Social chess at various locations, generally for adults only. Equipment provided, thanks to member donations.
Scholastic chess tournament in multiple sections to be held on November 1, 2025. G/25, +5 inc. Trophies and medals awarded.
Registration is open! Click here: https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/7386
Basics
USCF rated chess tournament on November 1st in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-3 U400, K-3 U700, 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. 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 US Chess rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks if available, and notation. K-3 and younger sections are excused from taking notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering.
NYOS Charter School
12333 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78753
This is a rated tournament. You must have a USCF ID and your membership can be purchased/renewed online with US Chess in advance of registration. You can verify your US Chess membership ID and expiration by visiting the US Chess Member Services Area. Anyone can become a USCF member. Players new to tournament chess are welcome to play. Your US Chess membership cannot expire before November 30, 2025. (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 sections 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: November 2025 ‘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 October 15th will not affect your November supplement rating, as those events takes place after November ratings are calculated.
All players in this event must be in 12th grade or lower.
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.
Scholastic Sections:
round 1 – 10:00am, rd 2 – 11:30am, rd 3 – 1:30 pm, rd 4 – 1:30 pm, rd 5 – 3:00 pm
Awards in the cafeteria as each section finishes.
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!
Concessions details coming soon. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.
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, Adult siblings, Parents, Grandparents, or coach paired with at least one scholastic aged player.)
*$35 thru Saturday, 10/11/2025.
*$45 thru Saturday, 10/25/2025.
*Late entry $50 begins Sunday, 10/26/2025 and ENDS at midnight on Wednesday, 10/29/2025, at which time online entry closes.
*$60 Onsite entry receives 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begins play in round 2.
Withdrawals requested via email before online registration closes (midnight on Wednesday 10/29/25) 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 10/31/2025. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.
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 (ggaiffe@att.net)
We are hosting an In-Person USCF Rated Scholastic Tournament on November 8, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 100 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:
● November 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/act-3-junior-qualifier-4/ by 11:59pm, November 2, 2025
● $50 on or after November 3, 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. 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.
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.
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.
