🗓️ March 8-9, 2025
Anderson Student Center, University of St. Thomas 🏫
2115 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105 (map)
🍏 Join the biggest scholastic event of the year! 🎉
🔵 K-12 🟠 K-8 🟣 K-5 🟢 K-3
New to tournament chess? Read the FAQ! 🔰
The FAQ has guidance on required equipment and notation and explanations of time controls, byes, etc. Chess sets and clocks are also sold on site.
🎬️ Tournament Director:
🚗 Parking is available for free in the Anderson Parking Facility, located at the corner of Cretin & Grand. 🗺️ See map below highlighting route from parking to playing.
⬇️ See below for Dining Locations & Hours 🍔🍟🍕
🏆️ 🏆️
🔵 Minnesota High School (K-12) Championship
🟠 Minnesota Middle School (K-8) Championship
Saturday and Sunday 🗓️
7 Round Swiss System
Time Control ⌛️
Game/60 delay/5
Round Times 🕐️
Saturday 9:30am • 12:30pm • 3pm • 5:30pm
Sunday 10am • 12:30pm • 3pm
🔵🟠 Entry Fee 🎟️
$50 by 2/7 ☀️ $55 by 2/21 🌤️ $60 by 3/7 🌥️ $65 onsite ⏰
🏆️
🟣 Minnesota Elementary (K-5) Championship
Saturday and Sunday 🗓️
6 Round Swiss System
Time Control ⌛️
Game/60 delay/5
Round Times 🕐️
Saturday 9:30am • 12:30pm • 3pm
Sunday 10am • 12:30pm • 3pm
🟣 Entry Fee 🎟️
$45 by 2/7 ☀️ $50 by 2/21 🌤️ $55 by 3/7 🌥️ $60 onsite ⏰
🏆️
🟢 Minnesota Primary (K-3) Championship
Saturday only 🗓️
5 Round Swiss System
Time Control ⌛️
Game/30 delay/5
Round Times 🕐️
Saturday R1-2 10am • Lunch • R3-5 1pm
Note 🗒️
Rounds 1 & 3 have set times. Pairings otherwise ASAP when previous round is completed. Lunch break after Round 2.
🟢 Entry Fee 🎟️
$40 by 2/7 ☀️ $45 by 2/21 🌤️ $50 by 3/7 🌥️ $55 onsite ⏰
Byes: max two ½ pt byes, any rounds, declared before round 3
🖊️ Register online by Fri 3/7 7pm 🕖️
🖊️ Register onsite Sat 3/8 8:45-9:15am 🕗️ all sections 🔵🟠🟣🟢
💵 Cash/check only onsite! 💵
🎫 US Chess membership is required. MSCA membership is not required for the State Scholastic, but is encouraged! Membership fees are a low cost way to support Minnesota chess! 🙏
📬️ Mail-in entries, received by Thu 2/27
include: (1) event (2) player (3) section (4) byes (5) check!
Minnesota State Chess Association
PO Box 124
Wayzata MN 55391
🏆️ Awards & Playoff Invitations 🎁
The titles of team and individual Minnesota State Scholastic Champions will be awarded at this event. In the case of a tie, co-champions will be declared. ✌️✌🏾🍎
See below for info on Denker, Barber, Rockefeller, and Haring qualifiers. ⬇️
🏆️ 100+ Trophies! 🏆️
Teams 👤👤👤
👥 Two or more players are required to make a team.
The team score will be the sum of the top four individual scores among team members. 👤👤👤👤
👤 A player may participate in the tournament without being on a team.
🔵🟠🟣🟢 The Awards Ceremony for each section will begin approximately 10 minutes after the last game has finished. ⏰
🏆️
🏆️ Team Trophies
🔵 K-12 • 1st - 6th 🏆️
🟠 K-8 • 1st - 3rd 🏆️
🟣 K-5 • 1st -2nd 🏆️
🟢 K-3 • 1st 🏆️
🏆️ Individual Trophies
🔵 K-12 • Top 15 Overall 🏆️
🔵 Top 5 U1300 • Top 5 U1000 🏆️
🔵 Top 5 U700 • Top 3 Unrated 🏆️
🟠 K-8 • Top 15 Overall 🏆️
🟠 Top 5 U1000 • Top 5 U700 🏆️
🟠 Top 3 Unrated 🏆️
🟣 K-5 • Top 10 🏆️
🟣 Top 5 U700 • Top 3 Unrated 🏆️
🟢 K-3 • Top 10 🏆️
MSCA Scholastic Closed Playoff
🗓️ April 12-13
MSCA Girls K-12 State Championship 🏆️
🗓️ April 19
💵
✈️
$400 travel stipends are available for participants in the National Denker, Barber, Rockefeller, and Haring Tournaments, made possible by MSCA membership fees.
📌 Details to follow on playoffs and girls championship, qualifiers for the summer nationals ☀️
🔵 Denker K12 🟠 Barber K8 🟣 Rockefeller K5 ⚫️ Haring Girls ⚪️
More Scholastic Details...
Sunday USCF Rated Blitz! ⚡️ Starting right after the awards ceremony, 6 double-rounds, $5 entry. Adults and students are both welcome. US Chess membership must be current.
Coaches’ Meeting 💬 The coaches’ meeting will be Sunday after the start of the first round of the day.
Tiebreakers 🎲 Modified Median, Solkoff, Cumulative, Opponents Cumulative
🚀 Accelerated pairings may be used. If accelerated pairings are used, they will use variation 28R2 from the US Chess rulebook.
📧 Send email to semmons2848@gmail.com with any questions.
🍕 FOOD 🍟
🍔 Meals 🍴 Food options are available on campus. Please note that St. Thomas does not allow bulk food service onsite from outside sources/vendors. That is, bringing in your own food is OK ✅ but we are not allowed to have a team captain or coach bring in a pot of chili to serve to the group. ❌
The View Dining Hall 📌
Saturday only
9am - 8:30pm
The Loft (3rd floor Coffee Shop) 📌
Sat/Sun: 8am - 12pm
Summit Marketplace 📌
Sat/Sun: 8am - 9pm
Scooters 📌
Saturday only
3pm - 10pm
T’s Retail Location 📌
Sunday only
10am - 2pm
The Northsider 📌
Sunday only
9am - 8:30pm
Even More Details...
🟫♟️⏰ Players should bring chess boards, pieces, and clock. See FAQ to learn more.
🏞️ Special accommodations can be made available to players as needed. Please let us know how we can help improve your chess experience!
🧮 Please see the MSCA Unrated Policy to learn how rating may be determined from USCF live/online or FIDE ratings.
🚨 Published unrated players who possess FIDE ratings MUST disclose their FIDE rating. See the MSCA Unrated Policy.
⏱️ Forfeit time: A player who has not shown up to their game 30 minutes after the tournament directors start the round will receive a forfeit loss and be removed from the event, unless they inform the TD they wish to continue playing. (Players who are late on their second offense may be removed.)
🛡️ The MSCA recognizes the importance of a safe and hospitable environment at our chess events. To promote this type of environment, the MSCA has developed a Policy on Safe Play & Conduct. The MSCA also follows US Chess guidelines for training TDs with materials developed by the US Center for SafeSport. To support a safe and hospitable environment, the MSCA reminds all chess participants and attendees that they are responsible for their actions, and that parents/guardians of minors are responsible at all times for the welfare and safety of their children/dependents.
2024 State Scholastic 🍎 Final Individual & Team Standings 🎊 Results 🔥 News 📰