Families,
As you know, we designate one tournament each month as the event we
would like every member of the team to attend. While students may
attend any other tournament they wish, we hope that you will make every
effort to get them to the next 2 designated ones: the state and national
grade tournaments. A grade tournament is different from all of the
other tournaments we will attend in that students only play other
students in the same grade. First graders will only face other first
graders, etc. There are, however, no JV sections (i.e. separate
sections for lower ranked players). Everyone plays in the one section
that is available for their grade. Given the large size of our team, we
have the opportunity to do well in every grade. Turnout will be the
key. As Woody Allen said...."80% of success is just showing up." So,
now is the time to get your registration materials in for the grade
tournaments. Details follow.
Texas Grade
and Collegiate Championships - November 19 - 20, 2005 - Plano, TX
This was
a really fun event last year. We will be returning again to the same
Marriott at Legacy Town Center in Plano. Just like last year, the
tournament is scheduled for the weekend at the start of the Thanksgiving
vacation. This worked very well, as the kids did not have the pressure
of school work due on Monday. We have early dismissal (12:45 pm) on
Friday, November 18th, and many families will leave right from pickup.
I recommend this. There will be no chess classes that afternoon. You
get to Plano around dinner and the kids get a good night's sleep. The
tournament is 6 rounds spread out over Saturday and Sunday, awards
finishing before dinnertime. Families that need to be back so parents
can work on Monday, can still drive back Sunday night. However, because
the kids have the whole week off from school, I am spending Sunday night
there and will come back Monday. Those of us who stayed that extra
night last year had a lot of fun.
I have reserved the same team room with the balcony as last year. But,
because the space was so tight, I am tentatively holding the adjoining
room as well. I will, therefore, need to know as soon as possible how
many folks are actually going. I don't want to spend the extra money if
we don't have the numbers to support it.
For your information: while it was rained out last year, this year we
hope that the Saturday night tree lighting festival scheduled for
November 19 will happen.....live music, food, arts and crafts, Santa,
fireworks..... Ought to be fun.
Registration
materials and information are available on the tournament
website. I need you to do the following:
-
Send in your registration materials now.
They are due by November 10th for the cheaper rate ($28 now, $36 after
November 10).
-
Let me know that you are going (timartha@swbell.net)
and how many family members will be using the team room. For
example: both parents, player and younger non-chess playing sibling
(total 4) or my child will be carpooling with _________ (total 1).
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Make your hotel reservation. Some of us
stayed at the Marriott, others stayed with family, friends, or at
other hotels. If you are planning on staying at the Marriott and want
a non-smoking room with 2 double beds, you should make your
reservations right away. Those rooms go quickly. The discounted rate
($75 per night) is available through November 4th (that is earlier
than the tournament registration!). While the website says mention
chess to get the discounted rate at the Marriott, I had to say "Texas
Grade Chess Tournament" for them to find the correct rate.
National
K-12 and Collegiate Championships - December 2 - 4, 2005 - Houston,
TX
This is
the first time since my son and I have been involved with chess that a
national scholastic event has come to Houston. This is a tremendous
opportunity for us to really shine at the National level. We have a
strong team and the advantage of numbers. To field full teams in every
grade, we would need a minimum of 27 players with 3 in each grade. To
have a cushion, we would like to have at least 4-5 per grade. The USCF
will be giving out 5 team trophies per grade. There is no reason why T.
H. Rogers can't bring home one of those in each grade...again if we just
show up!
At the national level, the games have very slow time controls. This one
will be G/90 (or G/85 with a 5 second delay for those with digital
clocks). This means each side has 1.5 hours to complete their moves.
So, games can run 3 hours if the kids use all of their time. After a 3
hour game, they will need at least an hour to eat and regroup, thus the
long lag between the start times on the rounds. Consequently, the
tournament starts on Friday as outlined below.
- Opening Ceremony: Friday 12:30 pm
- Rounds: Friday 1pm and 6pm, Saturday 10am, 2pm and 6pm, Sunday
9am and 1pm
- Awards Ceremony: Sunday 4:30-6:00pm
- Special round times for K,1 sections: Fri, 1:30 and 6:30, Sat
9:30, 2:30 and 6:30, Sun 9:30 and 1:30
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As a club, we
may consider getting a bus on Friday to take the kids from school to the
Hilton Americas by noon. I would consider it if the costs were no more
than $10 per child. That would save parents from having to take time
off from work to pick up their children and drive down. Parents would
then join us in the Team Room at the end of work and be there to take
their children home after the evening match. We would have some sort of
dinner available in the team room around 5 pm. Parents of all younger
students (absolutely K - 2) should be there the whole time, though you
may just want to meet us by noon in the team room if we can get the bus
worked out.. An alternative to the bus would be to organize carpools.
With either option, we will need signed release forms for the children
to be allowed to leave school with someone other than a parent.
I am happy to report that online tournament registration now works at
the USCF site.
I highly recommend it. They were months behind on the data entry for
mailed registrations for last Spring's SuperNationals. That process was
a mess. Do it online. They have a drop down menu for the school. Once
you are in the state of Texas, they are alphabetized by city, so you
have to scroll past Abilene, Brownsville, Dallas, etc. til you find
Houston. I don't remember if you can type the code in, but ours is
TXTHRO. It is the same code whether you are in elementary or middle
school.
You need to register by November 7 (deadline in 3 weeks) to get the $32
per participant rate. After that it is $52. After November 21
registration costs $70. I have already done Jim's. Note that this is
an earlier deadline than for the cheaper rate at the state grade! So
parents, your job is to:
-
Register your child, preferably by
November 7th.
-
Inform me (timartha@swbell.net)
if you are going. If you are on the team and you are not
going, please let me know that as well.
-
Let me know if you would be interested in
paying something (I have no idea yet how much) to have a bus available
to take the kids to the Hilton Americas for the start of the Friday
round.
Team
Tournament - December 17, 2005 - Houston, TX
This is a
kid favorite! There is no obligation to attend this event. It is an
unrated, just for fun, 4-person-team tournament. The kids form teams of
4 and give their group a name. Last year we had such illustrious teams
as the... Mutant Furballs of Eternal Doom, the Killer E's, etc. School
will have already let out for winter break. No homework, no worries,
lots of fun. This will be the only tournament where you sign up
through me. We don't need to worry about it now, but you may want to
put it on your schedule.
Winter Chess Camp - December 19-22, 2005 - Sugarland, TX
Coach
Clarence Yeung has decided to organize a 4 day camp before Christmas out
in Sugarland. USA Chess is running one after Christmas at St. John's.
With 2 other camps in town, I don't think I will organize a competing
camp. If you are interested in a chess camp, I would recommend Coach
Clarence's over the USA Chess offering, especially if you are a higher
rated player. USA Chess is geared more toward teaching the basics. I
will pass along registration forms when they become available.
Hoping to hear from all of you in a timely manner!
Martha
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