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Bay Area Chess Tournament Series
for All Ages and Levels with Free Parking!Add the chess tournament calendar for event dates and start times.- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.
Are you an internationally rated chess player? Does your rating reflect your playing strength?
Or are you playing chess in caves?
These events are the most efficient way to:
+ Get or improve the official rating from USChess Federation ("IRL" not online)!
+ Join your local chess community to enjoy and learn.
+ Overcome your FOMO
Unless you prefer to play chess in caves! - Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.
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Special Events for Everyone
Date Event Location (Click location for map) Type Actions Sep 22-24 US Class Open Sonesta LAX (Los Angeles) Both
- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.
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Scholastic Tournaments with
Leaderboards & Contactless AwardRecommended since 2005 by chess parents and children for PK-12 players rated under 1400!
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These tournaments come in four flavors: Chess4Less, Quads, Swiss, and Rising Star5, as you can see below.
Kids who are yet to play in a tournament should start with the Rising Star Event, which is exclusively for them. The rest may choose any other event below.
New: Introducing Chess4Less to make chess accessible with low low low entry fees.
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Footnotes:Note: We use AzhLangareted Cadence in these tournaments to optimize the parents' (and players') time; each round (of games) starts about 5 minutes after all games in the previous round end.
- A Time Control of G/M dN means each player gets M minutes/game and a delay of N seconds/move (before the clock starts ticking). A Time Control of G/M +N means each player gets M minutes/game and an additional (increment) N seconds for every move.
- We place players in groups or sections based on their USChess Published Official rating supplement.
- A group may have 3-7 players if the number of players is indivisible by 4 or 6.
- Some Swiss sections may be merged because we organize more smaller tournaments during post-COVID times. Unrated players are placed in under 500 sections by default. Players may play-up one section. Play-up fee: +11
- Rising Stars event introduces in-person tournaments to new players and their parents (who attend for free). A player may attend only one Rising Star Event (during which they play 3 games).
- Our answer to inflation is to have rock-bottom 20th-century prices! The only thing is that we can't offer BA€oins (nor prizes) at this fee.
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Awards
Awards 6 BA€oins/point (3-24 BA€oins/tourney; Bye Rounds + Extra-Rated Games may not award Coins). BA€oins (BA€) are redeemable for prizes below:- Medals = 3 BA€
- Trophies: 9 BA€ = M 1-Post | 18 BA€ = L 1-Post | 36 BA€ = XL 1-Post | 100 BA€ = XXL 2-Post | 200 BA€ = XXXL 3-Post | 300 BA€ = XXXXL 4-Post
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- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.
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GrandPrix Open Tournaments with
Cash Prizes & Bragging Rights!Recommended since 2006 by players recommended for all chess lovers
(including PK-12 players rated over 1000)
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These tournaments come in three styles: Cash Day Quads (1 day), Cash Day Swiss (1 day) & Championship (2 days).
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Cash Day: Quads & Swiss
Exciting • Competitive • One DayCash Day Quads Prize Fund:
$125/quad (quad = 4 players)
Winner takes all!- Each quad is 4 players based on the month's USChess Published Official rating supplement
- Unrated: Max $75 (except in the top section)
- Econ entries: Win 50% of the calculated prize
Cash Day Swiss Prize Fund:
$1,000 b/32 entriesSection Eligibility 1st 2nd 1800+ All $200 $60 u 2000 $100 1400-1799 All $100 $60 u 1600 $100 1000-1399 All $100 $60 u 1200 $60 under 1000 All $100 $60 - Players will be placed into 4 sections based on the month's USChess Published Official rating supplement
- A player may play up (aka level up) one higher section (Minimum rating to play up to 1800+ section: 1600)
- Unrated: Max $60 (except in the top section)
- Econ entries: Win 50% of the calculated prize
- ½-point Byes are available for any round (maximum 2 for 4 rounds, 1 for 3 rounds; byes must be requested at least 1 hour before that round's start except last round byes; last round bye must be requested latest before Round 3 for 4 round games or Round 2 for 3 round games)
- 0-point Byes are available for any round (player must play at least half the rounds to be eligible for prizes)
- If sections are combined, prizes for the sections will be combined and play-up fee for the higher section will be refunded
- A player who withdraws during the tournament is not eligible for prize money
Fees
Member* Non-member Regular 43 57 Econ 32 43 - Play-up Fee (Optional): +17
- Onsite/late entry: +22
Schedule
Schedule based on time control below:- G/45 d5: 4 rounds every 120 minutes
- G/50 d5: 4 rounds every 130 minutes
- G/60 d5: 4 rounds every 150 minutes
- G/75 d5: 3 rounds every 180 minutes
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The Real Bay Area Chess Championship
Therapeutic • FIDE-rated • Two Days- 3 sections: under 1500 | 1500-1999 | 2000+
- A player may play/level up one higher section. (Minimum rating to play up: 1500-1999 section = 1200 | 2000+ section = 1800)
- We will refund play-up fees if your section is merged with a lower section.
