Two chess tourneys slated Jan. 8-9

League players Kennedy Gore, in front, and Mercedes Zich, back from left and executive director Ranae Bartlett prepare for Madison City Chess League’s Winter Scholastic and Winter Knights chess tournaments. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – Madison City Chess League (MCCL) has scheduled two chess tournaments for the same weekend in January 2016.

Columbia Elementary School, 667 Balch Road in Madison will host the Winter Scholastic and the Winter Knights chess tournaments.

Winter Scholastic on Jan. 9 will open with a players meeting at 10:15 a.m. Round times will be 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Time control will be G/30;d5.

Winter Scholastic will offer both rated and non-rated sections; non-rated sections have shorter game times that last only four rounds. “If you’ve never played in a chess tournament before, register for one of three non-rated sections, according to grade level: K-3, 4-6 and 7-12,” league executive director Ranae Bartlett said.

“Winter Scholastic is one of the few opportunities this year for students to play in an unrated section of a tournament,” Bartlett said. The tournament director has the discretion to merge sections for both rated and non-rated.

Registration in Winter Scholastic’s unrated section is free for MCCL members. Students can join MCCL before this tournament for free entry for unrated competition. Students who aren’t league members will pay $20 to compete. Fee for rated sections for K-3, 4-6 and 7-12 is $20.

On the same weekend, Jan. 8-9, Columbia will host Winter Knights, the third qualifier for the City Chess Championship in March. Players will meet on Jan. 8 at 5:50 p.m., followed by this two-day tournament’s first round at 6 p.m.

Round times on Jan. 9 will be 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. Game time for each round is 60 minutes per side with a five-second delay. Fee is $20.

“Each game could last over two hours. The longer time control of this tournament is designed to help kids prepare for the even longer time control of the City Chess Championship and national chess tournaments that many of our students will compete in beginning in April,” Bartlett said.

Online registration for both tournaments is available at madisonchess.com.

For more tournament information, email mccl.director@gmail.com or visit madisonchess.com/blog/winter-chess-tournaments-in-january.