Eager to exercise your skills in a competitive environment? Join us for a Grupology Scholastic Chess Tournament!
Tournaments take place every other month at Grupology HQ in Downtown Burlingame.
Upcoming Tournaments
Location
- Grupology HQ: 1419 Chapin Ave. Suite 101, Burlingame CA 94010
Eligibility
- Players must have an active (paid) US Chess Federation membership to compete in the rated sections.
- Expiration date of US Chess membership must be later than the day of the tournament.
- Check membership status
- Become a member or renew your membership
Tournament Details
FAQ
What are the different levels?
Please register your child based on your best estimate of their current level using the guide below. Grupology educators will transfer students to the correct class placement as needed.
Level 1: Intro
USCF Rating: NA
ChessKid Rating: NA
New players are still learning how to play the game.
Level 2: Beginner
USCF Rating: U400
ChessKid Rating: 400–800
Beginner players know the basic rules of chess and can complete a game without assistance.
Level 3: Intermediate
USCF Rating: 400–700
ChessKid Rating: 800–1300
Intermediate players have had some class and tournament experience and are ready for more advanced strategy.
Level 4: Advanced
USCF Rating: 700+
ChessKid Rating: 1300+
Advanced players are ready for more complex matches and want to improve their overall game.
Sections
- K–12th Rated
- Over 800 (4 games)
- Under 800 (5 games)
- Under 400 (5 games)
- K–5th Non-Rated (5 games)
Schedule
- Doors Open: 9:20am
- Start Time: Game 1 starts promptly at 9:30am with games continuing on a rolling schedule.
- Rounds: Rated Over 800 will play 4 games. Rated Under 800, Under 400 and Non-Rated will play 5 games. This is not an elimination competition.
- End Time: ~1:00pm for Non-Rated; ~1:30pm for Rated
- Byes: Limit one 1/2-point bye if requested prior to the first round. No last round byes.
- Time Control: G/25 d5 (game in 25 minutes with 5-second delay)
Sections
- K–12th Rated
- Over 800 (4 games)
- Under 800 (4 games)
- K–5th Non-Rated (4 games)
Schedule
- Doors Open: 8:50am
- Start Time: Game 1 starts promptly at 9:00am.
- Rounds: All sections will play 4 games. This is not an elimination competition.
- Round 1: 9:00am
- Round 2: 9:30am
- Round 3: 10:00am
- Round 4: 10:30am
- End Time: ~11:15am
- Byes: Limit one 1/2-point bye if requested prior to the first round. No last round byes.
- Time Control: G/15
How do I sign up for a USCF rating?
Players must have an active (paid) US Chess Federation membership to compete in the rated sections.
Expiration date of US Chess membership must be later than the day of the tournament.
When is my child ready for chess tournaments?
Non-rated tournaments: If your child knows how the pieces move and the basic rules of chess such as check, checkmate and castling then they are ready for a non-rated tournament. Players are ready for non-rated tournaments when they can complete a game with no assistance.
Rated tournaments: Your child is ready when they can complete and notate a game with no assistance.
Your child will need an active (paid) US Chess Federation membership to compete in rated tournaments.
When is my child ready for the chess team?
Chess team is for enthusiastic and committed intermediate and advanced players who would like to compete in rated competitions at least four times per year. We expect all of our players to display strong sportsmanship.
What happens if I miss a class, would like to cancel or have a schedule change?
While there are no make-ups or refunds, we will try to accommodate schedule changes by transferring your child to another class of the same level on a different day subject to availability.