- Ratings based on the month's USCF Published Official rating supplement
- ½-point Byes are available for any round
- Maximum 2; must be finalized at least 1 hour before that round's start
- Changes to the last 2 Rounds byes after Round 3 starts or playing in less than 3 rounds implies any earned prize money will be donated to BAC
- 0-point Byes are available for any round
- A player who withdraws during the tournament is ineligible for prize money
Prize Fund:
$$ 4,000 GUARANTEEDSection Eligibility 1st 2nd 3rd 2000+ (FIDE Rated) All $700 $300 $150 u 2300 $300 $110 1500-1999 (FIDE Rated) All $500 $200 $110 u 1800 $300 $110 under 1500 All $500 $200 $110 u 1200 $300 $110 Unrated: Max $200 (except in the top section)
Econ entries: Win 50% of the calculated prizeBlitz Side Event = $100/Hex (groups of 6): $60 for 1st place, $40 to second place.
Fees
Member* Non-member All-Access
Regular103 137 All-Access
Econ80 107 Championship
Regular90 120 Championship
Econ68 90 Blitz 25 33 - Buy more and save with All-Access Pass, which includes the main event and (1/2-price on) Blitz.
- Play-up Fee (Optional): +28
- Onsite/late entry: +33
Schedule
5 round Swiss: 5SS x G/90 +30
Rounds: Sat 9:30 1:50 6:10 | Sun 9:30 2
Blitz Side Event: 6:30-8:30p
- 3 sections: under 1500 | 1500-1999 | 2000+
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- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.
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General Information about All Tournaments
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After Registering
- Add @bayareachess.com to safe senders to receive emails with orientation and other notifications.
- Check entries to confirm registration; fill in our form to report any errors, changes, cancellations/withdrawals****
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Before You Come
- Confirm the tournament's location, date, and start time.
- Read the orientation information.
- Arrive at least 20 minutes before the start time.
- Be nice to everyone!
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When You Come
- Check pairings before every round to find information about your next game.
- Check results after every round; report any errors to the Tournament Director (TD) ASAP.
- Be nice to everyone!
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General Information
- We use the USCF Official Published Rating (Supplement) to determine players' ratings.
- We may merge small sections.
- Online registration closes at midnight the day before the tournament. Onsite registration is available 20-30 minutes before every round (subject to space availability). Please contact td@bayareachess.com before registering onsite.
- US Chess membership is required for all tournaments (except Rising Star, which is not a rated tourney). Therefore, you must renew/signup with your tournament registration so we can process and reconcile it.
- Bay Area Chess membership is not required but can save you money if you play more than once a month.
- CalChess membership is required for all State Championship events.
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Footnotes
- * Azcelerate, LLC subsidizes Chess4Less and BAC Member discounts to promote chess for all! Note: Member discounts are available for online registrations only.
- ****Changes, Cancellations, and withdrawals will incur fees:
- $7 before 24 hours before the tournament
- $20 within 24 hours of the tournament
- no refunds after the tournament starts.
- For special events, refer to that special event's page.
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- Quick Links to Navigate This Page:
Special Events | Scholastic (for K-12) | Open (for adults & K-12 over 1000) | Global Registration Info.