Chicago Chess Foundation Tournament
Marist High School
2026 Tournament
[DAY, MONTH DATE, YEAR]
[VENUE NAME]
[STREET ADDRESS]
Chicago, IL [ZIP]
The Chicago Chess Foundation (CCF) invites K–8 students from across Chicagoland to join us for a free Citywide Chess Tournament at [VENUE NAME].
Whether this is your first tournament or you’ve competed before, CCF Citywide Tournaments bring students together from across the city for a full day of chess, competition, and community.
Tournament Format
This is a 5-round Swiss-system tournament with six sections:
K–1
2–3
4–5
6–8
Intermediate
Advanced
The tournament is open to all students in grades K–8. Players should register for the section that best matches their grade and experience level.
Chess sets and clocks are provided by CCF.
Time Controls
Advanced: G/30 d5
Intermediate: G/20 d5
K–8 Sections: G/20
In the K–8 sections, clocks may be introduced if a game exceeds 30 minutes.
Schedule
Check-in: 8:30 AM–9:30 AM
Round 1: 10:00 AM
Rounds 2–5: Begin as soon as possible following the completion of the previous round
Awards Ceremony: Approximately 3:00 PM
Event Ends: Approximately 4:00 PM
Round times after Round 1 are approximate and may vary depending on the length of games.
Awards
K–1, 2–3, 4–5 & 6–8 Sections
Each grade-level section will recognize:
🏆 Top 5 Individual Finishers
🏆 Top Girl
🏆 Top First-Time Tournament Player
🏆 Top 2 Teams
Intermediate & Advanced Sections
Each section will recognize:
🏆 Top 5 Individual Finishers
🏆 Top Girl
🏆 Top First-Time Tournament Player
🏆 Top Team
Individual Award Eligibility
To recognize as many students as possible, players may receive one individual trophy per tournament.
The Top Girl trophy will be awarded to the highest-finishing girl in the section who did not already earn a Top 5 individual trophy.
The Top First-Time Tournament Player trophy will be awarded to the highest-finishing eligible first-time tournament player who did not already earn another individual trophy.
Registration
Registration Deadline: [DAY, MONTH DATE]
This tournament is completely free to attend as part of CCF’s mission to remove barriers and expand access to competitive chess.
All players must register in advance and check in on tournament morning.
Players who are not checked in by 9:45 AM will receive a Round 1 half-point bye.
If the tournament reaches capacity, a waitlist will be enabled.
[REGISTER FOR THE TOURNAMENT]
Getting There
Public Transportation
[INSERT CTA / METRA INFORMATION]
Example: Accessible via CTA bus routes along [STREET]. The nearest [TRAIN LINE] station is approximately [DISTANCE/TIME] from the venue.
Parking
[INSERT PARKING INFORMATION]
Example: Free on-site parking is available in the [LOCATION] parking lot. Additional street parking is available on [STREET NAMES].
Venue Information
[VENUE NAME]
[STREET ADDRESS]
Chicago, IL [ZIP]
Tournament Area: [GYM / CAFETERIA / FIELDHOUSE / ROOM / ETC.]
Entrance: [ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS]
Accessibility: [ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION, IF APPLICABLE]
Before You Arrive
Please plan to arrive with enough time to check in by 9:30 AM. Players do not need to bring chess equipment.
What to Bring:
Water bottle, snacks or lunch, and anything else your student may need for a full tournament day.
Food:
[CONCESSIONS / LUNCH / OUTSIDE FOOD INFORMATION]
Parents & Spectators:
[PARENT/GUARDIAN & SPECTATOR INFORMATION]
Questions?
For questions about the tournament, please contact the Chicago Chess Foundation at [EMAIL ADDRESS].