Category: Upcoming Events

Register HERE! When you click the link, scroll to the bottom for registration.

Basics

US Chess rated chess tournament on April 11th in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-3 U400, K-5 U600, K-5 U1000, 6-12 U600, 6-12 U1000, and K-12 Elite (for players rated 950-1399. Please note: all scholastic players rated 1400 and over must play in the Open Section. At the event pairings will be posted online only.

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 US Chess 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 US Chess ID and your membership can be purchased/ renewed online with US Chess in advance of registration, or contact Dallas Chess Club at info@dallaschess.com at least a few days before the tournament for half-price junior memberships. You can check your US Chess membership ID and expiration by visiting https://ratings.uschess.org. Anyone can become a US Chess member. Players new to tournament chess are welcome to play. Your US Chess membership cannot expire before April 30, 2026. New players in 3rd grade and below may email us to request a non-member ID as a part of the Junior Tournament Player program. 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 email us. 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.

April 2026 ‘Regular’ OTB ratings will be used for section placement and pairing. If no regular rating is available, then other US Chess 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 March 18th 2026 will not affect your April published rating, as those events take place after April 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!
8:00am Chess Control opens for onsite registration.  Onsite registrations before 9:30am accepted, but must start play in round 2.
8:30am Announcements begin in all scholastic playing rooms.
Players and coaches should be present.
9:00am Rd 1 begins. Scholastic sections have 5 rds, G/25,+5, except K-12 Elite which is 5 rounds G/35,+5.
9:00am Open section (different event allowing adults) begins. Open has 4 rounds, G/45,+5.
9:15am-5:00pm 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

All Scholastic Under Sections:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 11:00am, rd 3 – 12:45pm, rd 4 – 2:30pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm

K-12 Elite Section:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 10:40am, rd 3 – 12:40pm, rd 4 – 2:20pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm

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!

Food will be offered for purchase.  You may also bring lunch and snacks.  Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

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

*$40 through Thursday, 3/19/2025
*$50 through Saturday, 4/4/2026
*$55 as of Sunday, 4/5/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 4/9/26, at which time online entry closes.
*$65 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, 4/8/2026 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.

If you need byes (rounds when your player won’t be available to play), please request when you register by adding a note. First bye receives 1/2-point. Further byes receive 0-points. Email us to make changes to your requested byes. Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 4/10/2026. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.

Email Sarah Brauner, registrar (austinchesstournaments@gmail.com) with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.

Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer.

View the ONLINE TLA