Tag: regular rated

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Open and K-12 Elite Sections at the Paragon Prep January 2026 Tournament

The Open and K-12 Sections held in conjunction with the Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament on January 24, 2026. The first major Rocks & Rooks event of 2026! This USCF rated chess tournament is for adults and more advanced scholastic players.

Verify your entry on the advance entry list.

 

Basics

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 (bring your own if at all possible), and mandatory notation. If registrations exceed 32 in any one section, we reserve the right to split into two sections.

Location

Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757

Eligibility

Open Section:
All adults
Any youth who have reached at least 1200 on the January 2026 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).
K-12 Elite:
Any youth rated between 950 and 1299 on the January 2026 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).

Ineligible entries will be moved to the appropriate ‘under’ scholastic section of the Paragon Prep January 2026 Scholastic Tournament

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. Adults new to tournament chess are welcome to play in the open section. Youth players MUST have a ratings-history. Your USCF membership cannot expire before January 31, 2026. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out.

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!
8:45 a.m. K-12 Elite begins
9:15 a.m. Open  sections begin. Open has 4 rounds of G/45,+5; K-12 Elite has 5 rounds of G/40, +5.

No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, player info edits be made onsite with your chief TD and go into effect as of round 2.

Approximate Round Times

Open and K-12 Elite Sections*:
Open (4 rounds):
rd 1 – 9:15am, rd 2 – 11:10am, rd 3 – 1:30pm, rd 4 – 3:30pm
K-12 Elite (5 rounds):
rd 1 – 8:45am, rd 2 – 10:35am, rd 3 – 12:25pm, rd 4 – 2:15pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm

(Sections will play in separate rooms.)

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.

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

Awards

Open section:
Cash prizes based on number of entries. Special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams  (Uncles, Aunts, Siblings, Parents, or Grandparents paired with at least one scholastic aged player.). 
K-12 Elite:
Trophies to top finishers. Medals to positive scores not receiving a trophy. Trophies to top teams.

Registration Information

*$40 (youth) /$30 (adult) thru Saturday, 12/20/2025
*$50 (youth) /$40 (adult) thru Saturday, 1/10/2026
*$55 (youth) /$45 (adult) as of Sunday, 1/11/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 1/22/26, at which time online entry closes.
*$65 (youth) / $50 (adult) Late entry (after regular online entry closes), IF space is available. Link will be available from the time regular online entry closes thru 9:30am Saturday 1/24/2026. All scholastic late entries receive a 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begin play in round 2. Open section first round play requires registration and payment before 8:45am Saturday.

Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday 1/21/26 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.
*K-12 Elite: Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 1/23/2026. All 1/2-point byes must be requested or removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.
*Open section: Will be paired onsite.  Round 1 changes must be made no later than 8:45am.

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

View the ONLINE TLA!

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2025 AGCA Winter Open 12/26/25-12/30/25

Description:

There is going to be one Open Section which will follow a Swiss format. Players above 1400 USCF are going to be allowed to play in the tournament. 

This tournament is FIDE and USCF rated.

Top 3 Finisher Prizes: 

$1200, $800, $400

For 3rd Austin Chess Tour 10 Finalists:

The top 1 finisher among the people qualified through the 3rd ACT Grand-Prix Tournaments will earn the right to participate in the next IM Norm tournament organized by Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy. 

Eligibility Information can be found here

Tournament Capacity: 40 players

Organizers:

Chief: GM Alex Mista

Deputy: GM Andrey Stukopin

Email: info@austin-chess.com

Chief Arbiter: FA Sarah Brauner

When: December 26-30, 2025

Playing Venue:

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy

12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste.100

Austin, TX 78729

Hotels Nearby:

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Austin Northwest/Research Blvd,

13087 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78750 (1.1 miles away)

SpringHill Suites by Marriot Austin North

13309 North US Highway 183, Austin, TX 78750 (1.5 miles away, our recommended hotel)

Entry Fees:

GM, WGM, IM, WIM, FM, WFM Titled Players – Free

$100 Early Bird Registration – on or before November 30th, 2025

$150 – on or after December 1st

Note: All 3rd ACT Grand-Prix Winners (top 7 qualified players from the Open Qualifiers and top 3 qualified players from the Junior Qualifiers) will have their entry fee reimbursed to them given that they complete all their games. The list can be found here.

