28th North/Central Texas Grade Championships

October 17 - 19 2025

6 Rounds Swiss System Chess Tournament (no elimination.)

(Side Events on Saturday October 18)

Houston Marriott Westchase

2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston Texas, 77042. $135,$135,$135,$135 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

Reserve By 0ctober 1 or rate may not be honored.

Open to Texas Residents and/or Texas Schools.

Volunteers needed Link to find out more

USCF rated. USCF membership is required. Click here to join/renew using group voucher

TCA membership is also required (Tournament Membership embedded in entry fee).

13 separate tournaments, 1 per grade, Kindergarten (includes Pre-K) through 12^th . Players must play in their grades. Playing up to a higher or down to a lower grade level is not permitted.

Prizes:    Texas Chess Association Scholarship Award will go to the top player in 12^th grade (on tie breaks, if needed)

Trophies to top 8 individuals and top 5 teams in each K-12th section.

 Top 3 players in the section is added for team scores. No more than two teams per school per grade may be entered. If entering more than one team per grade, the teams must be predefined and may be paired against each other.

Registration:    Entry Fee is $43 if registered/postmark by 10/1/25, $53 if registered/postmark by 10/12, $66 afterward.

2 ways to register: 1.online registration

                                        2. tournament mail in form

Mail entries/Make checks payable to:  Dallas Chess Club

c/o Barbara Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley TX 76036-4719

214.533.0061 Click to email for more info.

Do not mail after 10/11 as it may not be received.

Entries must include Name, USCF ID (or new/pending), grade and school. Incomplete entries will be charged at site entry fee of $66.

K-12th Grade Round Times

Onsite Registration Friday, October 17 from 6:15 pm - 7:00 pm. Players registering after 7pm will receive a half point bye for Round 1.

If you pre-register, find your name on the advanced registration list, if everything is correct, you do not need to come to onsite registration. Instead plan to arrive in the hotel lobby between 7:10 - 7:20 pm. If corrections are needed, email info@dallaschess.com and state changes needed. Be sure to include Player's name and grade.

One ½ pt bye available any round, if requested before end of round 2 and before any full point bye is awarded.

Team Rooms: Contact Barb Swafford infofordcc@gmail.com

Onsite (Saturday) registration only:

Unrated Blitz Open tournament 2 Sections K-5 grade and 6-12 grade    Sat 7:00 pm.  EF: $20, Trophy prizes. 

Bughouse Open tournament Sat. 8:35pm. K-12 grade section    EF: $30/team. Trophy prizes.

The tournament will be run under the USCF Rules of Chess, 10th Edition

NS, NC, W, rule variation 11H1. More rules here.

Individual Tiebreaks:  Modified Median, Median, Solkoff, Sonneborn-Berger, Cumulative.

Team Tiebreaks:  Total individual medium, Total Solkoff, Total Sonnenborn-Berger, Total Cumulative.

Latest version of Swiss Sys will be used. Pairings created by this program are considered legal and may stand even if a pairing is not ideal. This is especially true if pairings have been posted. Current version is 10.53

Click for United States Chess Federation Introduction to Rated Tournaments.

Click for United States Chess Federation's How to keep score.

TLA:

Oct. 17-19 2025   28^th Annual Texas North/Central Grade Championships

Houston Marriott Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston Texas, 77042. $135,$135,$135,$135 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 Reserve by Wednesday October 1 2025 or rate may not be honored.

Each grade is Open to Texas residents or players attending Texas schools. Players must play in their own grade. Note that small sections may be merged with another section. Note players cannot play in two separate closed scholastic state championships in different states and be eligible to play. All Players are eligible to play in both North/Central and South Grade tournaments. One ½-point bye available, any round, if requested before end of round 2 and if player has not received a full point bye or forfeit win. Team pairings may be turned off for later rounds.

Prizes:  Texas Chess Association Scholarship Award will go to the top player in 12^th grade (on tie breaks, if needed)

Trophies to top 8 ind. & top 5 teams (top three players added for team scores, no more than 2 teams per school in each grade.) Medals to all players who finish the tournament.

EF: $43 if registered by 10/1/25, $53 if registered by 10/12, $66 thereafter or on site. Do not mail after 10/11 as your entry may not be received on time.

Schedule: Reg: Fri 6:15 pm – 7 pm. Rd. 1 Fri. 7:30 pm, Rd 2 Sat 10am, Rd 3 Sat 1:00pm, Rd 4 Sat 4pm, Rd 5 Sun. 10 am, and Rd 6 Sun 1:00 pm.

Grades K-5:  6SS, Time Control Rds. 1 G/45 d5; Rds. 2-6 G/60 d5.

Grades 6-12: 6SS, Time Control G/60 d5.

Registration:

Online Registration information on website at www.dallaschess.com

Or Mail: Entries to Dallas Chess Club, c/o Barbara Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley, TX 76036. Entry must include Name, USCF ID (or new/pending), grade & school and school location. Incomplete entries will be charged at site entry fee. No refunds after 10/16. Email: info@dallaschess.com  214-533-0061.

Side events: Unrated Blitz open tournament on Saturday at 7 pm. EF: $20, Trophy prizes. Bughouse Open Tournament Sat. 8:35 pm. EF: $30/team. Trophy prizes. Registration for side events onsite only.

W.NS.