Please read CCC Terms and Conditions and Fair Play Policy.

ALTO is only open to players age 21+ as of March 10, 2026.

Spectators are not permitted in the playing area or in the nearby hallway.

Registration Cap: 140 players. Organizers reserve the right to adjust the cap based on specific space constraints.

100-Point Rule: Players may play up if their rating is within 100 points of the section limit. Example: 1800+ to enter Championship. In addition to March US Chess supplement ratings, we will also honor peak ratings since February 1.

Ratings:

• All sections are US Chess-rated.  US Chess membership is required.

• Championship and U1900 sections are also FIDE-rated and use FIDE rules.

• No minimum rating to enter.

• Unrated players must enter the U1400 section are are eligible for place prizes (1st-3rd) in that section.

• Ratings Used for Pairings and Prizes:

  • For most players, March 2026 US Chess supplement ratings are used.

  • For players who would otherwise be unrated, their live US Chess tournament history rating will be used.

  • For players who are “playing up” based on their most recent live (tournament history) rating and using the 100-point rule, this live rating will be used if they would otherwise not qualify for the higher section.

  • For players who are “playing up” based on a peak rating since February 1, but who have since fallen below the 100-point cutoff, they are still eligible for the higher section, but the highest of their August supplement and most recent live rating will be used (not necessarily the peak rating).

  • For foreign FIDE-rated players with no US Chess rating (or insufficient recent US Chess rating history), the following formulas may be used to assign a US Chess rating:

    • FIDE Ratings 2000+: 1.02 * FIDE + 20.

    • FIDE Ratings U2000: usually assigned at par, unless a different foreign rating system (e.g. CFC) is available and used for rating assignment, with possible adjustment by the Chief TD.

  • In exceptional cases, the Chief TD may assign a different rating than specified above to a player for any reason. Assigned ratings will never be lower than the current US Chess supplement used for the event.

Byes: 

• Any changes (registration, byes, withdrawals) must be submitted at least 75 minutes before the round in question.

• Half-point byes allow a player to skip a round they cannot otherwise attend.

• Players may take up to 3 optional half-point byes, request before round 1.

• All byes requested during the tournament are zero points.  Half-point byes must be requested before round 1.

Withdrawals / Refunds:

• Withdrawals by April 4 will be refunded less a $10 transaction fee.

• Withdrawals between April 4-8 will be refunded less a $20 transaction fee.

• 50% refunds after April 8 until 75 minutes before round 1.

• All withdrawals during the event must be submitted at least 75 minutes before the affected round.

• Failure to notify us of a pending withdrawal or zero-point bye which leads to a forfeit by “no-show” will incur a fine of $100.

Boards, sets, clocks provided (must use our equipment).

In all sections, White's clock will be started at the start of the round, even if players are not present.

Plaque to first place in each section, based on US Chess cumulative tiebreak and "average opposition rating, drop one" tiebreak if necessary.

By registering for or attending this event, players and guests grant permission to CCC to take and use photographs and video for purposes related to the event.