DATE – The tournament will be played on Saturday, January 31, 2009.
PLACE – The tournament will be played at Lindbergh High School, 4900 South Lindbergh, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63126
REGISTRATION – Tournament registration will be from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Advanced registration is recommended. For advanced registration go to www.gatewaychess.org and follow the instructions. The deadline for advanced registration is 6:00 p.m., Friday, January 30.
ELIGIBILITY – All students in kindergarten through grade twelve are eligible. Schools may not enter teams in sections that include grades higher than the highest grade in the school that the team represents.
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION FORMAT – The tournament will be played in four rounds at 9:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Students in grades nine through twelve are eligible. Each school may enter any number of players. Players are assigned to boards by rating. The school score is the sum of the four highest player scores, regardless of board. Four school trophies and ten individual trophies per board will be awarded. The time control is game in sixty minutes. Players will be paired with players in other divisions.
NINTH GRADE AND UNDER DIVISION FORMAT – The tournament will be played in four rounds at 9:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Students in kindergarten through grade nine are eligible. Each school may enter any number of players. Players are assigned to boards by rating. The school score is the sum of the four highest player scores, regardless of board. Two school trophies and ten individual trophies per board will be awarded. The time control is game in sixty minutes. Players will be paired with players in other divisions.
EIGHTH GRADE AND UNDER DIVISION FORMAT – The tournament will be played in four rounds at 9:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Students in kindergarten through grade eight are eligible. Each school may enter any number of players. Players are assigned to boards by rating. The school score is the sum of the four highest player scores, regardless of board. Two school trophies and ten individual trophies per board will be awarded. The time control is game in sixty minutes. Players will be paired with players in other divisions.
SIXTH GRADE AND UNDER DIVISION FORMAT – The tournament will be played in four rounds at 9:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Students in kindergarten through grade six are eligible. Each school may enter any number of players. Players are assigned to boards by rating. The school score is the sum of the four highest player scores, regardless of board. Two school trophies and ten individual trophies per board will be awarded. The time control is game in sixty minutes. Players will be paired with players in other divisions.
FIFTH GRADE AND UNDER DIVISION FORMAT – The tournament will be played in four rounds at 9:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Students in kindergarten through grade five are eligible. Each school may enter any number of players. Players are assigned to boards by rating. The school score is the sum of the four highest player scores, regardless of board. Two school trophies and ten individual trophies per board will be awarded. The time control is game in sixty minutes. Players will be paired with players in other divisions.
BOARD ASSIGNMENTS – Players rated 1000 and above are assigned to board one, players rated between 800 and 999 are assigned to board 2, players rated 600 to 799 are assigned to board three, and players rated under 600 are assigned to board four.
RATINGS – United States Chess Federation ratings will be used if possible. Grade twelve students without ratings will be assigned a rating of 800, grade eleven students without ratings will be assigned a rating of 750, and so forth.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS – Awards will be presented at 7:30. No awards will be presented before this time.
UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION – United States Chess Federation membership is required for tournament participation. Players must either show proof of membership or purchase membership at the tournament. The cost for players under twenty-five years of age is $25.00 for a one year membership, the cost for players under sixteen years of age is $19.00 for a one year membership, and the cost for players under thirteen years of age s $13.00 for a one year membership. Note that the rates increase as of December 1, 2008.
ENTRY FEE – The entry fee is $10.00 per player. The entry fee for players who begin registration after 8:30 or who pay the cashier after 9:00 is $20.00. Players who begin registration after 9:00 will not be paired in round one.
TIE BREAKERS – Ties will be broken using the SOLKOFF SYSTEM, the SONNEBOERN-BERGER SYSTEM, the MEDIAN SYSTEM and the CUMULATIVE SYSTEM.
EQUIPMENT – Players are responsible for providing sets, boards, clocks and either pen or pencil for writing game notation. Limited numbers of sets, boards and clocks will be available for those without necessary equipment. Equipment may be on sale during the tournament.
SPONSORS – Each school must have either a sponsor or parent present. There will be a sponsors and parents meeting during round one.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR – The tournament director is Edward Baur.
FURTHER INFORMATION – Please call Edward Baur at 314-645-2897.