Tag: US Chess

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Events Rules

Dual-Rated Events – New Time Control

Chess Tournament Hall

Our Dual-Rated events that count towards USCF Regular and Quick ratings have had their time control reduced from G/40; d15 to G/30; d15.

This means that it is no longer 40 minutes base time, but 30 minutes. We are making the change to shorten up these events, as the 2nd round depends on the 1st round’s results and the last event went longer than usual.

They will still be “close ratings” meaning that you will play someone close to your rating in the first round guaranteed. In the second round, we pair by the first round results (win/lose/draw) but also try to keep the ratings close as well. Unrated or provisionally rated players may be paired with rated players of similar skill as per USCF recommendations.

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Events

Tournament Results: April 27th, 2023 (Hybrid Mini-Swiss, USCF Dual-Rated)

We had 16 total players for tonight’s mini-swiss, dual-rated event! Congratulations to the following players who got a perfect 2.0/2.0 in their two games:

  • Henry Hua
  • Khoi Ngoc Le
  • Nehanraj Ramesh

We’ll see you next week for Classical! We shortened up the time control to G/60; d30. Still one single slow game.

For pictures of the event, check out our Facebook page!

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Events

Tournament Results: April 20th, 2023 (Rapid Quads, USCF Rated)

Rapid Quads - April 20th, 2023
Rapid Quads - April 20th, 2023

Our first USCF tournament was a great success, held on April 20th, 2023 at the Des Moines Gospel Chapel. We had 14 total players, 2 who showed up late, which caused Chief TD Kyle Boddy and Assistant TD Matthew Duran some stress!

However, in the end we figured it all out and ended up with two sections:

  1. Top Quad with 4 players
  2. 2nd Section that started with 6 players for the first round, then added two more for the second and third rounds

Top Quad Results

Quan Luong, the winner of last week’s Unrated Open Blitz tournament, scored a perfect 3.0/3.0 and won the section!

2nd Section Results

Khoi Le scored a perfect 3.0/3.0 and won the section! Khoi found us from this /r/chess reddit post that went unexpectedly viral!

Paul Smith won the puzzle solving drawing, earning a $5 gift card to Marina Mercantile.

The tournament was submitted this morning by Chief TD Kyle Boddy to the USCF for rating, so you should see your rating update in the next few days barring any complications.

Congrats to all of our winners, and we’ll see you next week for Hybrid Mini-Swiss games which are USCF Dual-Rated!

See photos and comments on our Facebook post for this event.

 

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Rules

USCF Time Controls – Regular, Quick, Blitz… What are the Differences?

DGT Chess Clock

The US Chess Federation website isn’t too clear on the differences in the three time controls that show up on your page:

  • Regular
  • Quick
  • Blitz

For those used to online play and the time control categories there, the USCF time control descriptions map this way:

  • Regular = Classical
  • Quick = Rapid
  • Blitz = Blitz (minimum of 3+2, anything lower cannot be rated)

OK, that’s great. But what specific time controls correspond with these descriptions? Here’s a breakdown of what USCF Regular, Quick, and Blitz mean.

Continue reading “USCF Time Controls – Regular, Quick, Blitz… What are the Differences?”
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Rules

All About Keeping Notation in Chess

South Sound Chess provides official two-copy US Chess Federation scoresheets for our players at no charge.

These scoresheets allow you to write in pen on the top page and have a copy made on the backing sheet, which is typically yellow. After the game, both players sign the other’s sheet, circle the result, and both players submit their yellow sheet to the Tournament Director while keeping the top white scoresheet for themselves.

So… what’s notation all about?

Continue reading “All About Keeping Notation in Chess”