May 11, 2024

Sioux Falls City Scholastic CHESS Championship

(beginner through advanced participants welcome!)

FREE LUNCH!!

(open to K-8 students living in Sioux Falls area)

AND "Learn to Play" fun experience for those new to chess!

LOCATION:

Kenny Anderson Community Center

3701 E 3rd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57103

Competition (all skill levels welcomed), Fun, Prizes!

Register Here!

Saturday, May 11th
Location: Kenny Anderson Community Center

8:30 AM-3:00 PM | Grades K-8

FREE for students with Sioux Falls resident address

All others, $20 entry fee

FREE LUNCH! FREE water/juice/coffee!!

Random prize drawings for participants!

Register online. If in person, bring cash or make checks payable to Chess4Life. (Venmo is also an option - ask for details)

Limited Space Available, Reserve Your Spot Now! Once event is full, registrations will be added to a waitlist and contacted IF space becomes available.

Invite your friends - help your school win a team award!

Want to register a group of students?  Please email a spreadsheet with all the information below to partnersupport@chess4life.com

Register for Tournament

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the sections mean?

  • The Open Championship section welcomes all eligible players, and students will ONLY play others in their own grade in this section.
  • The Reserve section is designated for those who are beginner, novice, first time, or otherwise not ready to compete in the championship section and may include students of various ages/grades. NOTE: This section may run just 4 matches (instead of the 5 in the championship) and is likely to finish before the championship sections complete.
  • NEW TO CHESS: Learn the Moves is for all ages (including parents!) who would like a refresher on how chess pieces move OR would just like to learn! This is the fun Chess4Life Passport to Chess Experience that introduces the piece movement and basic rules in a fun way. NOTE: This learning experience is expected to be available just for the morning and is a 'go at your own pace', self-directed module (with some facilitators/volunteers helping guide). Typically takes about 30-60 minutes to complete!

What will the prizes for this tournament be?

Awards to anyone scoring 3.0 or more out of 5. Awards for Overall Placement, Team, and First time tournament participants! Trophies will be awarded to top place finishers both individuals and teams. NOTE that the special award for Sioux Falls City Champion for each grade will be an additional award for the Sioux Falls City resident top finisher in each grade.

Do I have to be a Sioux Falls resident to participate?

No! All students living in South Dakota and in the greater Sioux Falls vicinity are welcome to participate in the tournament; however, only students with a residential address in Sioux Falls will compete for the City of Sioux Falls 2024 Champion title for each grade level. Students who do not live in the city of Sioux Falls will NOT be eligible for this title. All students (regardless of residence) will be eligible for all other tournament awards and titles.

Will there be a team element to this tournament, or will students play individually?

All students will be ranked and paired individually. However, the four students from each school who score highest in the tournament will have their scores combined. The school with the highest combined score of those four students will earn a team award. (NOTE: minimum team size is 2 players from the same school.)

How many games of chess will the students get to play, and how long will the games be?

Each student will get to play 5 rounds (games). The time controls for the games will be 30 minutes per player. If using a chess timer, start with G/25 and 5s delay. Generally, each game would therefore last not more than 1 hour.

What if I lose a game? Am I out of the tournament?

This chess tournament is NOT an ELIMINATION event! Win or Lose (we like to say Win.Draw.Learn!) - you'll NOT be eliminated from the tournament, and you'll play all games (except for full point byes, see below.)

Remember - if you lose your games, next game you'll be facing others who also lost their previous game(s), so give your very best because you have every chance of winning the next game!

Can I leave before the tournament ends?

You can leave the tournament at any point if you should need to. This is called withdrawing from the tournament. Out of respect for others, please be sure to notify the tournament director BEFORE withdrawing so as to avoid situations where others are paired with an absent player.

What if there are an odd number of players?

Someone will get a full point for that round, aka a Free Win :) The chess pairing software will select who gets the full point based on very strict rules; it is typically the player on the bottom of the list. The list order is based on how many points you have AND what your chess rating is.

Are there any age limits for this tournament?

This tournament is open to any student in grades K-8, living in the greater Sioux Falls, SD, region.

Is there lunch?

Please bring your own lunch! No lunch is currently planned to be provided (unless we find a sponsor willing to help with this!) in which case we will update the website and all attendees.

Will this tournament be rated?

YES, the results will be rated with the NWRS rating system. First time tournament players will earn a chess rating by participating in this event. (no additional fees or registration required)

Have more questions not answered here?

For chess-related questions, please email Elliott Neff: elliott.neff@chess4life.com

For other questions about the event, please email City of Sioux Falls Park & Rec: parksandrec@siouxfalls.gov