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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T083000
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CREATED:20260206T034653Z
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UID:10000499-1770280200-1770310800@officialchess.org
SUMMARY:Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships - Vermont students or residents ONLY - Saturday\, March 28\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:https://vermontchess.org/events/39th-annual-state-scholastic-chess-championships/ \nVERMONT students or residents only \n\n\n\n\n39th Annual John Balch Memorial\n\n\n\n\nVermont State Scholastic Chess Championships\n\n\n\n\nK-12 Vermont students compete for state championship titles in the 39th Annual Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships. The tournament is named in honor of John Balch\, a great promoter of scholastic chess in Vermont\, who passed away in 2004. He taught chess to hundreds of Vermont youth. Chess boards\, pieces and clocks will be provided. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSaturday\, March 28\, 2026 \nLamoille Union High School\n736 VT-15\nHyde Park\, VT 05655\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEVENT\nTIME\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCheck-In\n\n\n\n\n9:00 AM – 9:30 AM\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInstructions\n\n\n\n\n9:45 AM\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRound 1\n\n\n\n\n10:00 AM\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRound 2\n\n\n\n\n15 Minutes After Completion of Round 1\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRound 3\n\n\n\n\n15 Minutes After Completion of Round 2\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRound 4\n\n\n\n\n15 Minutes After Completion of Round 3\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRound 5\n\n\n\n\n15 Minutes After Completion of Round 4\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlayoffs\n\n\n\n\nAs Needed\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAwards\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\nELIGIBILITY\n\nThis tournament is open to Vermont students in grades K through 12.  Participants must be Vermont residents or be enrolled in a Vermont public or private school.  No prior tournament experience is necessary.  Home schooled students are eligible\, as long as they are Vermont residents and under 19 years of age.  Home schooled students in a program that doesn’t use traditional grade levels should enroll in a section appropriate to their age. \nHigh School\, 8th and 5th Grade sections serve as a qualifier for national-level tournaments\, so they are USCF rated. A current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections. Please make certain that your membership is current prior to registration. You may obtain or update a USCF membership online at https://uschess.org. \nAll players must pre-register for the event. No walk-ins allowed. Registration closes on March 23rd.  Registration may close prior to March 23rd due to space limitations. Online registration only\, no entries will be accepted via mail or email. Terms and Conditions apply. \n\n\nGENERAL TOURNAMENT PROCEDURES\n\nThe Vermont Scholastic Chess Championships will follow standard United States Chess Federation (USCF) rules for scholastic tournaments. \nAll players will play five rounds\, there are no eliminations. The champion for each division will be determined by the best overall score after all rounds of play. \nEach player will play five games\, unless they receive a ‘bye’ due to an odd number of players in a division. A bye is worth one point (equivalent to a win.)  No player will receive more than one bye.  A player who arrives late and does not play in the first round (or any subsequent round) due to their tardiness will not be awarded a bye and will receive no points for the missed round. If a player needs to leave for any reason before the end of the event\, the tournament director must be informed of the early withdrawal. \n\nSECTIONS\n\nHigh School\, 8th and 5th Grade sections will be USCF rated. A current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections. \n\nAll rated section (High School / 8th /5th Grade) games will use a chess clock.\nMatches will be “Game 30\, Delay 0” meaning each player will have 30 minutes\, for a total of 1 hour maximum per game\, with no clock delay and no increment per move.\nClocks will be provided.\nUSCF players are required to notate their games.  If unfamiliar with notation\, do your best.  Notation becomes optional for both players once there is 5 minutes or less left on the clock for either player.\n\nK-4th and 6-7th Grade sections will be unrated\, and USCF membership is not required. \n\nFirst round pairing will be by random draw in these unrated sections.\nPairing for subsequent rounds will follow Swiss pairing rules\, which matches players who have accumulated a similar score for the day’s event.\nAll games in each round are expected to be completed within one hour.\nAny game lasting longer than 40 minutes will have a clock applied to assure timely completion.\nPlayers are encouraged to notate their games (i.e. write down each move as it is made) but it is not required.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \nLEVELS OF COMPETITION\n\nIndividual Competitions: Sections subject to change based on number of attendees. \nKindergarten: Awards 1st – 5th \n1st Grade: Awards 1st – 5th \n2nd Grade: Awards 1st – 5th \n3rd Grade: Awards 1st – 5th (Winner: Ashley Tournament) \n4th Grade: Awards 1st – 5th \n5th Grade: Awards 1st – 5th (USCF Required) (Winner: Rockefeller Tournament) \n6th Grade: Awards 1st – 5th \n7th Grade: Awards 1st – 5th \n8th Grade: Awards 1st – 5th (USCF Required) (Winner: Barber Tournament) \n9-12th Grades: Awards 1st – 5th (USCF Required)  (Winner: Denker Tournament) (Winner/Girls State Champion: Haring Tournament) \nNOTE: Any player in grades 6th-7th who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Barber Tournament must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 8th Grade division instead of their actual grade level. Any player in 4th grade who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Rockefeller event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 5th Grade division instead of their actual grade level. Any player in grades K-2ndwho is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Ashley event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 3rd Grade division instead of their actual grade level. \n\n  \nTEAM COMPETITION\n\n\nGrades K-5th Elementary School\nGrades 6th-8th Middle School\nGrades 9th-12th High School\n\nA team championship will be awarded to the players representing a school (not a club) with the highest aggregate score\, based on the following criteria: \n\nThe top four scores achieved by players from the same school will be added and become the team score.  