2024 South Texas State Scholastic Championships
Updated as of March 16, 2024 at 5:35 pm
Pairings: https://paperclippairings.com
Video Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/utrgvchess
Live broadcast: https://lichess.org/broadcast/2024-south-texas-state-scholastic-championships/round-1/6tFEkbR9
Please email us if you need to withdraw from the tournament or request a bye.
Side event: There will be the 2024 South Texas State Scholastic Blitz Chess Championship on Saturday, March 16. It will start at 6:30 pm. The registration has opened.
During the main event, concession food will be offered by the Chess Club at UTRGV. In addition, Jason's Deli has prepared this special offer and will be delivering at the tournament venue - please place your order in advance.
The list of assigned team rooms has been published. There are also 3 skittles room (for everybody at no charge): EEDUC 1.102, EENGR 1.300, ESCNE 2.102.
The event will be played in the Health & Physical Education Complex of the UTRGV Campus, 1201 W University Dr, Edinburg, TX 78539
EHPE1 (Fielhouse) - Elementary, Middle, High School
EHPE2 - K-1 and Primary School
UTRGV Edinburg Campus Interactive Map
During rounds, parents/coaches are expected to wait in the team rooms or in the designated areas shown on the map above.
For K-1 and Primary School sections, parents/coaches are allowed to enter the playing venue for the purpose of sitting their child.
Organizers:
Chief Tournament Organizer: GM Bartek Macieja
Deputy Chief Tournament Organizers: David Ortiz and Colt Smith-Munoz
Payments: Dulce Aguilera
Arbiters:
Chief Tournament Director: IA Franc Guadalupe
Section Chief Tournament Directors:
FA Louis Reed
STD Victor J Flores
STD Victor A Flores
STD Jon Flores
STD Victoria Flores
STD Victor Bailey
Pairing Directors:
James Houghtaling
Remy Ferrari
Brandon Flores
Only Texas residents or students enrolled in secondary or primary schools (including home schools) in Texas may play in this event.
Current USCF membership is required https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
Current TCA membership is required https://texaschess.org/memberships For most participants, “Junior Online” membership is most suitable. It costs $3 and allows them to participate in all Texas championships within a year without any additional payment to TCA.
USCF and TCA Memberships will not be processed by the organizers.
There will be 9 sections:
• K-1 Championship (with all Ratings)
• Primary Championship (K-3 with all Ratings)
• Primary JV (K-3 with Ratings Under 600)
• Elementary Championship (K-5/6 with all Ratings)
• Elementary JV (K-5/6 with Ratings Under 800)
• Middle School Championship (6-8/9 with all Ratings)
• Middle School JV (6-8/9 with Ratings Under 900)
• High School Championship (9-12 with all Ratings)
• High School JV (9-12 with Ratings Under 1000)
The tournament will use March 2024 USCF ratings.
The tournament will use March 2024 USCF ratings.
Please fill out this Registration Form and send it to chess@utrgv.edu
Entries on March 16 will be permitted till 9:00 am. Players not registered by the cutoff time shall be paired from Round 2 only, unless the Chief Tournament Director decides otherwise.
One 1/2-point bye is allowed if requested by March 16 at 9 am.
Registration shall not be confused with Payment. Both are required!
Individuals shall submit the payment online by:
$50 by February 27
$70 by March 5
$80 by March 15
$100 on March 16
For schools that pay with a check, the date of sending the batch form will be honored.
Entries on March 16 will be permitted till 9:00 am. Players not registered by the cutoff time shall be paired from Round 2 only, unless the Chief Tournament Director decides otherwise.
No refunds after March 8. Refund charge: $5
No P.O.'s will be accepted. No cash will be accepted. No personal checks will be accepted.
Schools are strongly encouraged to submit the payment online and not issue physical checks. The checks that the chess sponsors usually receive are already issued by the schools. Those cannot be applied as online checks. The school representatives would need to go online and submit the payment by following the web check requirements. The process is very simple. There is no reason why not to do it.
The ACH payment option is the same as a web check.
Physical checks from sponsors will be accepted onsite, though:
- on Friday, March 15, from 8 am till 5 pm at EUCTR 316
- on Saturday, March 16, from 7:30 am at the Tournament Venue
Make checks payable to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (or UTRGV).
Payment shall not be confused with Registration. Both are required!
Tiebreak System:
All players having the same final score may claim the same "place". You may change the plate on your trophy (at your own expense) to reflect this. The following tiebreak system order will be used to determine which tied player receives which trophy and other awards. For a description of each of these tiebreak methods, see the USCF's Official Rules of Chess. 1. Modified Median, 2. Median, 3. Solkoff, 4. Sonneborn-Berger, 5. Cumulative, 6. Coin Flip.
