- This event has passed.
Official Chess Summer Showdown Season Series (Week 1 – Saturday, July 11)
Official Chess Summer Showdown Season Series
Event #1 – Saturday, July 11
East Side Community High School
420 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10009
Final standings
https://www.chessroster.com/tournaments/h1ZuN1WOpHiy/reports-preview?reportType=standings
US Chess official crosstable
https://ratings.uschess.org/event/202607110243
| Section(s) | Round 1 Start |
|---|---|
| Unrated–400 | 300–600 | 12:00 PM |
| 500–1000 | 11:00 AM |
| 900–1300 | 1200–1600 | 1500–2000 | 1900+ | 9:30 AM |
💸 $2,000 guaranteed prize fund for top two sections, trophies for the rest
🚗 Parking Options (As low as $15 from 8am-7:30pm as of 6/29/26):
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 Saturday July 11, 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 2 Sunday July 19 – https://officialchess.org/event/official-chess-summer-showdown-season-series-week-2-sunday-july-19/
- 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. However, to prevent the best players from being stacked on the same team, teammates may play each other if the pairing method dictates.
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. Adding numbers will help.
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.
1900+ Section Adjustment for Overall Team Scoring
This tournament uses the standard Swiss scoring methodology (1 point for a win, 0.5 for a draw and 0 for a loss)
Since the 1900+ section plays only three rounds (versus 4 for other sections), scoring is adjusted accordingly for Team Trophy purposes.
- Win = 1 ⅓ point
- Draw = ⅔ point
- Loss = 0 points
Section Time Controls and Start Times
(PLEASE NOTE STAGGERED ROUND 1 START TIMES)
All sections use Swiss Pairings.
| Section | Format | Round 1 Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| Unrated–400 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/30 d5 | 12:00 PM |
| 300–600 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/30 d5 | 12:00 PM |
| 500–1000 (Scholastic Only) | 4 Rounds • G/40 d5 | 11:00 AM |
| 900–1300 | 4 Rounds • G/50 d5 | 9:30 AM |
| 1200–1600 | 4 Rounds • G/50 d5 | 9:30 AM |
| 1500–2000 | 4 Rounds • G/50 d5 | 9:30 AM |
| 1900+ | 3 Rounds • G/70 d5 | 9:30 AM |
All sections use Swiss Pairings. Official July US Chess Published Ratings will be used.
You may choose to play in that higher section ONLY if your Live US Chess Rating exceeds a section’s minimum rating (even if your published rating is not).
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:
- Cash prizes for top two sections
- 1900+ Section: $1250 ($600 for 1st, $300, $150, $100 and $100)
- 1500-2000 Section: $750 ($350 for 1st, $150, $100, $100 and $50)
- Monetary awards will be split in cases of ties – e.g. If 2 players in the 1900+ section tie for first based on points, they will each take home $450 (equal share of the first and second place prizes)
- Individual trophies for lower sections
- Team trophies in every non-cash 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.
Coaches Corner (Entry PLUS ticket required)
No personal coach to review your games and no Team Room? We have you covered! (Register for “Entry PLUS” at checkout)*
- Upgrade your experience and improve your chances at trophies!
- Dedicated MASTER-level players and professional coaches will be on-site in the Coaches Corner, offering real-time game reviews, tips, and personalized advice in between rounds
- Gain insights in real time while your moves and reasoning is still fresh
- Quickly uncover critical mistakes and missed opportunities to strengthen your play and boost your chances in the very next round
- There’s no faster or more effective way to build both short-term results and long-term chess skills
- Current coach(es):
- Eric Fleischman, Original Life Master, Candidate Master and National Master
Entry Fee
$70 (Price increasing to $75 on Sunday, July 5th)
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.
Other Information
This is not a drop-off event. Parents or guardians are expected to remain at the venue between rounds throughout the day.
- Chess sets, pencils and score sheets provided.
- Please bring clocks. Players are responsible for knowing how to set and operate their clock.
- US Chess membership through July 2026 is required.
- Notation books ok but cell phones must remain out of sight and turned off during tournament play.
- Notation required for all sections Unrated-400 section
- A.I. or any electronic eyeglasses strictly prohibited in the tournament rooms.
- Parents not allowed in tournament rooms during matches.
- Parents must chaperone children at all times in between matches.
- By registering your child for the tournament, you acknowledge and agree that photographs and/or video footage may be taken during the event by authorized staff, media representatives, or partners for promotional and educational purposes.
- These images and video may be used (without compensation) in publications, promotional materials, websites, and social media platforms associated with the Official Chess, its organizers, and affiliated partners.
- All players will have their names displayed in the tournament results and reports as typical with any US Chess Federation rated event.
- Official Chess reserves the right to refuse entry or revoke any registration at its sole discretion, or in accordance to rules and regulations set forth by US Chess including, but not limited to, adherence to the US Chess Safe Play Policies and Sanction List. https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/us-chess-safe-play-guidelines.pdf https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/sanctionedmembers_10202025.pdf
* Any details are subject to change at anytime but will be communicated well in advance of the tournament
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 Saturday, July 11!
Advance Entries: