State Scholastic Chess Championship registration opens

MADISON – Madison City Chess League or MCCL players can register and plan now for the Alabama State Scholastic Chess Championship.

The chess tournament will be held in Foley at Magnolia School at 1 Jaguar Loop (13317 County Road 55) on March 1516. “That is the weekend at the end of Spring Break for most of us in the Madison/Huntsville area,” MCCL Executive Director Todd Guthrie said.

“Foley is about a 5.5-hour drive from Madison, but if your Spring Break plans take you to the beach, it would be easy to stop in Foley before making the drive home,” Guthrie said. “I know some won’t be able to make it, but please put it on your calendar and try to make it fit into your plans.”

The “Under” and “Primary” Sections will compete on March 15 only. The “Elementary,” “Middle School” and “High School Championship” Sections will play both days, March 15 and 16.

Alabama Chess Federation — NOT Madison City Chess League — organizes the State Scholastic Chess Championship. Therefore, a player cannot register on the MCCL website. To register, visit the ACF registration website at alabamachess. jumbula.com. For a list of hotels in Foley, email mccl.director@gmail.com.

For tournament awards, the top six players in each section will receive individual awards. Team awards will be presented to the top two schools in each section, based on the scores of the top four players from each school.

“This is a rated chess tournament and a state championship,” Guthrie said. Each player is required to have a current US Chess membership and a current Alabama Chess Federation membership at the time of the tournament.

To obtain or renew a US Chess membership, visit new.uschess. org/join-us-chess. To purchase or renew an ACF membership, visit alabamachess.org/sign-up.

The “High School Championship,” “Middle School Championship” and “Elementary Championship” Sections will have a two-day schedule with three rounds on March 15 and two rounds on March 16. Time control will be G/90, d5.

Round times on March 15 will be 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. On March 16, round times will be 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Registration fee for these sections is $40 per player through March 3; the fee increases to $80 on March 4 through March 12.

Only Alabama residents are eligible for these sections because state representatives to the Denker, Barber and Rockefeller tournaments will be chosen from these sections.

The “High School Under 1300,” “Middle School Under 1100,” “Elementary Under 700,” “Primary Championship” and “Primary Under 400” Sections will have a one-day schedule. Time control will be G/30, d5.

Round times on March 15 will be 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Registration fee for these sections is $35 per player through March 3. The fee increases to $70 on March 4 through March 12.

Players cannot register onsite. Registration will close at 11:59 p.m. on March 12. No one can register after March 12. The address for mailing fees is Alabama Chess Federation, c/o Todd Guthrie, 112 Southern Pointe Drive, Madison, AL 35758.

For more information, email todd.guthrie@alabamachess. org, or visit madisonchess.com.