Time control:

G/90 minutes; increment 30 seconds – 90 minutes for the entire game plus 30 second increment from move 1. There is only one time control, no additional time at move 40.  Players must keep accurate scoresheets for the entire game.

Schedule:

Round

Day

Date

Time

1

Friday

Dec 26

6:00 pm

2

Saturday

Dec 27

10:00 am

3

Saturday

Dec 27

4:00 pm

4

Sunday

Dec 28

10:00 am

5

Sunday

Dec 28

4:00 pm

6

Monday

Dec 29

10:00 am

7

Monday

Dec 29

4:00 pm

8

Tuesday

Dec 30

9:00 am

9

Tuesday

Dec 30

3:00 pm

 

Regulations

  • All players are expected to play all 9 rounds. 1 bye request is allowed for any round.
  • Current FIDE Laws of Chess apply.
  • All games will use the equipment provided. Players shall sign scoresheets after each game.
  • Electronic Device Policy: players are strictly forbidden from having electronic devices with them during the game, even if they are turned off. Players found with any device during the game may lose the current game. Turn in cell phones at the arbiters’ desk before each round. No electronics are allowed in the playing hall unless they are checked in with the arbiter.
  • Default/forfeit time: 60 minutes unless the arbiter decides otherwise. White’s clock will be started at the start of the round even if the players are not present.
  • The organizers request that all players arrive on time for each round.
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2026 Austin Winter Open – 1/9/26-1/11/26

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

USCF rated swiss chess tournament on January 9-11, 2026.   We offer 6 sections and a guaranteed prize fund of $7000 and 30 Grand Prix Points. There will be 5 rounds in total with two schedules. The top 3 sections are FIDE rated.

Player reminder email will be sent on Thursday 1/8/26.

Onsite notes:
No outside food in the restaurant, please. Food from home can be eaten in the skittles room, but please give seating priority to players reviewing games. The hotel plans to provide sandwich/snack options during the event.

LIMIT 80 players in any single section.

NEW Location

Courtyard by Marriott Austin Pflugerville and Pflugerville Conference Center
16100 Impact Way
Pflugerville, TX 78660

View the Advance Entry List.
Online registration is requested.

Discounted group room rate here: Hotel Booking Link – ends 12/24/25

Please support the tournament by staying at the event hotel!

Round Times

3-DAY
Round 1: Friday, 7:15pm (G/90, +30)
2-DAY
Round 1: Saturday, 9:30am (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 reentry into round 1, contact us no later than 8:30am, the Saturday of the event.

*Forfeit time for all rounds and sections is 60 minutes. 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.

Byes

One 1/2 point bye allowed.
*Deadline to request/remove half-point byes: Saturday 6pm, or before round 2 ends (whichever comes first for your section)
*Deadline to request/remove zero-point byes/withdraw: before your section is paired for the affected round

Registration and Fees

All registration and payment happens online.
Entry fees:

  • $79 early bird pricing if received by Saturday, 12/6/2025, 11:59pm CST
  • $99 thru the Saturday before the tournament (01/03/2026), 11:59pm CST
  • $130 on Friday 1/9/2026 and onsite, IF space available. Any registrations for the 3-day schedule made after 5:45pm Friday 1/9/26 receive a 1st round bye. Any registrations for the 2-day schedule made after 8:30am, Saturday 1/10/2026 receive a 1st round bye.
  • ALL Novice (U1000 section) rates will be $20 lower at checkout. If you register for the Novice (U1000 section) and have to be moved, you will owe the $20 balance before playing round 1. 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.

