Please read CCC's Terms and Conditions and Fair Play Policy.

No spectators. Parents and spectators are not permitted in the playing area or in the nearby hallways or restrooms.

100-Point Rule: Must be within 100 points of next section to play up (e.g. 2000+ 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.

• All sections are also FIDE-rated and use FIDE rules.

• Minimum rating: There is a USCF rating minimum of 1500 to enter (peak ratings since February 1 are honored).

• Ratings Used for Pairings and Prizes:

  • For most players, March 2026 US Chess supplement ratings are 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 March supplement and most recent live rating will be used for pairings and prizes (not necessarily the peak rating).

  • For players with an March supplement rating under 1500, their live rating will be used.

Registration Cap: 125 players. The organizers reserve the right to accept entries past 125 players depending on specific space constraints.

Changes to registration / mid-event withdrawals:

• All changes to registration including schedule changes, byes, and withdrawals must be submitted at least 1 hour before the relevant round.

• Players who forfeit (no-show) without notice will be fined $100.

Byes: Players may take up to 2 optional half-point byes, request before round 1.  All byes requested during the tournament are zero points.

Withdrawals / Refunds:

• Withdrawals by March 14 will be refunded less a $10 transaction fee.

• Withdrawals between March 15-18 will be refunded less a $20 transaction fee.

• 50% refunds after March 18 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.

Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks provided (must use our equipment). Players must use the provided carbon-copy scoresheets and hand in a copy to an arbiter after each game. Personal scorebooks/scoresheets are not permitted.

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 and side events, players and guests grant permission to CCC to take and use photographs and video for purposes related to the event.