Kalahari Resorts & Conventions · 3001 Kalahari Drive, Round Rock TX 78665 512-501-3493 (Mention US Chess) · US Chess Rate $179 · Book Now! Support US Chess and Ensure Future Events by staying at the host hotel! The Kalahari has large, family-friendly rooms with 100% king-size beds! As of 03/16/2023, the Kalahari is essentially sold out, but there may be rooms available based on individual cancellations. Please use the booking link above to try reserving there first. We have a limited amount of overflow rooms at a nearby property. Please see below for booking information.

For the 2023 National Middle School, board-order pairings and standings will not be printed. Rather, they will be posted online. Last-name alphabetical order pairings will still be posted onsite.

To see the pairings and standings, click "Results & Pairings" in the upper left hand corner, then select the tournament and section you're interested in. (There will be no data here before 11am local time, Friday, April 21.)

There will be QR codes that link to the pairings and standings posted all around the playing site. Copies of the QR codes are also available at Chess Control.

US Chess now provides a way for coaches, faculty advisors, and other interested parties to receive our pre-tournament emails for national events. Just use this form to subscribe!

You can select the event(s) you wish to receive emails about. If you wish to unsubscribe from these lists at any point, you do so by just clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email.

Awards are provided by Trophies Plus, sponsor of the All-American Team. Trophies Plus will ship awards for you at the conclusion of the event. Just click on their icon for details!

US Chess offered an informative Town Hall for parents, coaches and players on Thursday, April 13. The moderators were be Pete Karagianis, Assistant Director of Events, and NTD Franc Guadalupe, chief TD of the 2023 National Middle School.

The Town Hall replay may be watched at this link.

Click Here for Rating Review Report

The Tournament Review Group (defined in Section 12.5 of the Scholastic Regulations) reviews every entry to this tournament, and makes decisions about whether to assign a rating based on alternate rating data found for a player. Players on the above linked report have been assigned ratings that are different from their US Chess regular rating in the April 2023 rating supplement. Any player who has been resectioned as a result of an assigned rating has been notified by email from US Chess. The most current version of the report is published here for transparency. Contact the Director of Events with any questions.

As of the above date, US Chess is not requiring masks, COVID-19 vaccinations, or negative COVID-19 tests for any attendees at the 2023 National Middle School.

Attendees are encouraged to take available precautions, including (but not limited to) bringing masks and hand sanitizer. However, the decision has been reached to return to pre-COVID conditions at the event.

US Chess will still sanitize all boards after each game. Attendees who wish to wear masks should bring their own.

US Chess reserves the right to alter this policy as needed, dependent upon the most recent regulatory or guidance updates from federal, state, and local health authorities. Please continue to check this space for any changes.

Information for Accommodation Requests: Consistent with the Guidelines for Accessible Chess Events, requests for reasonable accommodations during the event should be made 2-3 weeks in advance of the event. Requests for accommodations made on site will be handled to the best of our ability. Please contact [email protected] with accommodation requests.

Parents, coaches and players: check out our Tournament Safety Tips!

This is ESPECIALLY for younger players! PLEASE follow these guidelines for safe behavior.

Reservations must be received by Saturday, March 18, 2023, or rates are subject to increase. Deposit policy for individual reservations: One night (plus tax) at the time the reservation is made.

Cancellation policy for individual reservations: 72 hours, or more, prior to arrival to receive full refund less $25.00 processing fee. Less than 72 hours prior to scheduled arrival forfeits entire deposit.

7 Sections:
April rating supplement will be used.
Click here for this year's tournament rules.
Click here for the complete schedule of events.
Click here for scholastic event policies and procedures.
Up to two 1/2 point byes available any round if requested before round 1.
A half-point bye in round 1 must be requested at the time of registration, or on-site before 11 AM Friday.
A half-point bye request for rounds 2-7 not requested in advance must be requested two hours before the scheduled start of round 2.
Players registering after 11 AM Friday will not be paired for round 1, will receive a half-point bye, and will begin play with round 2.
Players requesting a section change late (after 11 AM Friday) will not be paired for round 1, will receive a half-point bye, and will begin play with round 2.
A Team must have at least two players, although no maximum of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score. All players on a team must come from the same school.
First place individual and team in K-8 Championship section, including ties, will be recognized as National Champions.
US Chess membership current through April 2023 is required.

Time Control: NOTE THE NEW TIME CONTROL FOR THIS EVENT! Game/90 d10 (each player has 90 minutes to complete the game with a 10 second grace period each move)

Entry Fee:   $80 if registered or postmarked by Mar. 20, $100 if registered or postmarked by Apr. 3, $115 by Apr. 10, $120 thereafter or on site. Do not mail anything after Apr. 3.
$30.00 extra for all phone registrations.
$30 change fee for roster or section changes after Apr. 10 or on site changes.
A withdrawal requested by email no later than Apr. 20, or in person at Chess Control no later than 11 a.m. local time April 21, will be refunded 100% of the entry fee.

Schedule:
Opening ceremony Fri. 12:45 pm.
Rounds start at: Fri. 1 pm-6 pm, Sat. 9 am-1:30 pm-6 pm, Sun. 9 am-1:30 pm.
Awards Ceremony: Sunday 6:00 pm (approximately)

Award list is final as of November 25, 2022.

All individual awards, including Blitz and Bughouse, will be custom medals. All team awards will be trophies.

National Middle School Blitz Championship:
Time control: G/5, d0
Thursday 5 p.m., entry fee $30 by 4/3, $40 after or on site.
Registration closes at 4 p.m.
Awards to Top 15 Individuals, Top 5 Teams and Top 3 in each Class
1700-1799; 1600-1699; 1500-1599; 1400-1499; 1300-1399; 1200-1299; Unrated.
Blitz Rules

National Middle School Bughouse Championship:
Thursday 11 a.m., $30 per 2-player team on site only. Registration 9-10 a.m. One section K-8.
Awards (2 each) to top 5 teams.
Bughouse Rules

Friends and Family Tournament (G/30;d5):
4SS, G/30. Saturday 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., $30 onsite registration only. Anyone registering after 10 a.m. will take a half point bye in round 1. Rated and Unrated sections. Trophies for each category of combined player/student results.

Current US Chess Scholastic Regulations are linked here

Tournament Information Contact: [email protected]

Register Online using the link in the top left navigation menu - Online registration is STRONGLY preferred.

Here is a link to our mail-in entry form, in PDF version.

The use of these scoresheets is mandatory for all players. No other method of keeping score may be used, unless prior approval is granted by US Chess.

We are providing a scoresheet for grades 2-12, and a scoresheet for grades K-1 (these players may use either scoresheet). Click the links to see the scoresheets, print them out, and get familiar with them!

courtesy UT-Dallas

Guest Grandmaster: GM Julio Sadorra Coach, UT-Dallas Chess Team US Open Co-Champion, 2013 Schedule for GM Sadorra: Friday, 9 AM -- 30-Board Simultaneous Exhibition Friday, 3:30 to 5:30 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz Saturday, 11:30 AM -- Lecture and Q&A Saturday, 3:30 to 5:30 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz Sunday, 11:00 AM -- Lecture and Q&A Sunday, 2:00 to 4:00 PM -- "Take-on-all-comers" Blitz

Note: the Saturday lecture was held at 11:30 AM. There was some confusion on the timing between our website and the hotel signage. US Chess apologizes for the mixup.