West Texas '23 December Open

Mad Hatter's House of Games

Event Overview

Event Overview
***West Texas '23 December Open***


PURPOSE: Our goal is to expand rated chess opportunities in our community to benefit and encourage both new and experienced players.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONS: FREE registration for players with current USCF rating over 2000! Entry fee deducted from winnings.

DATE: Saturday, December 2, 2023
LOCATION:  Mad Hatter's House of Games; 1507 Texas Ave., Lubbock, TX 79401
START TIME: Round 1 begins at 11 AM (PLEASE arrive and check-in before 10:45)
END TIME:  Most sections will finish at approximately 5:30 PM. The Novice Sections will finish at approximately 4:30 PM if players use full time allowed, but may end earlier. Section awards will be presented shortly after all players in a section have completed their final round. Lower sections typically wrap up earlier than higher sections.
COST: FREE REGISTRATION for players with current USCF rating over 2000! (Entry fee deducted from winnings); $15/player for all other players payable at check-in onsite (Cash and correct change greatly appreciated! No credit cards.) 
REGISTRATION DEADLINES: Online pre-registrations are due by 6 PM Friday, December 1, 2023 at https://forms.gle/xkoQJWFDC4s2LZn77. On-site registrations must be done between 10:00 and 10:30 AM on Saturday, December 2, 2023.
TOURNAMENT DETAILS:
Tournament Director: Robert Moore, Region I Director – Texas Chess Association

USCF Rated Event: Current USCF membership required - PLEASE update your membership prior to tournament day. Contact us if you need help registering or renewing your USCF membership.

Schedule: This is a swiss style tournament; See below for number of rounds and time controls for each section. Pairings will be posted 5 minutes after the last game in the previous round ends, and the new round will begin 10 minutes after the previous round is complete. This effectively adds a 10-minute break for players who are the last to finish a round. Round 1 begins promptly at 11 AM.

Equipment: Chess sets and notation supplies will be provided. Some chess clocks will be available, but please bring your own clock if you have one.

Five sections as follows: 
  • Open Championship - Must be rated above 1500. If fewer than 8 players are above 1500, highest rated players below 1500 will be used to ensure at least 8 players in the section. ($15 onsite; FREE for players with current USCF rating over 2000!) 4 Rounds, G/40;d5 
  • Upper Reserve (U1500) - Rating between 950 and 1500 and unrated players. ($15 onsite) 4 Rounds, G/40;d5
  • Lower Reserve (U1000) - Rating between 650 and 1000 and unrated players. ($15 onsite) 4 Rounds, G/40;d5. Rating cutoff may be adjusted to ensure at least 8 players in each reserve section.
  • Upper Novice (U700) - Rating between 350 and 700 and unrated scholastic players. ($15 onsite) 5 Rounds, G/25;d5
  • Lower Novice (U400) - Rating under 400 and unrated players 8th grade or below. ($15 onsite) 5 Rounds, G/25;d5
  • EXCEPTIONS FOR PROVISIONALLY RATED PLAYERS: Adult players with provisional ratings below 650 may choose to play up into a Reserve section, but they may also register for the novice section that matches their provisional rating. Scholastic players with provisional ratings may be placed in an appropriate section by the tournament director.
  • NOTE: If fewer than 5 players register for any section, then players from that section may be combined with the section above or below at the TD's discretion. A player near the rating cut-off may be moved to maintain an even number of players in as many sections as possible. Additionally, at the TD's discretion, section rating ranges may be revised onsite based on natural breaks in rating distributions, which could increase the number of players in the Open Championship section to more than 8.

Prizes: 
 
Cash prizes for Open Championship, Upper Reserve, and Lower Reserve:  Cash prize guarantees are based on 50 registered players. Cash prizes will be incrementally increased for each additional 10 registered players and decreased if there are fewer than 50 players. 
  • Championship: 1st place - $100; 2nd place - $60; 3rd place - $40 (for 2000-rated and above, entry fee will be deducted from winnings).
  • Upper Reserve: 1st place - $70; 2nd place - $40; 3rd place - $20
  • Lower Reserve: 1st place - $40; 2nd place - $20; 3rd place - $10
  • Ties will follow USCF rules for splitting cash prizes.
Trophies & medals for Upper Novice and Lower Novice sections: 
  • Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each Novice section. 
  • Medals will be awarded to players who tie for third but do not receive a trophy. 
  • Standard tie breaks will be used.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Photos may be taken during the tournament and awards ceremony. These images may be shared with Texas Chess Association, news outlets, or other interested groups or individuals. Images may be used for promotion of subsequent chess events.

CONTACT: Completing the registration form linked below should generate an email to the address used to complete the form. Prior to the tournament, another email communication will be sent with a link to check tournament registration details.

If you have any questions please email us:
  • Robert Moore - bobertwbu@gmail.com; 334-233-4373
  • Amy Jones - spherehomeschool@gmail.com; 806-787-3568
Address:

1507 Texas Ave.
Lubbock, TX 79401
United States

Sections: 5
Grand Prix Points:
Prize Fund:
FIDE Rated: No
Handicap Accessible: No
Residency Restriction: No
Online Event: No

Organizer Overview

Robert Moore
Email: bobertwbu@gmail.com
Phone: 334-233-4373
Website: https://forms.gle/xkoQJWFDC4s2LZn77