Chess Day Swiss in New Orleans

Registration: Click register to secure your spot! On site registration first come, first serve.

Tournament details: Five round, two-section, swiss system, G/40;d5, USCF dual-rated tournament.

Date: Saturday, October 11th, 2025. Registration 9:15 AM-9:45 AM, first round pairs for 10:00 AM. Please do not enter the building prior to 9:15 AM!

Venue: The Louisiana Bridge Association, 2709 Edenborn Ave, Metairie, LA 70002. Free parking in the LBA lot.

Concessions: Complimentary coffee and tea. Soda and snack vending machines available on site.

Round times: 10:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 1:25PM, [meal break],  3:45 PM, 5:25 PM, prizes at 7:00 PM. Round times are tentative and subject to change. If we can move quicker, we will!

Prize fund: Prize fund is $1,000 b/60, 50% guaranteed. Prize fund breakdown as follows:

1st in open/unrated, $400

2nd in open/unrated, $200

1st in u1400, $250

2nd in u1400, $150

Sections: Open and U1400. Open section is FIDE rated and directed according to FIDE rules. Players should familiarize themselves with the most common FIDE rules differences. TD reserves the right to adjust sections to match turnout. TDs reserve the right to use accelerated swiss pairing if one section contains more than 32 players.

Pairing: Highest of quick or regular rating to be used for pairing and prizes. If you are rated under 1400 but would like to play in the open, you may register for the open at no extra charge. Unrated players may play in either section, but are prize eligible in the open only. Ratings determined by this month's official USCF rating. 100 elo may be added to those with provisional ratings.

Entry fee: $30 early entry fee if purchased by one week prior. $35 standard entry if purchased by two days prior. $40 thereafter and on-site. Capacity limited to first 80 registrants.

Eligibility: Current USCF membership required. FIDE membership required for open section. FIDE membership is free if you already have a USCF membership (we will register you). No FIDE rated players 2400 or above, due to time control and format.

Bye policy: Two 0.5 point byes for any round available upon request, must be made prior to pairing round three in non-emergency situations. Bye requests cannot be cancelled following the start of round 3.

Equipment: A small amount of chess equipment will be provided. If you have a chess set and clock, please bring it.

Tiebreaks: Cash prizes to be split among all tied entrants.

Late arrivals: Games are forfeited 30 minutes after the round start time if a player has not arrived.

Refunds: Players who withdraw 60 minutes before round one are eligible for a refund of their entry fee, minus any applicable payment-processor fees (typically 5-7%).

FIDE rated: Top section played in accordance with the FIDE Laws of Chess. Entrants from other federations must provide FIDE ID; any player without an IM or higher title must also provide a valid USCF member ID. No FIDE norms will be awarded.

Unrated players with foreign ratings: For unrated USCF players with established foreign ratings, the most current USCF conversion will be used (with preference toward their FIDE rating, if available) for all sections.

Check downriverchess.com/tournaments for all our upcoming tournaments!