Tournaments
Changes/Cancellations/Withdrawal:
A fee of $7 applies if made before 24 hours prior to the tournament, and a fee of $20 if made within 24 hours of the tournament. There are no refunds, or rescheduling given after the tournament starts. A player who withdraws during the tournament is also not eligible for prize money (USCF RULE 32C1). For special events, check the event's information page for all fees. All refunds are subject to a Paypal fee which is nonrefundable. Please fill in our general tournament change form (
bayareachess.com/changeform) before the tournament starts so we have it recorded for processing. Payments can be made through Zelle (
bayareachess.com/zellepay), Venmo (
www.venmo.com/u/sazhar), or Paypal (
bayareachess.com/payhere), and the receipt should be emailed to
events@bayareachess.com.
Late fee:
A late fee may be applied as early as two days before a regular tournament's start date or a week for special events. For scholastic tournaments, the late fee is $15, and for Cash Day tournaments & Championships, it is $20. For special events, refer to the event information page to determine the late fee charges.
No-Show:
There is no refunds or rescheduling for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches. When a player registers for a tournament, BayAreaChess reserves a spot for them, and if they do not show up, it causes unnecessary waiting for their opponent. Allowing no-shows to receive refunds, rescheduling, or credit may also encourage players to register for tournaments without any intention of actually playing, which can complicate the tournament process. By enforcing this policy, BayAreaChess is able to ensure that its tournaments run smoothly and that players are able to compete in a fair and organized manner.
Prize Money
Voided Checks:
Prize checks are valid for 90 days, after which they may become void. If this happens, players can request a reissue of a new check, or have the prize money transferred through Zelle or Paypal for a fee of $25 or 10% of the check amount, whichever is lower. Reissued checks must not be older than one year from the original check date, as checks that are older than one year will not be allowed. These guidelines ensure that players can still receive their prize money in a timely and efficient manner, while also maintaining proper accounting practices.
Memberships
BayAreaChess Membership:
If the cancellation request is made before the account is activated, a processing fee of $7 will be deducted from the refund. However, if the account has already been activated, no refund will be issued.
USCF Membership:
If the cancellation request is made before the membership is renewed, an extension of the USCF membership (1 year) can be offered, or a refund for the net amount can be processed. However, if the membership has already been renewed, no refund will be issued.