2025 Christmas Day Chess Tournament by Azeri Chess Academy LLC

Organizer

Azeri Chess Academy LLC (USCF Affiliate ID A9567106)

Tournament Director

International Grandmaster and Club TD Ulvi Bajarani (USCF ID 17112757)

Tournament Purpose

This tournament is dedicated to the Christmas Day in the USA.

Date & Time

Round 1 starts on December 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

Venue

Houston Chess Studio, 250 Patton Street Suite H Houston, Texas 77009.

Time Control

G/30, d10 (Each player gets 30 minutes with a 10-second delay per move).

Format

5-round Swiss system.
Pairings will be generated using ChessRoster SwissSys 11.75 (subject to updates to more recent versions).

Ratings

This tournament is USCF-rated, and the official January 2026 USCF ratings will be used.

Byes

• One (1) half-point bye is allowed and must be declared during registration.
• No additional byes are permitted except for 0-point byes.
• A 1-point bye is awarded to a player who is left without an opponent when the number of players is odd in a given round.

Entry Fee

• $40 – Until November 25, 2025, or for the first 5 players, whichever comes first.
• $60 – Until December 3, 2025, or for the next 5 players, whichever comes first.
• $80 – Until December 10, 2025, or for the next 10 players, whichever comes first.
• $100 – Until December 21 at 12:00 AM (midnight), or until all spots are filled.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

• A 50% refund will be granted if a player requests cancellation by December 18, 2025, at 12:00 AM (midnight).
• No refunds will be issued after this deadline.

Withdrawal Policy

• Players must notify an arbiter before the start of a round if they intend to withdraw.
• Failure to notify an arbiter may affect eligibility for future tournaments organized by Azeri Chess Academy LLC.

Number of Entries

Maximum of 31 participants.

Eligibility

• Open to all players with active USCF membership.
• Players must ensure their USCF membership is active before the start of Round 1.
• Onsite check-ins may be available for players needing USCF membership renewal. They must pay the required renewal fee plus an additional $10 processing fee.
• Failure to renew an expired membership before the tournament will result in exclusion without a refund.

Tournament Schedule (Estimated Round Start Times)

1st Round – 10:00 AM
2nd Round – 11:25 AM
30-minute break
3rd Round – 1:20 PM
4th Round – 2:45 PM
5th Round – 4:05 PM
Closing Ceremony – 5:25 PM

Prize Fund

Total prize fund: $900 guaranteed

• 1st Place: $450+a plaque
• 2nd Place: $250
• 3rd Place: $100
• The best scored U1600 player: $100
• If the best-scoring U1600 player receives main prizes, then the player is also eligible for the best U1600 prize.
• Prizes may increase, and additional prizes may be announced.
• Prizes are equally shared in case of a tie.
• Payments will be sent via Zelle/PayPal before December 31, 2025. Prize-winners must contact the organizer immediately after the final round to confirm their preferred payment method. Additionally, the 1st place winner is required to participate in the prize ceremony following the tournament. Failure to complete these actions will result in disqualification from receiving the prize.

Tiebreaks

Tiebreaks will be determined using ChessRoster SwissSys, applying standard USCF tiebreak methods:

• Solkoff
• Modified Median
• Cumulative

If players are tied for 1st place and all tiebreaks are equal, a coin toss will determine the winner.

Anti-Cheating Measures & Electronic Devices Policy

• All players are subject to electronic device scanning (“wanding”).
• No electronic devices (phones, smartwatches, etc.) are allowed unless explicitly permitted by the arbiter for medical reasons.
• A designated storage box will be provided for electronic devices.

Photography & Video Recording

By registering, players consent to being photographed and recorded by the Tournament Director and their associates for promotional purposes.

Equipment & Notation Rules

• Chess sets, clocks, scoresheets, and pens will be provided by the organizer.
• Notation is mandatory unless a player has less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock.
• Players may keep a yellow scoresheet copy and a pen. However, players are encouraged to bring an extra pen, as available pens may be limited.

Parking & Nearby Restaurants:

• Free parking is available near the venue.
• 3 restaurants in the same strip center as venue: The Red Hot Noodle (Asian), Subway, and Patron Pizza. Several others are within walking distance.

Questions?

Contact us at [email protected].