2023 National Elementary (K-6) Championships

May 12-14, Maryland

2023 National Elementary (K-6) Championship

Format:  7SS, G/90 d10.  (NEW time control!)  13 Sections:  K-6 Championship, K-6 U1400, K-6 U1000, K-6 Unrated, K-5 Championship, K-5 U1200, K-5 U900, K-3 Championship, K-3 U1000, K-3 U700, K-3 Unrated, K-1 Championship, K-1 U500/Unrated.  “Playing up” is allowed.  Unrated players may play either Championship or Unrated sections only.  May rating supplement will be used.

Playing site:  Baltimore Convention Center, 1 West Pratt Street, Baltimore MD 21201.  Hotels: Hilton Baltimore, Sheraton Inner Harbor, Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor (all connected to BCC).  See tournament website for reservation links and details.

Byes: Maximum two half-point byes available any round if requested prior to the start of Rd. 1.  A half-point bye in round 1 must be requested at the time of registration, or on-site before 11 AM Friday.  A half-point bye request for rounds 2-7 not requested in advance must be requested two hours before the scheduled start of round 2.  Byes may not be revoked after Rd. 1.

Scoring: Team score = total of top four (minimum two) finishers from each school per section. K-6 Championship first place individual and team, including ties, will be the National Elementary Champion.  K-3 Championship first place individual and team, including ties, will be the National Primary Champion. 

Round times for K-6, K-5, K-3 sections: Opening ceremony Fri. 12:45 PM. Round start times: Fri. 1 PM & 6 PM, Sat. 9 AM, 1:30 PM, & 6 PM, Sun. 9 AM & 1:30 PM. Awards Ceremony: Sun., approx. 6:00 PM. 

Round times for K-1 sections: Fri. 1:30 PM & 5:30 PM, Sat. 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM, & 5:30 PM, Sun. 9:30 AM & 1:30 PM. K-1 Awards Ceremony:  Sun. approx. 5:00 PM.

Entry Fee: $80/participant postmarked or online by 4/24, $100 postmarked or online by 5/1, $115 online by 5/10, $120 thereafter or on site; $30.00 extra for all phone registrations; $30 fee for roster or section changes after 5/1 or any onsite changes. ONLINE REGISTRATION STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!  DO NOT MAIL ANY REGISTRATIONS AFTER 5/1!

Onsite registration: Thurs. 9 am - 9 pm & Fri. 8 am - 11 am. Players who register or change sections after 11 am on Friday will receive a 1/2-point bye for Round 1. Players must disclose any other, non-US Chess over-the-board (OTB) ratings.

Awards: Medals to top individuals & trophies to top teams in each section.  Every player receives a commemorative item! Full list of awards on tournament website.

Side Events: Bughouse: Thurs. 11 am, Reg. onsite only (no online or phone reg for Bughouse) Thurs. 9 -10 am, $30/team. K-6 and K-3 Blitz: Thurs. 5 pm, Reg. online until Thurs. 2 pm, onsite until 4 pm. Blitz EF: $30 by 5/1, $40 after or at site. Class medals will be awarded in Blitz. Full list of awards on tournament website.

General questions: Contact Click here to show email address. Also check tournament website; many questions answered there. Team Room questions: Contact Pete Karagianis at Click here to show email address.

Entries: online (STRONGLY PREFERRED!) at www.uschess.org/tournaments/2023/elem or by mail at U.S. Chess Federation, Attn.: 2023 ELEM Championship, P.O. Box 775308, St. Louis, MO 63177. (Do not mail registrations after 5/1!) 

Use “Advance entries” link on tournament website to verify entry.  No confirmation email is sent with entry.  Also see website for additional information about the event, awards, meetings, team rooms, updates, corrections, and registration forms.

Tournament website:  www.uschess.org/tournaments/2023/elem.