Introducing the Boylston Chess Club Grand Prix Tournaments

Members scanning our events listing this month may have noticed a new tournament entry:

Saturday, January 29: BCF Grand Prix Series 4SS;G/60. EF: $10, $7 to BCF members; Open & Under 1800 (at least 6 in each section, otherwise there will be one section) No Prizes: Players who score most points after 12 months will be awarded an amount not determined yet in classes: U2400, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400 & U1200. Reg: 9:15 – 9:55; Rounds: 10, 12:40, 3:00, 5:10

Every month this year, there will be a Grand Prix event. This Saturday is the first one. Over the course of the year, a player will accumulate points in every grand prix event, just like a regular tournament- 1 point for a win, 1/2 point for a draw (1/2 byes will NOT count; forced 1 point byes WILL count). At the end of the year, the person in each rating category with the highest total score over the whole year will win the prize, a modest gift certificate that is based on the number of entrants. Your rating class will be based on your first Grand Prix tournament rating. For example, if you are a 1700 player this Saturday, you will qualify for the Under 1800 section, even if your rating soars to 2100 or crashes to 1400 during the year.

At $7 for members, and $10 for non-members, it is the cheapest tournament you can enter, maybe anywhere in the country. Let's face it, for most of us, the cash prizes are not why we play. Most of us just want to play some high quality games that will get rated. The entry fees for this event are set to cover the USCF rating fee costs and our general weekend tournament upkeep, and little else.

We hope people will see this as a chance to play cheap rated games for the fun of filling a weekend with chess without expecting a cash payout. The gift certificates at the end of the year will be modest-- the winners will probably get your entry fee over the year back, but don't expect a big windfall at the end. We will try to keep a running tally of who is leading each rating category over the course of the year. Hopefully, a few neck-and-neck races to the end will be fun to watch.

Naturally, the more Grand Prix events you play, the greater your chances of winning!

I wonder if a certain opening will be more common in this event.....