James Clemens to host North Alabama scholastic chess tourney

The North Alabama Team Scholastic Chess Tournament will be held at James Clemens High School on Feb. 21. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – James Clemens High School will host the North Alabama Team Scholastic Chess Tournament on Feb. 21.

The tournament will have four-person teams in four sections — grades K-3, K-6, K-9 and K-12. Contestants on the teams receiving first through third places will receive trophies.

“The teams must be school teams (not club teams), but students are allowed to ‘play up’ in a higher section as long as they attend the same school,” Madison City Chess League Director Ranae Bartlett said. These teams must represent a public, private or home school.

A mandatory meeting for players will be held at 9 a.m. Rounds will start at 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The North Alabama Team Scholastic Chess Tournament is a precursor to the State Chess Championships that are scheduled in March. The North Alabama meet will use the same format as the state team championship.

This tournament “will be a great way for kids to practice who plan to compete at state or for kids to get to experience the four-person team format who cannot travel to Mobile for the state championship,” Bartlett said.

Tournament players must be members of the U.S. Chess Federation and Alabama Chess Federation. For new memberships or renewals, visit USChess.org for the U.S. federation or AlabamaChess.com for the state organization.

Sponsors the North Alabama tournament are state representatives Mac McCutcheon and Mike Ball.

Registration deadline for the North Alabama tourney is Feb. 16. Registration forms are available at Madison City Chess League’s website at madisoncitychessleague.weebly.com/upcoming-tournaments.html.

Contestants can mail completed forms to NATS, Rainbow Elementary School, 50 Nance Road, Madison, AL 35758. For more information, email to rbartlett@madisoncity.k12.al.us.