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 December 6th! Registrations on or after December 7th 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 additional conditions.

Withdrawal with refund available if requested by 9pm on the Wednesday before the event (1/7/2026).  After that time, no refunds. Any refunds will incur a $10 processing and transaction fee.

Sections and Prizes

$7000 in prizes 100% guaranteed
Plus Mixed Doubles prizes, enter onsite before round 2

Six Sections
Players are only eligible for the prizes listed within their section. Limit 80 players in any one section (exceptions granted for ratings 2200+).

All sections are closed, meaning that 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, Class A, and Class B sections will be FIDE rated and use FIDE rules. USCF ratings used for pairings.

Championship (2000+) 
*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

Class A (1800-1999)
*Players rated 1700-1799 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$540 2nd-$320 3rd-$210 4th-$140

Class B (1600-1799)
*Players rated 1500-1599 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$540 2nd-$320 3rd-$210 4th-$140

Class C (1400-1599)
*Players rated 1300-1399 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$480 2nd-$260 3rd-$160 4th-$100

Class D/E (1000-1399)
*Players rated 900-999 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$430 2nd-$230 3rd-$140 4th-$85

Novice (U1000)
• 1st -$300 2nd-$150 3rd-$100

**January 2026 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.
**Unrated players will be placed at TD’s discretion and are only eligible for place prizes
**Unrated players must disclose foreign and online ratings.

Device Policy

Internet or Bluetooth 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 table. 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 device policy. If you need a medical exception, contact us prior to your first game.

No notation devices will be approved for the FIDE sections. 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

Boards and sets provided. Bring an increment capable clock if possible. A limited number of clocks will be available for purchase onsite.
Only water (drinks) allowed at the chess board.  All food must remain outside the playing room.

See our USCF Online TLA!

Questions?

Contact Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you have questions about this event.

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3rd Austin Chess Tour: Junior Qualifier #5

We are hosting an In-Person USCF Rated Scholastic Tournament on December 20, 2025 starting at 10:00 AM.  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:
● December 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/60, d5 (60 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 or 5 Round Swiss System Schedule, depending on section
Number of rounds and round times vary by section. Please read the below carefully!

Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 12:15 AM
●  Lunch break: 2:30 PM
●  3rd round: 3:30 PM
●  4th round: 5:45 PM

Section C (all rounds G/45, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:45 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:30 PM
●  3rd round: 2:30 PM
●  4th round: 4:15 PM

Sections D & E (all rounds G/30, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:15 AM
●  3rd round: 12:30 PM
●  Lunch Break: 1:30 PM
●  4th round: 2:30 PM
●  5th round: 3:45 PM

Closing ceremony for any section takes place after the last game finishes for that section.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
●  Online: $40 at https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/act-3-junior-qualifier-5/  by 11:59pm, December 14, 2025
●  $50  on or after December 15, 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. 
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3rd Austin Chess Tour: Open Qualifier #5

The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting an Open USCF Rated Tournament on December 6, 2025 starting at 10:00 AM.  USCF Membership required.  Capacity: 100 players!

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

 

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
4SS, time controls determined by section
SECTION A:  1800 +  USCF rated
SECTION B:  1400 – 1799  USCF rated
SECTION C:  1000-1399 USCF rated
SECTION D:  U1000 USCF rated

*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*
**Players are not allowed to play up or down**

RATING INFORMATION:
● December 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.

Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 12:15 AM
●  Lunch break: 2:30 PM
●  3rd round: 3:30 PM
●  4th round: 5:45 PM

Sections C & D (all rounds G/45, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:45 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:30 PM
●  3rd round: 2:30 PM
●  4th round: 4:15 PM

●  Closing ceremony for any section takes place after the last game finishes for that section.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
●  Early Bird: $50  by November 30th at 11:59 pm.
●  $60 on or after December 1st (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/act-3-open-qualifier-5/

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 the top 3 finishers in each section.

