2009 Greater New York Scholastic Team and Individual Chess Championships
By Richard Krueger   
January 20, 2009
Kasparov Chess Foundation Presents
2009 Greater New York Scholastic Team and Individual Chess Championships
January 31st – February 1st at Manhattan’s New Yorker Hotel

New York, NY, Jan. 15, 2009 -- The Kasparov Chess Foundation is host and sponsor of the 2009 Greater New York Scholastic Team and Individual Chess Championships. America's longest-running, rated scholastic chess tournament will be taking place on Sat., Jan 31st and Sun, Feb. 1st at Manhattan's New Yorker Hotel, in the Grand Ballroom.

The K – 12 Championships consist of 5-round Swiss-style one-day tournaments, two on Sat., Jan. 31 and two on Sun., Feb. 1. Ideal for beginners as well as top-rated competitive players, there are four Championships, each with 3 sections from which to choose, and all rated by the United States Chess Federation (USCF).

Each section of each tournament awards prizes for the top-scoring players and schools. Players are eligible for both individual and team prizes, and those who don’t win prizes will be awarded medals.  Any number of players may participate from a school to help compete for team prizes (2 or more from a school make a team), but the school's 4 top-scoring players constitute its team score.

Players without school teams compete for individual prizes. The Top 3 players in each section also win months of free entries into all the Chess Center of New York's tournaments (except quads) -- a savings of hundreds of dollars off the regular tournament entry fees.  

The tournament format follows:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009        PRIMARY CHAMPIONSHIP  

      3 separate sections, open to all born after 1/31/99, grades 3/below:

  1. Primary Varsity, open to all. Entry Fee (EF): $46.60 per player if postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies to the 12 top-scoring players and the 6 top-scoring schools, the top rated under 900,
and the top 3 unrated players.

  2. Primary Novice, grades K-3, rated Under 700 or Unrated. EF: $46.50 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 3 unrated players, top 6 schools.

  3. Primary K-1, open to all in grades 1 and below. EF: $46.40 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, top under 500, and the top 3 unrated players.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009         JUNIOR HIGH CHAMPIONSHIP

       3 separate sections, open to all born after 1/31/93, grades 9 or below:

   1. Junior High Varsity, open to all. EF: $48.60 per player postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players and the top 6 schools, the top player rated under 1200, and the top 3 unrated players.

   2. Junior High Junior-Varsity, open to rated Under 1000 or Unrated. EF: $48.50 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools and the top 3 unrated players.

   3. Junior High Novice, for Under 700 or Unrated. EF: $48.40 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, top 3 unrated players.
Special plaques also awarded to the two Novice Section top-scoring players in each grade:  4, 5 and 6!
    
SUNDAY,  FEBRUARY 1, 2009            ELEMENTARY CHAMPIONSHIP

       3 separate sections, open to grades K-6, born after 2/1/96.

  1. Elementary Varsity, open to all.  EF: $47.60 per player postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, top scorer rated under 1200, and the top 3 unrated players.

  2. Elementary Junior-Varsity, open to players rated under 1000 or unrated. EF: $47.50 mailed by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, and the 3 top-scoring unrated players.

  3. Elementary Novice, open to rated Under 700 or not yet rated. EF: $47.40 mailed by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, and the 3 top-scoring unrated players.
 
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2009            HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP

      3 separate sections, open to all in grades K-12, born after 2/1/89.

1. High School Varsity, open to all. EF: $49.60 per player postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies awarded to the 12 top-scoring players, the top 6 schools, the top scoring player under 1700,
and the top 3 unrated players.

 2. High School Junior-Varsity, open to rated under 1600 or unrated players.  EF: $49.50 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies to: top 12 players, top 6 schools, top player rated under 1400, and top 3 unrated players.

3. High School Novice, open to rated under 1000 or unrated. EF: $49.40 postmarked by 1/09/09.
Trophies: top 12 players, top 6 schools, and top 3-scoring unrated players.

*  Game times:  10 am, 12 Noon, 2 pm, 3:30 pm and 5:15 pm each day.

Those unable to play all five games may request ½-point byes in advance for rounds they cannot play.
 

Online Registration:

On-Line Individual Registration: $46 per player thru Jan 16, $53 per player January 17-26th.
On-Line Team Registration: $41 per player if 4 or more from the same school registering together ($164 per 4-player team) thru January 16,  $48 per player January 17-26th.

Visit www.chesscenter.cc for link to online registration.

Mail Entries:     

To register by mail, list each player's name, USCF ID# and expiration (new players write "NEW"), address, date of birth, school and grade (use our mail entry form, make copies as needed).  All mailed entry fees are now $7 extra per player and may be postmarked by Jan. 16th.  Mail check or money order to:
        CHESS CENTER OF NEW YORK,
         PO Box 4615, New Windsor, NY 12553
             
All entry fees $5 less per player if 4 or more from the same school are mailed together in
the same envelope.

Phone Entries:     

$59 per player thru January 26th  
Call (845) 569-9969 (questions, entries), or
(406) 896-2191 (24 hours: entries only, no questions)
No team discounts for phone entries.

On-Site Entries:

After January 26th, entries are only accepted at the tournament, before 9:15 am.
Those registering on-site after 9:15 AM will skip the first game.
On-site entry fee: $65

Players are requested to bring chess sets and clocks, as none will be provided by event organizers.

For more information, send an email to [email protected] or call (845) 569-9969.

About Kasparov Chess Foundation

Founded by World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, KCF's mission is to bring the many educational benefits of chess to children throughout the United States by providing a complete chess curriculum and enrichment programs. The Foundation promotes the study of chess as a cognitive learning tool in curricular classes and after-school programs for elementary, middle and high schools, both in the public and private school sectors. The not-for-profit educational organization also organizes tournaments and competitions on a local and national basis. For more information, please visit http://www.kasparovchessfoundation.org .