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🏆️

State Scholastic Championship

🍎

🖊️ Register by Feb 7 for the best rate! 💸

🗓️ March 8-9, 2025

Anderson Student Center, University of St. Thomas 🏫

2115 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105 (map)

James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall

🍏 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.

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2024 State Scholastic 🍎 Final Individual & Team Standings 🎊  Results 🔥  News 📰

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