Team scores are composed of the total points of the four top-finishing players of the team. A team must have a minimum of two players to be included in the team standings. When team scores are identical, trophies will be decided by totaling the following tie breaks of the top four players. 1. Total Individual Median 2. Total Solkoff 3. Total Sonnenborn-Berger 4. Total Cumulative, 5. Coin Flip.
Pairing Rules:
The tournament will use March 2024 USCF ratings.
Players from the same school shall not be paired against one another.
The latest version of Swiss Sys will be used. Pairings created by this program are considered legal and will stand even if a pairing is not ideal, especially if pairings have been already posted.
More detailed information about the version and settings to be used will be published shortly before the start of the tournament.
• The winners, on tie-breaks if needed, of the HS Championship, MS Championship, and Elementary Championship qualify for a play-off with the winners of the same sections of the 2024 Texas Scholastic North to determine the Texas representatives for the 2024 Denker, Barber, and Rockefeller National Tournaments of State Champions. Likewise, the top girl (on tie-breaks if needed) in those three sections qualify for a play-off against the top girls in the same sections of the 2024 Texas Scholastic North AND the winners of the 2023 Texas Girls Championship in the same sections (up to nine girls, compared to two players each for the other play-off) to determine the Texas representative for the 2024 Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions. Play-off date TBD and they will be online.
• In the High School Championship section, the following scholarships to attend UTRGV will be provided by the Office of UTRGV President (prospective student must pass all requirements to attend):
➢ Best male student - $1,000
➢ Best female student - $1,000
➢ Second best male student - $500
➢ Second best female student - $500
• In the High School Championship section, the following scholarships to attend any college will be provided by the Texas Chess Association (prospective student must pass all requirements to attend):
➢ Best male student - $1,000
➢ Best female student - $1,000
➢ Second best male student - $500
➢ Second best female student - $500
Additional $100 to the High School Championship section winner, regardless of sex.
• Books "Chess Strategy Explained" (Volume 1) by UTRGV Chess Coach GM Bartek Macieja and IM Witalis Sapis, with signatures of the UTRGV Chess Team, will be awarded to the top 3 finishers of each championship section.
• The top 3 finishers of each championship section will be invited for an online training session conducted by members of the UTRGV Chess Team. UTRGV was the National Collegiate Champions in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
• Trophies will be awarded to the top 20 individual finishers in each section.
• Participation medals will be provided to all participants registered by February 27.
• Trophies will be awarded to the top 15 teams in each section.
• Awards will not be split between participants / teams with the same number of points – the tie-break point system will be used.
• Awards will not be given out in advance and must be picked up at the Awards Ceremony.
There will be the 2024 South Texas State Scholastic Blitz Chess Championship on Saturday, March 16. It will start at 6:30 pm. The registration has opened.
Upon timely request, team rooms in a walking distance from the playing venue are available for rent.
A standard team room costs $200 (total for both days). Bigger rooms cost somewhat more. Please send us an email to chess@utrgv.edu advising how many people from your school (participants and accompanying people) will be attending the event, so we can assign a proper-size team room for you.Please also advise if you will be bringing a school check, or will you be paying online.
Team Room Assignments:
UTRGV remains committed to your safety, success, and experience. Read more
Police officers will be present during the event.
Any vehicle parked on university property must display a permit at all times, except on weekends and university-approved holidays that require campus closure.
If you intend to arrive on Friday, March 15, please print and take with you this Visitor Permit (only valid for non-affiliated members of the university). Please display the parking permit on the dashboard of your vehicle. The permit allows access in Zone 1, 2, 3, and of course the Visitor spaces. The permit is not valid in lot E4 (pay station). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact UTRGV Parking Services at (956) 665-2738.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact UTRGV Parking Services at (956) 665-2738.
During the event, concession food will be offered by the Chess Club at UTRGV. In addition, Jason's Deli has prepared this special offer and will be delivering at the tournament venue - please place your order in advance.
• Chess sets, notations, pencils, and pens will be provided. Bring clocks.
• Electronic notation devices shall not be used except for players with a disability and only with prior authorization.
• Free game analysis will be provided by members of the UTRGV Chess Team on both days.
• Accommodation for participants with disabilities will be ensured.
The Texas Junior Chess Meeting (South) will take place in EHPE2 on Saturday, March 16. Start at 6:30 pm Central Time (US and Canada).
Join via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88430218891?pwd=dkhFNmw4L3NocFRVRllieVBEbVBoUT09
Meeting ID: 884 3021 8891
Passcode: 848843
The Pre-Registration List has been published on https://paperclippairings.com and will be updated regularly. Please send us an mail at chess@utrgv.edu if any information requires correction.
During the tournament, the link above will serve for pairing and standing presentation.
IF YOU INTEND TO SKIP THE FOLLOWING ROUND OR TO WITHDRAW FROM THE TOURNAMENT, PLEASE NOTIFY A PAIRING DIRECTOR, PREFERABLY AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE THE ROUND START TIME.
Players who forfeit a game without notice shall be withdrawn from the tournament.