2011 Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships

All Vermont students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 are eligible to compete for the State Championships in the following divisions: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Middle School (Grades 7 & 8) and High School (Grades 9 through 12). Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishers in each division. Team Championship plaques will be awarded in the Middle School and High School divisions based on the top four scores from each school.

All abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate; no prior tournament experience is necessary

This tournament is named in honor of John Balch, a great promoter of scholastic chess in Vermont, who passed away in 2004. He was a teacher of hundreds of Vermont youth.

* * NEW THIS YEAR * *

You may now register for the Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships online, and pay registration fees using PayPal or credit card. See the Registration section below for details.
The USCF has created a new national K-8 Tournament of State Champions with a representative from each state. The Vermont Scholastic Chess Tournament will be the qualifying event that selects the Vermont K-8 representative. See the National Qualifying section below for details.

OVERVIEW

The 24th Annual Vermont Scholastic Chess Championships is a United States Chess Federation (USCF) rated event. The tournament will follow standard USCF rules for scholastic tournaments. Current USCF membership is required -- see the Registration section for details.

The Swiss pairing system will be used, and all players will play 4 or 5 rounds depending on the number of participants in each division (no eliminations.) Matches will be “Game 30” meaning each player will have 30 minutes, for a total of 1 hour maximum, per game. Clocks are recommended for upper grades and will be required for top boards. Also, clocks may be used in younger grades to ensure a game completes on time. Players in grades 7-12 are required to notate (write down their moves.) Notation is recommended but not required at lower grades.

Please bring your own chess set(s) and chess clock(s) if you have them. Please label your belongings so they can be returned to you if lost or misplaced.

The champion for each division will be determined by the best overall score after all rounds of play. If there is a tie for the top position, a game will be played between the tied players to determine the champion. If that game ends in stalemate, additional games will played at successively reduced time controls until a winner is declared. With all other positions, ties will be determined using the USCF recommended systems (i.e. Modified Median, Solkoff, Cumulative.) For an explanation of the tie-breaking procedure, click here.

SCHEDULE

Registration begins at 8:30 am and closes at 9:30 am. Pre-registered players must check-in during this time. Games will start at 10:00 am or as soon as the first round pairings are complete. Each student will play at least four games, unless they receive a bye. The tournament director must be informed of any early withdrawal.

Prizes will be awarded as each division finishes. The tournament may be completed as early as 1:00 pm for the youngest division, and as late as 5:00 pm for high school division. Parents and spectators are allowed to accompany their children to the playing rooms, but only players and room monitors are allowed in the K – 8 rooms while games are in session. Viewing will be allowed at a discrete distance in the High School section. Seating will be available in the gymnasium for players, families, and friends. Special arrangements must be made with the director if your child will be without adult supervision for any portion of the tournament.

Reasonably priced, quality breakfast food, lunch and snacks including vegetarian options will be available. Chess equipment, books, and souvenirs will be available for sale by the Rochester Chess Center. Tournament souvenir T-shirts will be sold on a first come basis.

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS

2011 Denker Tournament of State High School Champions Selection

The Denker Tournament of State High School Champions is a national competition with a representative from each state. It corresponds with the U.S. Chess Open and this year is being held in Orlando, FL from July 30^th through August 2^nd. The top finishing student in the High School division of the Vermont State Scholastic Tournament will be selected as the Vermont representative to the national Denker tournament. If the top student is unwilling or unable to attend the Denker tournament, an alternate will be selected based on performance in the state tournament, USCF rating, and possibly a playoff.

2011 USCF K-8 Tournament of State Champions Selection

The USCF K-8 Tournament of State Champions is a new national competition with a representative from each state. It corresponds with the U.S. Chess Open and is being held in Orlando, FL from July 30^th through August 2^nd. The top finishing student in the 7-8 Grade division of the Vermont State Scholastic Tournament will be selected as the Vermont representative to the national K-8 tournament. If the top student is unwilling or unable to attend the national K-8 tournament, an alternate will be selected based on performance in the state tournament, USCF rating, and possibly a playoff.

Any player in grades K through 6 who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national K-8 tournament may declare their intent prior to the tournament and compete in the Grade 7-8 section.

REGISTRATION

Entry Fees:

$12 for registration with payment by mail that is postmarked on or before April 4^th.
Pre-registration now closed for this event.
~~$12 for online registration with payment by PayPal or credit card before noon on April 8^th.~~
Pre-registration now closed for this event.
$20 for onsite registration the day of the tournament.

Registration Options:

~~To register by mail click here, print the registration form and send with payment to the address indicated. Make checks payable to "Vermont Scholastic Chess".~~ Pre-registration by mail is now closed for this event.
~~To register online click here to complete and submit the online registration form. Payment instructions will be sent to you by email.~~
Pre-registration now closed for this event.

Early registration helps us plan and start on time!
(Sorry, full refunds may not be possible.)

USCF membership options:

1. You may obtain or update a USCF membership online prior to the event at http://uschess.org/.
Please note: If you purchased a USCF membership at last year's tournament, that membership is still valid until April 30, 2011.

2. You may purchase a USCF membership on site on the day of the tournament. Thanks to a generous donation from Continental Chess Association (www.chesstour.com) we are able to offer USCF memberships at greatly reduced rates:

a. For all age players, a one year basic USCF membership (with no magazine) can be purchased for $8.

b. For players age 12 and under, a one year USCF membership with 6 issues of “Chess Life for Kids” can be purchased for $10.

c. For players age 13 and over, a one year USCF membership with 12 issues of “Chess Life” can be purchased for $15.

Important Note:

If registration and/or membership fees are a financial hardship, please contact the tournament director regarding scholarships. No one should fail to participate for lack of funds.

DIRECTIONS to the Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championship:
Berlin Elementary School is located in central Vermont outside the city of Montpelier. It is approximately 38 miles southeast of Burlington, and 50 miles north of White River Junction.

Driving directions: Take Interstate 89 exit 7, turn left at the first light, and turn right into Berlin Elementary School.

Physical (GPS) address: 372 Paine Turnpike North, Berlin, VT.

Questions about the tournament may be directed to:

Mike Stridsberg, Tournament Director: mike@vtchess.info or (802) 223-1948

NOTICES

The following notices or their likenesses may be used for advertisements, newsletters, or other promotional material.

PRESS RELEASE
The 24th Annual Vermont Scholastic Chess Championships will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at Berlin Elementary School in Berlin, VT, conveniently located in central Vermont just off Interstate-89 exit 7.

All Vermont students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 are eligible to compete for State Championships in each grade Kindergarten through Grade 6, Middle School (Grades 7 & 8) and High School (Grades 9 through 12). All abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate.

The tournament will be USCF rated and follow USCF rules. Registration is from 8:30 AM until 9:30 AM. Games will start at 10:00 AM. Complete rules and registration information can be found at http://vtchess.info or by contacting Mike Stridsberg, Tournament Director, at mike@vtchess.info or (802) 223-1948.