Tournament Approaching!

Good afternoon, All!

We have our tournament scheduled for two weeks from yesterday on Wednesday, May 27th, at 11:00 am.  I am very excited to see how everyone does!

Over the past week, we have still been receiving new members and some of the questions have been regarding the tournament and the levels of experience of the players.  I hope to answer some of those questions here:

1.  When is the tournament? 

The tournament is scheduled for May 27th at 11:00 am on this site.  Once I create it, you will have the ability to sign up.  I am working on some more details before creating the tournament.

2.  What format will we have for the tournament? 

This will be a timed live tournament.  The exact times per game are pending, but we will be running a Swiss style, so you will have a minimum number of games to play in each round.  This makes it so that everyone has a chance to earn points, as opposed to a knockout style where someone might be put against a very experienced player and not get to play more than one game.

3.  Do I need to play?

No, you do not need to compete in the tournament if you do not want to.  However, it should be a fun experience for all who do compete, even if they are not very experienced with the game.  The games can be observed while they are happening on the day of the tournament, so there will be a chance to cheer on your friends!

4.  I am new to chess and don't think I am ready for the tournament.  What should I do?

Again, the tournament will have players of all skill levels, but there is no pressure to join.  There is still plenty of time to study the lessons and practice before the tournament if you want to prepare!

5.  Will the tournament be rated?

Yes, it will be rated.  This will allow students to gauge their skill level and the numbers will typically go up or down with a win or a loss, respectively.  While this might seem intimidating, the more games a student plays, the better they will get and their rating will reflect that over time.  Losing to a high ranked player has less of an effect on a low ranked player's rating, so there is not much to lose by doing your best!

I hope this answers some of your questions.  I will be sending an email out to the email addresses in the previous form to invite more members as well as outline these points.  Please let me know if there are any concerns!  Please keep practicing and playing!

Mr. Lowe