Official Chess Summer Showdown Season Series (Week 2 – Sunday, July 19)
Official Chess Summer Showdown Season Series
Event #2 – Sunday, July 19
East Side Community High School
420 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10009
Round 1: 9:30 AM
Four Independent Tournaments. One Exciting Season.
Every Summer Showdown weekend is a complete standalone US Chess-rated Swiss tournament.
Compete for individual and team trophies, enjoy four exciting rounds of chess (three rounds in the 1900+ section), and earn points toward the Summer Showdown Season Championship individual and team trophies.
You can play just this event or compete in all four weekends. The choice is completely yours.
Register for Sunday July 19, 2026 event at bottom of the page and compete for the trophies (lower sections) or the cash (top 2 sections) … either way, it’s time to go for the gold.
Links to register for additional weeks:
- Week 1 Saturday July 11 – https://officialchess.org/event/official-chess-summer-showdown-season-series-week-1-saturday-july-11/
- Week 3 Sunday July 26 – https://officialchess.org/event/official-chess-summer-showdown-season-series-week-3-sunday-july-26/
- Week 4 Saturday August 1 – https://officialchess.org/event/official-chess-summer-showdown-season-series-week-4-saturday-august-1/
Summer Showdown Season Series
This tournament is one of four weekends that make up the Official Chess Summer Showdown Season.
Players who compete in multiple weekends earn points toward our Season Championships while still competing for a full set of awards every single weekend.
Every weekend has:
- Its own Swiss Pairings
- Individual standings
- Team standings
- Individual trophies
- Team trophies
Players also earn Season Championship points that accumulate throughout the summer.
Build Any Team You Want
Teams are not limited to schools.
Create a team with your:
- School
- Chess Club
- Family
- Friends
- Summer Camp
- Neighborhood
- Condo Building
- Any organization
There are no rosters to submit.
Simply register under the exact same team name and everyone will automatically be on the same team.
To avoid confusion, choose a unique team name whenever possible.
Before registering, check the Advanced Listings to see whether another team is already using your desired name unless you intend to join that team.
A simple way to make your team unique is to add a number, such as Brooklyn Knights 67.
Players may switch teams between tournament weekends. Previous scores remain with the previous team while future scores count toward the new team.
Maximum 25 players per team each weekend.
Adults Can Play Too!
Parents, coaches, and other adults are welcome to compete in the 900–1300 section and above.
For the first time, families can actually compete together on the same team.
Soccer-Style Scoring
This event uses our exciting soccer-style scoring system.
- Win = 3 points
- Draw = 1 point
- Loss = 0 points
This rewards fighting chess and creates exciting final-round standings.
1900+ Section Adjustment
Since the 1900+ section plays only three rounds, scoring is adjusted accordingly.
- Win = 4 points
- Draw = 1.33 points
- Loss = 0 points
Sections and Time Controls
All sections use Swiss Pairings.
| Section | Format |
|---|---|
| Unrated–400 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 300–600 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 500–1000 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 900–1300 | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 1200–1600 | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 1500–2000 | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 |
| 1900+ | 3 Rounds • G/70 d5 |
Official July US Chess Published Ratings will be used.
If your Live US Chess Rating the day before the tournament exceeds a section’s minimum rating, you may choose to play in that higher section even if your published rating has not yet updated.
2 Byes Permitted – You will receive the same amount of tournament points as a draw (Byes do not affect USCF rating)
Awards
Every tournament weekend awards:
- Individual trophies or cash in every section
- Team trophies in every section
- Overall Team Championship trophies across all sections
Team scoring:
- Top 3 scores from a team within each section count toward that section’s Team Championship.
- Top 6 scores from any combination of sections count toward the Overall Team Championship.
Players also earn Season Championship points, including extra bonus points for every additional tournament weekend they play.
Entry Fee
$70
Players who compete in multiple Summer Showdown weekends will receive a 10% refund on all tournament entry fees after the completion of the Summer Showdown Season.
Parent Information
This is not a drop-off event.
Parents or guardians are expected to remain at the venue between rounds throughout the day.
Register Today!
Whether this is your first rated tournament or your hundredth, the Official Chess Summer Showdown offers a fun, exciting, and family-friendly way to spend your summer competing against players from throughout the New York metropolitan area.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, July 19!