2020 U.S. Cadet (Invitational) ONLINE Championship

Sept 25-27, 2020

$1,200 prize fund
and to the winner: $6,000 scholarship to the college/university of choice!

Invitation is based on April 2020 supplemental ratings for Top Age under16, the winner of the Barber Championship and an organizer wild card.

 

Confirmed Players:

• IM Justin Wang (USCF ID: 14930904 - rating: 2540)
• IM Christopher Yoo (USCF ID: 15244943 - rating: 2540)
• IM Andrew Zhang Hong (USCF ID: 14941904 - rating: 2533)
• FM Robert Shlyakhtenko (USCF ID: 14951916 - rating: 2459)
• IM Arthur Guo (USCF ID: 14772092 - rating: 2446)
• FM Maximillian Lu (USCF ID: 14732597 - rating: 2431)
• FM Christopher Shen (USCF ID: 14432243 - rating: 2424)
• WCM Rui Yan - organizer wildcard (USCF ID: 15462690 - rating: 2242)
   

Format: 7 rounds of Round Robin

Time Control: G/70+10
USCF Online regular rated - affecting online USCF Online regular rating. (not OTB rating!)

Platform: chess.com

Tournament dates & Round times:

Virtual Opening Ceremony - Friday, Sep 25: 3PM PT / 6 ET - live broadcasting via twitch.tv/mechanicschess
Special guests:
   Carol Meyer (US Chess Executive Director)
   Mike Hoffpauir (US Chess President)
   Mr. Dewain Barber (sponsor, Dean of Chess)
   IM John Donaldson (former Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Director)

Round 1 - Friday, Sep 25: 4PM PT / 7 ET

Round 2 - Saturday, Sep 26: 9AM PT / 12 ET

Round 3 - Saturday, Sep 26: 1PM PT / 4 ET

Round 4 - Saturday, Sep 26: 4PM PT / 7 ET

Round 5 - Sunday, Sep 26: 9AM PT / 12 ET

Round 6 - Sunday, Sep 26: 1PM PT / 4 ET

Round 7 - Sunday, Sep 26: 4PM PT / 7 ET

 

Live Broadcast via twitch.tv/mechanicschess

Confirmed Guests:

• GM Sam Shankland Friday 5PM
• GM Patrick Wolff Saturday 4:30PM
• GM Melik Khachiyan - Sunday 2PM
• IM John Donaldson and GM Josh Friedel - Sunday 5PM

The tournament is using:

• USCF Online chess rules (Chapter 10)
• USCF pairing table for 8 players round robin format (USCF Table C)

Details on online play, fair play screening measures will be posted soon.

Tiebreak system adapted from Saint Louis Chess Club:

• 1. Direct Encounter (if applicable)
• 2. Most Blacks
• 3. Koya System
• 4. Sonneborn-Berger
• 5. Won Games.

No Playoff will take place: prizes will be split according to standard US Chess Rules.
Scholarship will go to first place based on the tie-break scores.

Prize Fund: $1,200
1st Place Champion: $600
2nd Place: $400
3rd Place: $200

*** $6,000 scholarship prize has been offered to the college of choice to the winner of the Cadet Championship ***
The winner will receive from the Dewain Barber Foundation a $3,000 scholarship to an institution of higher learning.
US Chess will match this donation with $3,000.
In the event of a tie, the Scholarship winner shall be determined by the tiebreaks used for each event.

All players will also receive a 1-year extension of US Chess membership, as part of Mr. Barber's donation towards the event.

The organizer would like to thank the generous donation of Mr. Dewain Barber, the Dean of Scholastic Chess and to US Chess Federation.
Ties will be handled per USCF rules and prizes will be paid out accordingly.

 

Fair play measures

All players required to have two cameras:
1) "angled" webcamera: showing their computer screen they are playing on, as well as their surrounding, including themselves from the side.
2) face camera: this should be from the same computer as they are playing form.
Webcam test session will be available during Friday daytime or pre-arranged times.

Games will be reviewed by GM in residence, Dr. Ken Regan, and chess.com experts.
Any violation to fair play will be reported to US Chess' ethics committee, and violators may face severe punishments.

 

Chief TD: NTD John McCumiskey

Organizers & Assistant Chief TDs: STD, FA Abel Talamantez, and STD, FA Dr. Judit Sztaray

Questions? contact the organizers at chessroom at milibrary.org or call at 415-393-0110.