Advanced Registration List Team Rooms Round Times Rules
Primary (pairings,etc) Elementary (pairings,etc) Middle School (pairings,etc) High School (pairings,etc)
Blitz Final Standings Bughouse Final Standings
2024 Texas North/Central Scholastic Chess Championships
March 1 - 3 2024
Houston Marriott Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston Texas, 77042. $139,$139,$139,$139 rate includes American Breakfast Buffet, Call 1-800-452-5110 to make reservations mention group code TCCA or register online thru link: Book your group rate for Dallas Chess Club
Hotel has extended the Chess rate until Monday, Feb 19
Reserve by 2/13/2024 12 noon or rate may not be honored.
7 round Swiss System (No Elimination) Various time-controls. See Round Times
Entry Fee is $44
by 2/4; $55 by 2/26; $73 after and on site
Early registration rate $44 has been extended to Sunday Feb 11
Volunteers needed Click LINK to find out more
Booklet - each player will receive a booklet at their board Round 1 - notation sheets and rules included. Bring your pencil.
US CHESS MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED (current through March 31, 2024)
The Texas Chess Association (TCA) has a limited number of US Chess membership vouchers available for $9.83 go to http://www.dallaschess.com/getuscfgrpmem.htm
or you may obtain a membership directly from US Chess, https://new.uschess.org/become-member for $20.
Grand Pavilion Playing Hall - MS JV U900, MS Novice U600, Elementary Championship, Elementary JV U800, Elementary Novice U500, Primary Championship, Primary JV U600 and K-1 Championship
Grand Ballroom Playing Hall - HS Championship, HS JV U1000, MS Championship
Side Events
Blitz - Saturday Night 7 pm $15
Registration Sat 12 noon - 6:45 pm Two Sections: K-6 and K-12
Bughouse - Saturday Night 8:30 pm $20 per team
Registration Sat 12 noon - 8:15 pm One Section
register at Chess Control center for Blitz and Bughouse - Saturday starting at Noon
TCA - Texas Chess Association meeting Saturday 8:15 pm
Registration:
For Individual Players, go to individual tournaments shown below to find online registration or mail in registration form:
High School Middle School Elementary Primary
Submitting team entries on a spreadsheet is encouraged.
A team is made up of at least 2 players from the same school and playing in the same section. There is no limit to how many players are on the team. For team standings, we count the top 4 scores. Team members are shown by all having the same team code.
Sections
Some rules and hints about which section to play:
Player must reside in Texas or go to a school in Texas.
The following are some rules of thumbs (these are meant as guides and are not comprehensive and binding to all possible cases.)
6th grade players that are home schooled must play in Middle School. No exceptions have been given.
9th grade players that are home schooled must play in High School. Again, no exceptions have been given.
6th grade players that are in private school must play in Middle School unless the private school is k-6. (If a school has a 5th grade and no 7th grade, then the player should play in elementary. If a school has a 7th grade, then the 6th grader should play in middle school. A 5th-7th school should play in middle school.)
An exception for private school 9th graders that are in a k-9 school has not yet been rendered by the Texas Chess Association; therefore, these 9th graders must play in the High School Section. The TCA Scholastic Committee, (Victor Flores is the Chairperson,) can make an exception for very rare cases not covered by earlier rulings. Most cases have been discussed and ruled upon already.
What section does a public school 6th grader play? Well if the player is in an elementary school the player plays in one of the Elementary sections. If the player is in middle school, the player plays in middle school. (In general, if a school has a 5th grade and no 7th grade, then the player should play in elementary. If a school has a 7th grade, then the 6th grader should play in middle school. A 5th-7th school should play in middle school.)
Some of these are confusing. Just what is the Texas Chess Association trying to do? They have two goals. The first is that kids play in their sections. TCA wants the High School winner to be in High School, The Middle School winner be in Middle School, etc. etc. The second is that TCA realizes that it would be unfair in general to isolate a grade. For example, it would be unfair to a k-6 school to have the k-5 kids in elementary and the 6th graders in middle school. The k-5 kids could think that their best players are removed from their team, and the 6th grade players could feel that they have no chance to win in the middle school section.
The primary section was created after the rules were passed. So any player in grades k-3 can play in the primary or can play in the elementary. So a k-4 school may choose to play all their kids in one of the elementary sections. Note that a 3rd grader that is rated between 600 and 799 may choose to play in the Elementary J V (U800 section) as opposed to playing in the Primary Championship.
In general new players in elementary and middle school should play in the novice section, provided that they have not gotten too high a rating if they have played in one or two tournaments.
