted in early August with directions for payment if necessary.
**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. Failure to disclose playing history may result in forfeiture and withdrawal from the event.

Device Policy

Internet enabled devices must be turned off completely during play (not just on silent) and must remain in the player’s bag or face up on the playing tablets. Devices may not be removed from the playing hall during your game. Devices include phones, smartwatches, tablets, etc. These may NOT be on the player’s person or leave the board during the games.  Penalties up to or including loss of game and removal from the tournament for violations of this policy. Link to formal device policy.

No notation devices will be approved for the FIDE section. Any notation devices in other sections must be reviewed and logged at chess control no later than 30 minutes prior to player’s first round to receive an approval card. Please review the US Chess Notation Device policy. 

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

More Details

Bring an increment capable clock if possible! Sets and boards provided in all sections!
The hotel has a restaurant and small store that sells coffees, sandwiches, and other snacks. Check your round times and bring food and drink as necessary. 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 Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you have questions about this event.

See our USCF Online TLA!

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AGCA Summer Camp 4 – 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: 1st 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 Open #2

The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting an Open USCF Rated Tournament on July 26, 2025 .  USCF Membership required.   Capacity: 92 players!

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
4SS, G/60, d5
SECTION A:  1800 +  USCF rated
SECTION B:  1400 – 1799  USCF rated

4SS, G/45, d5
SECTION C:  1000-1399 USCF rated
SECTION D:  U1000 USCF rated

**Players are not allowed to play up or down**
**The higher of the official or most recent rating will determine section selection.**
**If two adjacent sections each have an odd number of players, and the highest-rated player in the lower section is within 50 rating points of the higher section, they may be moved up to balance the sections**
These rules are to avoid byes and better pairings for all.
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*

RATING INFORMATION:
● July 2025 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 
Time Controls vary by section (because of the time control being used).  Please see the event website or online TLA for a full list of round times.
●  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:
●  Early Bird: $50 online at https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/agca-summer-open-2/  by July 20th at 11:59 pm.
●  $60 on or after July 21st  (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com

PRIZES:
●  Section A : $400, $200, $100
●  Section B : $200, $100, $50
●  Section C : $100, $75, $50
●  Section D : Chess books
Medals will be awarded to top 3 finishers in all sections

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.  We reserve the right to charge a $15 service fee for cancellations.  NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director. 
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. 

View our ONLINE TLA!

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AGCA Summer Scholastic #2

We are hosting an In-Person USCF Rated Scholastic Tournament on July 5, 2025 from 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM.  USCF Membership required.   Capacity: 92 players! 

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail
Suite 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
SECTION A: 1600+ USCF rating
SECTION B: 1200 – 1599 USCF rating
SECTION C: 800 – 1199 USCF rating
SECTION D: 400 – 799 USCF rating
SECTION E: Under 400 USCF rating and/or unrated.
*Note that no player will be allowed to play up or down*
*The higher of the official or most recent rating will determine section selection.**
*If two adjacent sections each have an odd number of players, and the highest-rated player in the lower section is within 50 rating points of the higher section, they may be moved up to balance the sections**
These rules are to avoid byes and better pairings for all.
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*

RATING INFORMATION:
● July 2025 official USCF ratings will be used.

Time Controls:

Section A: G/60, d5 (60 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section B: G/45, d5 (45 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section C: G/45, d5 (45 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section D: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section E: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)

4-Round Swiss System Schedule 
Time Controls vary by section (because of the time control being used).  Please see the event website or online TLA for a full list of round times.
●  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. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table. 

ENTRY FEES:
●  Online: $40 at https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/agca-summer-scholastic-2/  by 11:59pm, June 29, 2025
●  $50  on or after June 30, 2025
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com

PRIZES:
●  Trophies for 1st place (in each section)
● Medals for 2nd and 3rd place (in each section)

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 an 80% refund.. We reserve the right to charge a service fee for cancellations.  NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.

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. 

View the Online TLA!

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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 July 7-11, 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: July 7-11, 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. 

Posted on by

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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Mathnasium Summer Chess Camp #5 – Fantastic Finales!

Summer Chess Camps at Mathnasium feature five exciting days of an immersive, interactive chess environment.  Each camp includes a unique fun-filled theme and is taught by National Master Paul Chaplin. Chess Camps hosted by Mathnasium are engaging and fun! Sign up early for lowest fees! Limited attendance… first come first served! For more information visit https://www.summerchess.com

Description:
Camp 5:  Fantastic Finales! – Game ending crescendos and on-point techniques are investigated.  Middlegames and endgames are served up with clarity. To recall a famous Lasker quote, “The hardest game to win is a won game.”

Date and Time: 5th camp session: August 4-8,  2025, 8am – 3pm
+Drop-off: 7:30 – 8am
+Camp begins: 8am.
+Lunchtime: approx 11:30am
+Pick-up: 3pm

Registration: To register, please fill out the registration form and submit online.

Location:
Cedar Park Mathnasium
13010 W. Parmer Lane, Ste #100
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Questions:
Answers to many questions (rules, refunds, policies) are available online.
Contact Cedar Park Mathnasium (greg.pratt@mathnasium.com, 512-869-6284) if you have questions about registering for this event. Contact Paul Chaplin (pschaplin@sbcglobal.net) if you have questions about chess content.

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Mathnasium Summer Chess Camp #4 – Turbochess!

Summer Chess Camps at Mathnasium feature five exciting days of an immersive, interactive chess environment.  Each camp includes a unique fun-filled theme and is taught by National Master Paul Chaplin. Chess Camps hosted by Mathnasium are engaging and fun! Sign up early for lowest fees! Limited attendance… first come first served! For more information visit https://www.summerchess.com

Description:
Camp 4 : Turbochess! – Phenomenal games of historic titans and current digital-era maestros will be hi-lighted to enlighten and inspire the student. Game selections from 150+ years of world class players like Anderssen, Morphy (1800s), Lasker, Alekhine, Tal, Fischer , Kasparov (1900s) to current-century players like Anand, Carlsen, Ding and Gukesh.

Date and Time: 4th camp session: July 21-25,  2025, 8am – 3pm
+Drop-off: 7:30 – 8am
+Camp begins: 8am.
+Lunchtime: approx 11:30am
+Pick-up: 3pm

Registration: To register, please fill out the registration form and submit online.

Location:
Cedar Park Mathnasium
13010 W. Parmer Lane, Ste #100
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Questions:
Answers to many questions (rules, refunds, policies) are available online.
Contact Cedar Park Mathnasium (greg.pratt@mathnasium.com, 512-869-6284) if you have questions about registering for this event. Contact Paul Chaplin (pschaplin@sbcglobal.net) if you have questions about chess content.