The highest total score wins.\nA team may have less than four players\, but a minimum of two players.\nA school may be represented by more than four players\, but only the highest four scores will count toward the team score.\nIt is not necessary to register as a team — simply indicate the school attended on the registration form and the player will automatically represent that school.\nHome school players: If you wish to have scores included in the team competition\, please select the appropriate affiliated school from within the school district in which you reside. If you do not wish to have scores included in the team competition\, choose Home School/No Team.\nThe tournament is primarily an individual competition\, so players from the same school may need to play against each other during the tournament according to Swiss Pairing rules.\nPlayoff games typically do not add to a score.  For example\, say you have a two-way tie at the top with 4.5 points\, so you have a playoff game between those players.  One wins and gets the first place trophy and the other gets second\, but they both still achieve 4.5 points toward their team score.\n\n\n  \nNATIONAL QUALIFIERS\nAll national tournaments correspond with the U.S. Chess Open and this year are being held August 3-6\, 2026 in Grand Rapids\, Michigan. Participation and final results in eligible sections serve as a qualifier for national-level tournaments\, yet we hold no authority over these subsequent events. Nominees are responsible for bearing their own costs and expenses for national-level tournament participation. \n\n2026 Denker National High School Selection\nThe top finishing student in the High School division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Denker Tournament of High School Champions\, a national competition with a representative from each state (Denker Tournament Details). \n\n2026 Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions:\nThe top finishing female students (K-12) will be considered for the nomination to represent Vermont in the Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions\, a national competition with a representative from each state (Haring Tournament Details). To be considered\, please check the appropriate box during registration. Additional playoffs will likely be required to determine the nominee. \n\n2026 Barber National Middle School Selection\nThe top finishing student in the Middle School division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Barber Tournament of Middle School Champions\, a national competition with a representative from each state (Barber Tournament Details). \nNOTE: Any player in grades 6th-7th who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Barber Tournament must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 8th Grade division instead of their actual grade level.\n\n2026 Rockefeller National Elementary School Selection\nThe top finishing student in the Grade 5 division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Rockefeller Tournament of Elementary School Champions\, a national competition with a representative from each state (Rockefeller Tournament Details). \nNOTE: Any player in grades K-4 who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Rockefeller event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 5th Grade division instead of their actual grade level.\n\n2026 GM Maurice Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions\nThe top finishing student in the Grade 3 division will be selected as the Vermont representative to the Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions\, a national competition with a representative from each state (Ashley Tournament Details). \nNOTE: Any player in grades K-2 who is interested in competing for the opportunity to represent Vermont in the national Ashley event must declare their intent during the registration process and compete in the 3rd Grade division instead of their actual grade level.\n\n  \nIMPORTANT DETAILS (TIES\, NOTATION\, RESULTS)\n\nTies:   If there is a tie for the top position\, the event results will be checked to see if the top tied players have already played each other that day. If they have and there was a winner of that game\, that player will be declared the winner of the event. If not\, a playoff game will be played between the tied players to determine the champion. If that game ends in stalemate\, additional games will be played at successively reduced time controls until a winner is declared. Ties in all other positions except the top position will remain ties. \nA word about notation:  Notating chess games is not hard; it just takes a little practice to get into the habit of writing down your moves after you make them.  A printable notation sheet can be found here.  There are many places to learn notation online\, and we believe that if you can play Battleship\, you can notate chess!  