The MSCA Grand Prix is back in 2025, again with:
🌐 6 events!
💵 $2,500 in guaranteed prizes!
🛣️
🏎️
🏆️ 4 qualifying spots for the 2026 Closed State Championship!
🥇🥈🥉
May 17-18
🌤️ St. Cloud
June 21-22
🌾 Mankato
July 19-20
🌺 Rochester*
* MSCA affiliate event; not an official MSCA event
Aug 9-10
🏙️ Edina*
Sept 13-14
🐿️ Minneapolis*
Oct 4-5
🌹 Roseville
👑 Grand Finale of Grand Prix Series @ Northern Open 🌲
What’s this all about? 🤔
🏁 Grand Prix events are regular standalone MSCA (and affiliate!) tournaments that are connected to become the Grand Prix series, where each event contributes to the overall ranking of participants at the end of the season when prize money and playoff spots are awarded. 🏆️
One goal of the tour is to promote rated chess tournaments in Greater Minnesota, with the first three events taking place away from the Twin Cities. 🚗 🚙 🛻 🏍️
Another goal is to have fun and add excitement and significance to each competition. Play in one event or all six, and follow the progress of the race on our scoreboard!
Rules 📝
🏎️ The best 4 Grand Prix scores out of the 6 events will count for determining standings and prizes.
🏎️ Grand Prix points per event = Player’s Score / # Rounds x Median Section Rating / 10
🏎️ To qualify for prizes, you must play at least 12 games in the series and be an MSCA member.
🏎️ Non-Playing TDs score 50% of possible points against median rating in the section of their rating.
Prizes 💰️
1st 🥇
2nd 🥈
3rd 🥉
Total
U1100
$ 220
$ 100
$ 70
$ 390
U1400
$ 220
$ 100
$ 70
$ 390
U1700
$ 220
$ 100
$ 70
$ 390
1st 🥇
2nd 🥈
3rd 🥉
Total
U2000
$ 220
$ 100
$ 70
$ 390
Top
Open
$ 400
$ 200
$ 120
$ 720
U2200
💸💸💸
Total
$ 1,280
$ 600
$ 400
$ 2,280
$220
$2,500
💵 Grand Prix prizes for cumulative points guaranteed by MSCA, in addition to regular event prizes.
🧮 Section prizes based on US Chess ratings from Oct 2025 supplement which comes out late September.
🏆 Four 2026 State Closed Championship Playoff Qualification Spots! 🏆️
🥇 Open Winner
🏅 Top U2200
🥇 U2000 Winner
🥇 U1700 Winner
Learn more about State Champs qualification in this gripping MSCA Qualification Policy Document!
🏁 St. Cloud • Mankato • Rochester • Edina • Minneapolis • Roseville 🏁
6 cities, 348 players, 37 first time tournament players, and over 1,500 games played 🏁
5 cities, 314 players, 59 first time tournament players, and over 1,100 games played 🏁