Roland Park Elementary/Middle School
5207 Roland Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21210

ONLY FOR PLAYERS IN GRADES 6-12 WHO ARE MD RESIDENTS or out-of-state residents enrolled in schools in MD

Recent History of the Tournament, Site, and/or Date

• MD HS & MS Chess Championships 2015: MCA Crosstables: 177 players & 32 teams
• MD HS & MS Chess Championships 2015: US Chess Crosstables
• MD HS & MS Chess Championships 2014: MCA Crosstables: 216 players & 38 teams
• MD HS & MS Chess Championships 2014: US Chess Crosstables

The individual & team winners (or co-winners) of each Championship section will be the 2016 Maryland Scholastic Chess Champion for that grade range. The individual High-School Champion will receive the 2016 MCA High-School Chess Champion Denker Stipend of up to $500 to represent Maryland at the 2016 Denker Tournament of High-School Champions. The individual winner (or co-winners) of the High-School Championship section will receive free entry to the 62nd Annual Maryland Open on 2016.04.29 - 05.01. The individual Middle-School Champion will receive the 2016 MCA Middle-School Chess Champion Barber Stipend of up to $500 to represent Maryland at the 2016 Barber Tournament of K - 8 Champions. The individual winner (or co-winners) of the Middle-School Championship section will receive free entry to the 62nd Annual Maryland Open on 2016.04.29 - 05.01.

Which Section is Right for Your Player?

• Sections are listed primarily in order of rating strength & secondarily in order of grade range.
• Players who have never competed in a US-Chess-rated tournament (the vast majority of unrated players) are not eligible for the strongest sections.
• A player's eligibility by rating for a section is determined primarily by the player's official/published US Chess rating during the month in which a tournament will be held. A player's official rating remains the same number throughout a month, because US Chess calculates a player's official rating only once per month. That is, a player's official rating does not change during a month, because a player's official rating throughout a month is what the player’s unofficial/unpublished rating was on the 3rd Wednesday of the previous month. Conversely, a player's unofficial rating can change an unlimited number of times per month, because US Chess calculates a player's unofficial rating a few hours after the conclusion of every US-Chess-rated tournament in which a player competes. When registering a player for a tournament in month X, apply the player's official rating in month X. When registering a player for a tournament in month X+1, apply the player's unofficial rating on the 3rd Wednesday of month X. Look up a player's official & unofficial US Chess ratings here.
• Sections have a marginally flexible floor (at MCA scholastic tournaments), but an inflexible/hard ceiling (at all US-Chess-rated tournaments). If a player's official rating is below a section's floor, but the player's official rating is only ≤ 50 points below the floor and/or the player's unofficial rating is ≤ 50 points below, equal to, or any number of points above the floor, then the player may play up in that higher section—unless MCA's Scholastic Director and/or the Chief Tournament Director decide it's not in the tournament's best interests. (If a player uses the player's unoffical rating to qualify to play up in a section, then the player might be assigned that unofficial rating for pairing purposes.) However, if a player's unofficial rating is below a section's ceiling, but the player's official rating is above that ceiling, then the player may NOT play down in that section.
• If a player is registered for a section for which the player is ineligible by rating, then MCA (without notification) will move the player to the lowest section for which the player is eligible.
• If a player is registered for a section for which the player is ineligible by grade, then MCA will take 1 of 2 steps. If MCA thinks a player has been registered intentionally so as to play up or down in a grade-inappropriate section (in the hope of either stronger or weaker competition), then (without notification) MCA will move the player to a grade-appropriate section. (MCA might also impose punitive measures.) Conversely, if MCA thinks a player has been registered accidentally with a discrepancy that, given the player's designated grade, renders the player ineligible for the player's selected section, then (without notification) MCA will pair the player in a section according to whichever is higher: the designated grade or the selected section. For example, a player designated as a 3rd grader but registered in a HS-&-MS or 9th-grade section, will remain in the HS-&-MS or 9th-grade section; conversely, a player designated as a 9th grader but registered in an ES or 3rd-grade section, will be moved to a HS-&-MS or 9th-grade section. Why? Because MCA considers it wiser to err on the side of accidentally letting a player in a low grade play against players in a higher grade or grades, than of accidentally letting a player in a high grade play against players in a lower grade or grades. To prevent your player from being paired in an incorrect section (by grade) because of a registration error, please review both the registration-confirmation email MCA sent you & the Wallcharts below. Send corrections to MCA at tournaments@mdchess.com.

This tournament is supported generously by the Baltimore Kids Chess League.

