2024 Virginia College Chess Championships

2024 Virginia College Chess Championships

Saturday, March 9, 2024

William Fleming High School, 3649 Ferncliff Ave. NW., Roanoke, VA 24017

What: 2024 Virginia College Chess Championships. This tournament is open only to players attending college in Virginia or to Virginia residents attending college out-of-state. See separate announcements for the Virginia K-12 Championships, the Friday Night Blitz Tournament, and the Parents & Friends Side Event.

When: Saturday, March 9, 2024, with Round 1 on Saturday at 9 am. All 4 rounds are on Saturday.

Where: William Fleming High School, 3649 Ferncliff Ave. NW, Roanoke, VA 24017. Please DO NOT call the school for information about the chess tournament.

Hotels: The Virginia Chess Federation has made arrangements with several hotels near the school. The properties represent a range of options and costs. See www.vachess.org for the options available. Some hotel options offer a lower price if you reserve your room(s) before the end of 2023!

Event Format: 4 rounds of play using the Swiss System. Everyone plays 4 rounds; this is NOT an elimination tournament! (Click here to read more about the Swiss System, which is the most common format for chess tournaments.)

Entry Fees and Registration:

• Entry Fees: $60 through Friday, March 1st; increases to $80 on Saturday, March 2nd; then increase to $100 starting Wednesday March 6th and on-site. Entry on-site permitted only on Friday March 8th. The VA Chess Federation will retain $5 from any entrant who withdraws from the tournament before the start of Round 1.
• Registration: On-line at www.vachess.org. Schools wanting to register and pay for their players as a group should contact Mike Hoffpauir, VA Chess Federation (see Note 2 below).
• One optional “Half-point Bye” is available for any round including Round 4. Click here to read more about ‘Byes’ in chess tournaments.

Sections of Play: All college players compete in one section.

Event Schedule for the Scholastic Sections:

• Friday, March 8th: On-site Registration at the hotel from 4-9pm. Blitz Tournament starts at 6:30. Cut-off time Blitz entries is 6pm.
• Saturday, March 9th: Rounds 1-4 pm
• Awards Ceremony will be held immediately after Round 4 on Saturday evening.

Time Controls: All players’ clocks will be set each round using the time controls listed here.

• All 4 Rounds: Game 60, with 5-seconds of increment (G/60 + 5).

Ratings Used: Players will be paired using the higher of their US Chess over-the-board and online regular ratings found in the US Chess Rating Supplement for March 2024 (to be published by the US Chess Federation on or after Feb 16, 2024). These same ratings determine eligibility for prizes. Established ratings have priority over provisional ratings. Ratings in other systems such as FIDE or from another country will be considered, especially when a player has no US Chess rating. Ratings from platforms such as Chess.com, Chesskid.com, Lichess.com, and ICC are not used. The Chief TD makes the final decisions about all players’ ratings used in the tournament.

Awards: Individual and Team trophies in all sections. Cash Awards for the 1st – 3rd place individuals. If you have questions about player or team eligibility, contact Mike Hoffpauir (see Note 2 below).

Side Events:  See information and registration procedures at www.vachess.org

• Blitz Tournament: 4 or 5 double-rounds on Friday evening March 8th, with Round 1 at 6:30pm. There will be a College Section in Blitz if at least five (5) college players sign-up to play Blitz.
• Parents and Friends Tournament: 4-rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Notes:

1. A current US Chess Federation membership is required for all participants. Renew your membership or become a new member at www.uschess.org and select the “Join” tab at the top of the screen. If you are a current member, please have your US Chess ID number handy.
2. Event Organizer: Virginia Chess Federation, Mike Hoffpauir, Click here to show mail address, 757-846-4805 (text)