4th Annual Greater Baltimore Scholastic Chess Championships
Saturday 20 December 2014, 09:30am - 05:00pm
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Contact tournaments@mdchess.com

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute & Western High School
1400 W. Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21209

Recent History of the Tournament, Site, and/or Date

Open to all K - 12 players from anywhere.

7 SECTIONS

4-SS, G/45 d/5 (4-round Swiss system, 45-minute game per player, 5-second delay per move)
Championship: High-School --------- (any rating, but no unrated players; grades 9 - 12; trophies: top 7 individuals & 2 teams)
Championship: Middle-School ------ (any rating, but no unrated players; grades 6 - 8; trophies: top 8 individuals & 2 teams)
Championship: Elementary-School (any rating, but no unrated players; grades K - 5; trophies: top 6 individuals & 2 teams)

5-SS, G/30 d/5 (5-round Swiss system, 30-minute game per player, 5-second delay per move)
Under 1000: High-School ----------- (rated under 1000, or unrated; grades 9 - 12; trophies: top 10 individuals & 3 teams)
Under 1000: Middle-School -------- (rated under 1000, or unrated; grades 6 - 8; trophies: top 19 individuals & 4 teams)
Under 1000: Elementary-School -- (rated under 1000, or unrated; grades K - 5; trophies: top 13 individuals & 4 teams)
Under 500: Elementary-School ---- (rated under 500, or unrated; grades K - 5; trophies: top 17 individuals & 5 teams)

      • Round 1 for all sections: 9:30 AM. Subsequent rounds: as soon as possible.
      • The sections above are listed:
            • primarily in descending order of rating strength,
            • secondarily in descending order of grade range.
      • Elementary-School players rated 100 - 499 or unrated may play either in Elementary-School Under 500 or in Elementary-School Under 1000.
      • Players who register for the lower section for which they qualify, enhance their ability to win an individual trophy.

102 Trophies: 80 Individual & 22 Team

The individual & team winners (or co-winners) of each Championship section will be the 2014 Greater Baltimore Scholastic Chess Champion for that grade range. The individual winner (or co-winners) of each Championship section will receive free entry to MCA’s Baltimore Open 2015 on February 6 - 8.

For more information about MCA tournaments, contact MCA at tournaments@mdchess.com.

This tournament is supported generously by the Baltimore Kids Chess League.

Registered Players

Tournament Registration Fee

      • $20 (Early), if completed by 11:59 PM, Sunday, 12.14 (online or received mail)
      • $30 (Regular), if completed by 7 PM, Thursday, 12.18 (online)
      • $40 (Last-Minute), if completed by 6 AM, Saturday, 12.20 (online) (half-point bye possible in Round 1)
      • $50 (At-the-Door), 8:30 - 9 AM, Saturday, 12.20 (only if space is available; half-point bye likely in Round 1)

Registration by Mail

      • Include: player's name, USCF ID #, USCF expiration date, section, grade, school, phone #, email address, & check (written in ink & made payable to Maryland Chess Association).
      • Mail to: Maryland Chess Association, 1827 Thornton Ridge Road, Towson MD 21204-1841.

US Chess Federation Membership

      • Players must have a current USCF membership at USCF-rated tournaments; MCA tournaments are USCF-rated.
      • Players without a current USCF membership are ineligible to play and will not be paired. They will receive a half-point bye in Round 1 and 0-point byes in subsequent rounds, until they purchase a new USCF membership or renew an expired one. Half-point and 0-point byes reduce a player's ability to win an individual trophy and a school's ability to win a team trophy.
      • A USCF membership can be purchased online or by mail, along with registration for the tournament. If you’re purchasing by mail, then include: player's name, date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy), home address, gender, and USCF ID # (if available). Select 1 of the options listed below [ages refer to the member’s age on the day of the tournament]:
            • ages 1 - 12, $17, Scholastic: Regular (12 months), Chess Life for Kids (online)
            • ages 13 - 15, $22, Youth: Regular (12 months), Chess Life for Kids (online)
            • ages 16 - 24, $26, Young Adult: Regular (12 months), Chess Life (online)

Which Players Are Required to Record Their Games?

      • Players in grades 4 - 12 must record (notate) their games, unless they are unable to. K - 3 players in all sections are exempt from the recording requirement.
      • Recording affords several benefits:
            • it helps to resolve disputes;
            • it discourages cheating;
            • it enables players to improve their skills through post-game analysis.

Do Players Need to Bring Anything?

      • Players do NOT need to bring any equipment. MCA will provide all necessary supplies: boards, pieces, scoresheets (for recording), and pencils. (MCA’s pencils might be dull and do not have erasers. If you want a sharp pencil with a good eraser, then bring your own.)
      • Players do NOT need to bring a clock; however, we encourage them to bring one. A game may be started without a clock, if neither player brings a clock to the board. Clocks can be purchased at the tournament.
      • Food (pizza, candy, soda, etc.) can be purchased at the tournament.

How to Register Online for an MCA Scholastic Tournament

Which USCF Rating Determines the Section(s) in which a Player May or Must Play?

MCA’s Scholastic Team Policy

MCA’s Scholastic Bye Policy

MCA's Refund Policy & Fees for Registration Changes

Tournament Announcements before Round 1 & Section Schedules

Procedures, Rules, and Etiquette for Players and Spectators at an MCA Scholastic Tournament

Even when More Than 1 Player in a Section Can Achieve a Perfect Score, There Will Be No Major Variations; However, There Might Be Minor Variations. The following might be changed for any section, according to the number of players in the section: whether there are natural pairings (the norm at a Swiss-system tournament) or accelerated pairings in Rounds 1-2, and the number of trophies. In the rare instance of a section having an exceptionally low turnout, it might be merged with another section.

Tournament Results
Current Standings: Individuals (all individual scores in all sections on 1 screen) (live results updated every 60 seconds)
Current Standings: Teams (all team scores in all sections on 1 screen) (live results updated every 60 seconds)
Final Standings: MCA's Crosstables (tied players in order, according to tiebreak—ORDER of TROPHIES)
Final Standings: USCF's Crosstables (tied players in order, according to subsequent unpublished rating)

How MCA Determines the Individual Winner of a Section when There’s a Tie for First Place

How to Find a Player’s New USCF Rating after an MCA Scholastic Tournament

For further information, contact the Maryland Chess Association at tournaments@mdchess.com.

Location Baltimore Polytechnic Institute & Western HS