Another consideration is that players sometimes play in championships sections so that the school has enough players to form a team.
if you have any questions about what sections to play, please contact Barb Swafford, 214.533.0061
The TCA Scholastic Committee is the next higher body in authority.
This tournament will use the February Supplement.
TLA:
March 1-3 2024 A State Championship event
US Chess Junior Grand Prix!
2024 Texas State Scholastic Chess Championships, 7SS, Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston Texas, 77042. $139 rate includes American Breakfast Buffet, Call 1-800-452-5110 to make reservations mention group code TCCA or register online thru link on web page. Reserve by 2/13/2024 or rate may not be honored. Note that the rate can sell out, so make reservations early
Tournament is open to any Kindergarten-12th grade student living in Texas or going to school in Texas. Note that players may play in either the South Championships or the North Central Championships or they may play in both. Also note that if a student has played in another state’s closed championship, they may not play in this tournament.
Five Championships: TX North/Central K-1 Scholastic Championships, TX North/Central Primary Scholastic Championships; TX North/Central Elementary Scholastic Championships; TX North/Central Middle School Scholastic Championships; TX North/Central High School Scholastic Championships. EF: $44 by 2/4; $55 by 2/26; $73 after or on site. On Site Registration: Friday, 5:30-6:15pm, Saturday, 8-8:30am. Saturday registrants will receive a 1st Rd. 1/2-pt. bye. Two 1/2-pt. byes allowed as long as one of the byes is for round 1, if requested by the end of Rd. 2.
Sections: K-1 Championship, Primary (K-3) Championship, Primary JV (K-3 w/Ratings Under 600), Elementary (K-5/6) Championship, Elementary JV (K-5/6 Under 800), Elementary Novice (K-5/6 Under 500), Middle School (6-8/9) Championship, MS JV (6-8/9 Under 900), MS Novice (6-8/9 Under 600), High School (9-12) Championship, HS JV (9-12 Under 1000). See Article IX, Section 1E, TCA Bylaws for each section's eligibility requirement, https://texaschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TCA-Bylaws-11-Mar-2021.pdf
February Supplement will be used.
John W. Griffin Memorial Chess Scholarship award sponsored by JWG Memorial Scholarship Fund. They will present a certificate to the winner (on tie-breaks, if needed) of the High School Championship ($1,200). The certificate is to be used for higher education at an accredited institution at some point in the future.
Texas Chess Association Scholarship Awards will go to the top five players (on tie breaks, if needed) and top girl (on tie-breaks, if needed) in the HS (9 - 12) Championship Section as follows: 1st Place - $600 scholarship, 2nd Place - $500 scholarship, 3rd Place - $500 scholarship, 4th Place - $500 scholarship, 5th Place - $500 scholarship, 1st Place Girl - $500 scholarship. TCA will provide scholarship winners with Award Certificates and instructions on how to claim the award upon enrollment to a post-secondary university program. If the top girl finishes in any of the top five places, the 6th place finisher will receive a $500 scholarship, and the entire $3,100 will be awarded, accordingly. If she finishes in first place, the same applies but she will receive the $600 scholarship and the 6th place finisher will receive a scholarship as mentioned above.
Trophies for top 15 individuals and top 10 teams in each section plus participation medals for all, and plus Score Awards for players scoring 4 or more points that do not win an individual trophy. Note that trophies will not be given out in advance and must be picked up at awards ceremony.
Schedule: Round times vary depending on the Section. For round times check website. Time controls: All High School and Middle School Championship Sections: Rds 1 G/45 d5; Rounds 2-4 G/60; d5, Rds 5-7 G/75; d5. All Elementary and Primary and K-1 sections as well as MS JV and MS Novice: rds 1-4 G/45; d5, rds 5-7 G/60; d5. For round times see link on website.
Side Events: Blitz and Bughouse. See website for side events. Side event registration on site only.
All registrations (except side events) available on line: see http://www.dallaschess.com/2024TexasScholastic/index.htm and you can download flyers and entry forms. Checks payable to Dallas Chess Club. Mail entries to Dallas Chess Club, c/o Barbara Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley, TX 76036-4719. For tournament info, visit our website or contact Barbara Swafford, info@dallaschess.com or 214-533-0061. Refunds will be given only up to 2/26 with a $10 surcharge for withdrawing, after 2/26 there will be no refunds. There will be no substitution of team members. There will be a $10 change fee for changes after 2/28. There will be a $5 surcharge per player for phone registrations. USCF membership is required. Proof of membership is required or player must join/renew their memberships. No registration/changes/or withdrawals by phone after 2/28 as we are driving to the site; after 2/28 email changes to info@dallaschess.com or on site 3/1 at Houston Westchase Hotel. NS, NC, W.