Registered Players & Wallcharts

• Individuals (Attendees)—includes ALL players registered currently
  [Click on Attendees, change the # displayed to All, & sort by Purchaser's Name or Date Registered.]
• Individuals (alphabetically)—includes players registered by 2016.03.17.08:45—209 players
  
• Individuals (by section)—includes players registered by the date & time above
• Teams (by section)—includes players registered by the date & time above

Tournament Registration Fee

• Registration will open 1 month before the tournament. Click on Register Now! at the bottom of this page.
• $5 online discount code (enter Title1) for each player who attends a current Title-1 school & who isn't using another online discount (such as the Baltimore Kids Chess League's)
• $20—if completed by 11:59 PM, Tuesday, 2016.03.15 (Early)
• $30—if completed by 7 PM, Thursday, 2016.03.17 (Regular)
• $50—if completed by 5 AM, Saturday, 2016.03.19 (Last-Minute; ½-point bye possible in Round 1)
• $70—8 - 9 AM, Saturday, 2016.03.19 (At-the-Door: if space is available; ½-point bye likely in Round 1)

US Chess Membership

• A player must have a current US Chess membership to compete in a US-Chess-rated tournament.
• During a tournament a player without a current US Chess membership is ineligible to play, will not be paired in any round, & will receive a 0-point bye in all rounds, until the player purchases a new US Chess membership or renews an expired one, by filling out MCA's US-Chess-membership form in the Tournament Directors' room. A 0-point bye reduces a player's ability to win an individual trophy and a school's ability to win a team trophy.
• A US Chess membership can be purchased with registration for the tournament. For Registration Type select the 2nd option: Tournament Registration & US Chess Membership (new or renewal).

Which Players Are Required to Record Their Games?

• ALL PLAYERS are REQUIRED to record at this tournament.
• Recording affords several benefits:
• it helps to resolve disputes;
• it discourages cheating;
• it enables players to improve their skills through post-game analysis.

Do Players Need to Bring Anything?

• Players do NOT need to bring any equipment. MCA will provide all necessary supplies: boards, pieces, scoresheets (for recording), and pencils. (MCA’s pencils might be dull and do not have erasers. If you want a sharp pencil with a good eraser, then bring your own.)
• Players do NOT need to bring a clock; however, we encourage them to bring one. A game may be started without a clock, if neither player brings a clock to the board. Clocks can be purchased at the tournament.
• Food (pizza, candy, soda, etc.) can be purchased at the tournament.

At 12 AM on Sunday the tournament-announcement page for the MD HS & MS Chess Championships might disappear from under the category of Major Scholastic Tournaments at the top of MCA's home page; however, the page can still be accessed. On the lower, left side of MCA's home page, click on the icon for the MCA Calendar. To adjust which events are displayed, click on the following at the bottom of the page: All Categories, Local Scholastic, or Major Scholastic. Then locate & click on the appropriate tournament-announcement page.

Here’s a nearby hotel, if you'd prefer not to drive home on Saturday evening: Radisson Hotel at Cross Keys.

How to Register Online for an MCA Scholastic Tournament

Which US Chess Rating Determines the Section(s) in which a Player May or Must Play?

MCA’s Scholastic Team Policy

MCA’s Scholastic Bye Policy

MCA's Refund Policy & Fees for Registration Changes

Tournament Announcements before Round 1 & Section Schedules

Procedures, Rules, and Etiquette for Players and Spectators at an MCA Scholastic Tournament

Increment Time Control

Even when More Than 1 Player in a Section Can Achieve a Perfect Score, There Will Be No Major Variations; However, There Might Be Minor Variations. The following might be changed for any section, according to the number of players in the section: whether there are natural pairings (the norm at a Swiss-system tournament) or accelerated pairings in Rounds 1-2, and the number of trophies. In the rare instance of a section having an exceptionally low turnout, it might be merged with another section.

Tournament Results

• Current Standings: Individuals (live results updated every 60 seconds)
• Current Standings: Teams (live results updated every 60 seconds)
• Final Standings: US Chess Crosstables (tied players in descending order of new unpublished rating)
• Final Standings: MCA Crosstables (tied players in descending tiebreak order—TROPHY ORDER)

How MCA Determines the Individual Winner of a Section when There’s a Tie for First Place

How to Find a Player’s New Unpublished/Unofficial US Chess Rating after an MCA Scholastic Tournament

MCA's Social-Media Profiles

• MCA's Facebook page
• MCA's Tournament Pictures page
• MCA's YouTube page
• MCA's Tumblr page
• MCA's Scholastic Twitter feed
• MCA's Open & Scholastic Twitter feed
• Players' blogs

If MCA's Photographer takes photos of players at the board & in the Skittles Room, then they will be available for purchase at the MCA Photographer's website.

For more information about the tournament, contact the Maryland Chess Association at tournaments@mdchess.com.