The Georgia Chess Association (GCA) will hold the annual high school TEAM chess championships on Saturday, March 25, 2017 in Cox Hall at Emory University.
This championship typically attracts over 2 dozen teams from all parts of the state. Walton HS of Cobb County has finished on top for the past three years. The 2013 championship was shared by Northview HS and Pace Academy. The 2012 champion was perennial contender and past-champion Chamblee HS. Non-Metro Atlanta champions have included Clarke Central, Gilmer and Pierce County. Write-ups on recent years tournaments are all available online at www.GeorgiaChessNews.com.
Format: 5-board team format; G/30 time control (each player has 30 minutes); five rounds; Swiss-System pairings (all teams play five rounds); not USCF-rated. Up to two teams from a school are allowed – an A-team and a B-team. First round pairings posted at 9am.
Round times: 10-11:30-1-2:30-4, awards ASAP.
ENTRY FEE: $100 per team. Registration and payment deadline is Tuesday, March 21, 2017. No on-site registration or payment. Early communication by participants will assist in planning and is appreciated.
Points for those considering competing for the first time :
1. Each year, many of the schools are first-time participants. All size schools, public and private, compete head-to-head. There is no regional or qualifying requirement for this tournament--any Georgia high school can simply register and compete. This event offers the one opportunity each year for high school chess clubs to compete in a formal setting against peer groups from around Georgia. The competition can give otherwise unstructured chess clubs a bit of a goal for the year.
2. This event is appropriate for all skill and experience levels. Many participants have never played in a formal chess tournament. At least two-thirds of the participating school teams consist of casual players who come to this competition and no others. Students should be interested and serious about the competition.
3. All teams will play all five rounds of chess–this is not a knockout or elimination format. Round times will start at 10-11:30-1-2:30-4.
4. The event is run in a formal manner by a US Chess Federation (USCF) tournament director; however, the experience is also designed to be comfortable and non-intimidating. Given the time constraints of many students, this is a one-day event with five rounds of chess at a time control of G/30 (each player has a maximum of 30 minutes of playing time per game).
5. The competition is organized in 5-board team format–a team must consist of a minimum of five high school students ranked in playing strength. Up to two teams can be entered from a school and there are provisions for alternate players. See the attached registration instructions for further guidance.
6. The earliest possible indication by email of your intention to participate will assist in planning.
7. Bring chess clocks if you have them, sets/boards for analysis, pens and score sheets for notation. We will supply standard tournament boards and sets for the playing area.
8. We will provide further details on parking and food together with a map to those schools registering. Food will be readily available at and near the Emory Cox Hall Ballroom site.
We are looking forward to another excellent competition.
Contact for clarifications:
Ted Wieber, trw52@aol.com, 770-476-5659