OPEN QUALIFIER POINTS:
The top 10 places in Section A will earn points according to the following table
1st Place: 25 OQ Points
2nd Place: 18 OQ Points
3rd Place: 15 OQ Points
4th Place: 12 OQ Points
5th Place: 10 OQ Points
6th Place: 8 OQ Points
7th Place: 6 OQ Points
8th Place: 4 OQ Points
9th Place: 2 OQ Points
10th Place: 1 OQ Points

For more information about the point system, visit https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/

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.

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2025 South Texas State Grade Championships

State Championship Event
UT Rio Grande Valley (Brownsville campus)
 – 

 

Event website:

https://www.utrgv.edu/chess/tournaments/2025-south-texas-state-grade-championships/

 

During the tournament, to improve the efficiency of mass communication, we will be using Telegram for the announcements. We recommend you installing it in advance.

The event will be played at the UTRGV Brownsville Campus. Precise building/location details to follow.

Chief Tournament Organizers: GM Bartek Macieja and LTD Colt Smith-Munoz

Chief Tournament Director: IA Louis Reed

Only Texas residents or students enrolled in secondary or primary schools (including home schools) in Texas may play in this event.

Current TCA membership is required. For most participants, “Junior Online” membership is most suitable. It costs $3 and allows them to participate in all Texas championships within a year without any additional payment to TCA.

USCF and TCA Memberships will not be processed by the organizers.

There will be 13 sections (one for each grade) and students will only play opponents in their grade, unless otherwise specified. Winners in each grade will be declared the State Champion of their respective grade throughout all of South Texas.

Grades:

  • Kindergarten (includes Pre-K)
  • 1st Grade
  • 2nd Grade
  • 3rd Grade
  • 4th Grade
  • 5th Grade
  • 6th Grade
  • 7th Grade
  • 8th Grade
  • 9th Grade
  • 10th Grade
  • 11th Grade
  • 12th Grade

Schedule and round times: TBD

Registration and payment shall be made online. Registration links TBD

$40 by October 13

$50 by October 27

$60 by November 7

$80 on November 8

Entries on November 8 will be permitted till 9:00 am. Players not registered by the cutoff time shall be paired from Round 2 only, unless the Chief Tournament Director decides otherwise.

One 1/2-point bye is allowed if requested by November 8 at 9:00 am.

Refunds by October 25; $10 refund charge.

6 rounds, Swiss System

The latest version of Swiss Sys will be used. Pairings created by this program are considered legal and will stand even if a pairing is not ideal, especially if pairings have been already posted. Current version is 11.55.

Total awards: 91 trophies, $2000 in scholarships from UTRGV and TCA

• Trophies will be awarded to the top 6 individual finishers in each section.

• A trophy will be awarded to the top team in each section.

• Awards will not be split between participants / teams with the same number of points – the tie-break point system described in the Tournament Regulations will be used.

• Chess sets, notations, pens, and clocks will be provided.

• Electronic notation devices shall not be used except for players with a disability and only with prior authorization.

• Accommodation for participants with disabilities will be ensured.

Address:

650 Ringgold Rd
Brownsville, TX 78520
United States

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2026 Paragon Scholastic Tournament 1/24/26

The first Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament of 2026, to be held on January 24, 2026. 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

 

Basics

USCF rated chess tournament on January 24th 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. 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 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 January 31, 2026. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out, or contact Dallas Chess Club at info@dallaschess.com at least a few days in advance for half-price membership. 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: January 2026 ‘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 December 17th 2025 will not affect your January published rating, as those events takes place after January 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!

Food will be offered for purchase.  You may also 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

*$40 thru Saturday, 12/20/2025
*$50 thru Saturday, 1/10/2026
*$55 as of Sunday, 1/11/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 1/22/26, 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, 1/21/2026 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 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 1/23/2026. 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.

View the ONLINE TLA