2026 Stridsberg Fall Scholastic

This tournament is open to Vermont students. There will be two sections — High School and Middle School. Players may play up to an older section but may not play down. Participants must be Vermont residents or be enrolled in a Vermont public or private school. No prior tournament experience is necessary. Home schooled students are eligible, as long as they are Vermont residents and under 19 years of age. Home schooled students in a program that doesn't use traditional grade levels should enroll in a section appropriate to their age.

High School and Middle School sections will be USCF rated, and current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections. Please make certain that your membership is current prior to registration. You may obtain or update a USCF membership online at https://uschess.org.

All players must pre-register for the event. No walk-ins allowed. Registration closes on September 7th. Registration may close prior to September 7th due to space limitations. Online registration only, no entries will be accepted via mail or email.

The Tournament will follow standard United States Chess Federation (USCF) rules for scholastic tournaments.

All players will play four rounds, there are no eliminations. The champion for each division will be determined by the best overall score after all rounds of play.

Each player will play four games, unless they receive a ‘bye’ due to an odd number of players in a division. A bye is worth one point (equivalent to a win.) No player will receive more than one bye. A player who arrives late and does not play in the first round (or any subsequent round) due to their tardiness will not be awarded a bye and will receive no points for the missed round. If a player needs to leave for any reason before the end of the event, the tournament director must be informed of the early withdrawal.

High School and Middle School sections will be USCF rated, and current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections.

• All games will use a chess clock.
• Matches will be “Game 30, Delay 0” meaning each player will have 30 minutes, for a total of 1 hour maximum per game, with no clock delay and no increment per move.
• Clocks will be provided.
• USCF players are required to notate their games. If unfamiliar with notation, do your best. Notation becomes optional for both players once there is 5 minutes or less left on the clock for either player.

Individual Competitions: Sections subject to change based on number of attendees.

• Middle School (6th – 12th Grades): Awards 1st – 5th (USCF Required)
• High School (9th – 12th Grades): Awards 1st – 5th (USCF Required)

Any player in grades K-5th who is interested in competing may choose either section to compete. USCF membership is required.

Ties: If there is a tie for the top position, the event results will be checked to see if the top tied players have already played each other that day. If they have and there was a winner of that game, that player will be declared the winner of the event. If not, a playoff game will be played between the tied players to determine the champion. If that game ends in stalemate, additional games will be played at successively reduced time controls until a winner is declared. Ties in all other positions except the top position will remain ties.

A word about notation: Notating chess games is not hard; it just takes a little practice to get into the habit of writing down your moves after you make them. A printable notation sheet can be found here. There are many places to learn notation online, and we believe that if you can play Battleship, you can notate chess! Notation has many benefits including the ability to review your games after the event, as well as help to correct errors and resolve disputes.

Results: Players' name, division and results will be published on this website after the event concludes. For rated sections of the tournament, those player's results will be shared with US Chess in accordance with their reporting rules.

If registration fees are a financial hardship, please use the contact form to request a scholarship. Scholarships are available, and no one should fail to participate for lack of funds.

There are a number of restaurants nearby to purchase food in Burlington and South Burlington (both are very close). Players are welcome to bring their own food and drinks.

The tournament will be held at the University of Vermont in the Old Mill Building Room #325. The building address is 94 University Place, Burlington, VT, 05405. There is free parking nearby at the UVM Medical Lot, 41-43 South Prospect St, ~2 min walk from the Old Mill Building. Parking is free on weekends.

Wi-Fi and cellular service can be limited, please plan accordingly. Please also note that electronic communication devices are not allowed during Tournament play (see USCF Rule 20N).

Spectators are not allowed to remain in classrooms or tournament rooms during tournament play. A dedicated spectator area will be communicated at the tournament. All players and spectators are expected to behave in a respectful manner toward other players, spectators, and volunteers, while also respecting school property. Anyone in violation of these standards will be asked to leave and will receive a 0 for any rounds not completed due to failure to comply with tournament standards.