GT School Chess Tournament

Scholastic chess tournament in multiple sections to be held on October 25, 2025. G/30, +5 inc. Prizes include chess lessons, books, and more!

Registration is open! Click here: https://www.joust.live/tournaments/68c962c90025d7d82f72https:

Basics

USCF rated chess tournament on October 25th in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-1 U400, K-3 U600, K-5 U800,  K-12 U1000, and K-12 Elite (for players rated 950+).

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 and younger sections are excused from taking notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering

Eligibility

This is a rated tournament. You must have a US Chess ID, which can be purchased or renewed online with US Chess in advance of registration) . You can verify your membership ID and expiration by visiting the US Chess Member Services Area. Anyone can become a USCF member. Players new to tournament chess are welcome to play. Your US Chess membership cannot expire before October 31, 2025.

“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: October 2025 ‘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 September 17th will not affect your October supplement rating, as those events takes place after October 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!
9:00 a.m. Chess Control opens for onsite registration.  Onsite registrations after 9:30am accepted, but must start play in round 2.
9:45 a.m Announcements begin. Players and coaches should be present.
10:00 a.m. Rd 1 begins. Four rounds, G/30, +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 – 10:00am, rd 2 – 11:45am, rd 3 – 1:30 pm, rd 4 – 3:15 pm
Awards as each section finishes and results are calculated.

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!

Concessions details coming soon.  Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.

Awards

Chess Lessons, chess books, and more!

Registration Information

Entry Fee: $35

Withdrawals requested via email before online registration closes (midnight on Wednesday 10/22/25) are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No exceptions. No refunds for US Chess memberships after purchased from US Chess. 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. Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 10/24/2025. All 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2.

Email Sarah Brauner, registrar ([email protected]) with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.