Notation has many benefits including the ability to review your games after the event\, as well as help to correct errors and resolve disputes. \nResults: Players’ name\, division and results will be published on this website after the event concludes. For rated sections of the tournament\, those player’s results will be shared with US Chess in accordance with their reporting rules. \n\n  \nSCHOLARSHIPS\n\nIf registration fees are a financial hardship\, please use the contact form to request a scholarship. Scholarships are available\, and no one should fail to participate for lack of funds. Please note that national qualifier sections (High School\, 8th Grade\, 5th Grade) require a current USCF membership number ($24)\, which is not covered by a VT State Scholastic scholarship. To contact USCF regarding a discounted membership\, email membership@uschess.org \n\n  \nFOOD\, T-SHIRTS & TEDDY BEARS\n\nA variety of food and drinks will be available for purchase\, please send your player with CASH if they wish to purchase food. This tournament does NOT have a dedicated lunch hour\, players should eat between rounds. Players are welcome to bring their own food and drinks. \nVT State Scholastic Chess Championships T-Shirts ($20) and Teddy Bears ($10) will be available for purchase\, please send your player with CASH if they wish to purchase one or both of these items. \n\n  \nDIRECTIONS/PARKING\n\nThe tournament will be held at Lamoille Union High School\, 736 VT-15\, Hyde Park\, VT 05655. Parking is available at the school parking lot. \n\n  \nWI-FI AND CELLULAR SERVICE\n\nWi-Fi and cellular service can be limited\, please plan accordingly. Please also note that electronic communication devices are not allowed during Tournament play (see USCF Rule 20N). \n\n  \nSPECTATORS\n\nSpectators are not allowed to remain in classrooms or tournament rooms during tournament play. A dedicated spectator area will be communicated at the tournament. All players and spectators are expected to behave in a respectful manner toward other players\, spectators\, and volunteers\, while also respecting school property. Anyone in violation of these standards will be asked to leave and will receive a 0 for any rounds not completed due to failure to comply with tournament standards. \n\n  \nUSCF DIRECTORS AND AFFILIATION\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOURNAMENT DIRECTOR\nROLE\nUSCF ID\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMICHAEL STRIDSBERG\n\n\n\n\nLOCAL TD\n\n\n\n\n13691930\n\n\n\n\n\n\nANDRAS HADIK-BARKOCZY\n\n\n\n\nCLUB TD\n\n\n\n\n31607938\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMARK ROYAN\n\n\n\n\nCLUB TD\n\n\n\n\n31632433\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVERMONT CHESS ASSOCIATION\n\n\n\n\nAFFILIATE\n\n\n\n\nT5000947
URL:https://officialchess.org/event/vermont-state-scholastic-chess-championships-vermont-students-or-residents-only-saturday-march-28-2026/
LOCATION:Lamoille Union High School\, 736 VT-15\, Hyde Park\, VT\, 05655\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T190000
DTSTAMP:20260403T210154
CREATED:20260205T203110Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260205T203144Z
UID:10000497-1770283800-1770318000@officialchess.org
SUMMARY:2026 South Carolina Girls' Chess Championship - Saturday April 11\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:https://scscholastic.com/girls-championship \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDate and Location\n\nApril 11\, 2026 \nColumbia Chess Club \n6169 St. Andrews Road \nColumbia\, SC 29212 \n\n\n\nRegistration Details\n\nOpen to all SC K-12 Girls (Girls are permitted and encouraged to play in both State Championship on March 21\, 2026 as well as Girls’ Championship on April 11\, 2026) \nOnline Registration Only.  $30 by April 4\, 2026\, $40 thereafter.  Registration closes at 8:30 a.m. the morning of the tournament. \nAll equipment provided.  No check-in required: players not reporting to their first round game before their time expires will be withdrawn from the tournament.  Please contact info@columbiachess.org if there are any issues with your registration. \nPairings and standings available in real time online\, see “Pairings & Standings” in menu. \nActive USCF membership required. Memberships can be purchased/renewed at uschess.org/join-us-chess. \n\nRegister Now\n\n\nFormat\n\nThe Girls’ Championship tournament is organized as a single-section (K-12) tournament\, 5-Round Swiss G/30;d5. \n\n\n\nSchedule\n\nRound 1: 10:00 a.m.\nRound 2: 11:20 a.m.\nRound 3: 1:30 p.m.\nRound 4: 2:50 p.m.\nRound 5: 4:10 p.m.\nAwards: 5:40 p.m. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrizes\n\n\n\n\nTop 8 receive trophies. Superlative awards to youngest participant\, best debut\, and biggest upset. \nThe SC Chess Association awards the first place finisher an invitation and a stipend to compete as the South Carolina representative to Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions. The WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions is an  annual invitational event run by US Chess that has determined the Haring National Champion since 2013.  A total of $18\,700 in prizes will be awarded\, including $5\,800 in scholarship and cash prizes to the champion. The champion will also qualify for the U.S. Girls Junior Championship and either the World Youth Championship or the World Cadet Championships. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe second place finisher in the SC Girls’ Scholastic Championship is named the South Carolina Representative to the Susan Polgar Invitational Tournament in St. Louis\, MO\, and given a stipend for attendance. \nThis “Hannah ‘Tori’ Whatley GRIT Award\,” started by the Whatley family in 2015\, honors a young South Carolina female chess player chosen to compete at the Susan Polgar Girls Invitational. Named after Tori Whatley\, the first South Carolinian girl to attend in 2008 as a 6th grader\, it celebrates her tenacity. She competed six times\, a rare feat\, and was known for upsetting higher-rated players\, like in her debut when she drew a player 518 points above her and beat Virginia’s champion. In 2012\, she placed 22nd. Tori joined Webster University’s SPICE program in 2015\, the only North American female on the team until 2018. After earning a studio art degree\, she worked briefly at the World Chess Hall of Fame and now studies nuclear engineering at Florida International University. \nSponsored by Tori and her dad David\, a former scholastic chess coordinator\, the award reflects their love for chess and aims to inspire others to pursue their passions.
URL:https://officialchess.org/event/2026-south-carolina-girls-chess-championship-saturday-april-11-2026/
LOCATION:Columbia Chess Club\, 6169 St. Andrews Road Columbia\, SC\, Columbia\, SC\, 29212\, United States
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