2025 Spring Splash Blitz

USCF- & FIDE-rated 3+2 BLITZ event

Open for everyone!
 

Final Standings -- Prize Winners

Date & Location -- Tournament Format -- Byes -- Prize Fund

Registration -- Eligibility -- Tournament Rules -- FAQ
 

Tournament capacity: 80 players.
Masks are optional in the chess room.

The top 6 boards are broadcasted on Chess.com:
https://www.chess.com/events/2025-mechanics-institute-spring-splash-blitz

 

1. Date & Location

• Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 7pm (please note that it's 30 minutes later than the usual TNM start time)
• Location: Mechanics' Institute Chess Room
  57 Post Street, 4th Floor
  San Francisco, CA 94104 (click here to map)

2. Tournament Format:

• Tournament Format: Swiss System
• Total Rounds: 7 rounds 
• First Round: 7:00 pm, and consecutive rounds are on a rolling schedule. Estimated endgame: 9:00 pm.
• Time Control: G/3+2  (Game in 3 minutes with a 2-second increment with each move.)
• Games will be US Chess blitz-rated and FIDE blitz-rated. Tournament results will be submitted immediately after the last round is finished.
• Two sections: 1800+, u1800
• Pairings are based on the higher of Feb 2025 USCF supplemental regular or blitz rating (OTB).
   

3. Byes

• Byes are available for players in case they can't participate but would like to stay in the tournament.
• Byes can be requested for a maximum of 2 rounds, with receiving one point for each round (half point for each game in a round).
• Late registrations will receive two half-point byes for any missed round, up to a total of 2 rounds.
   

4. Prize Fund --  $540 based on 60 paid entries

	1800+	u1800
1st Place	$120	$80
2nd Place	$80	$60
3rd Place	$60	$50
Best Under 1800	$50
Best Under 1300		$40

• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing prize checks.
• Per IRS rules anyone with a cumulative $600+ prizes in any calendar year will need to fill out a W9 and Mechanics' Institute will be providing a 1099 form

 

5. Registration:

• Mechanics' Institute Member: $20
• Non-Member: $30
• $5 admin fee for all cancellations & refunds.
• Click HERE to Register: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2024Tournaments/2024SpringSplashBlitz
   

6. Eligibility

• Players must have a current US Chess Federation membership. Expiration date of their US Chess membership must be later than the last day of the tournament.
• Not sure if you have a membership? Need to check the expiration date of your members? Visit: https://new.uschess.org/player-search
• Become a member or renew your membership: https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
   

7. Tournament Rules

• FIDE blitz rules apply.
• Forfeit time is 3 minutes.

8. FAQ

• What do the time controls mean?
  Time controls tell you how much time you have for each game.
  G3+2 means the game is in 3 minutes, with a 2-second increment for each move from move 1. This means you get 3 minutes, your opponent gets 3 minutes, and the clock adds 2 seconds to the player's time at each move. 
• How many games/rounds?
  The 5DSS before the time control means it is a Swiss System tournament with five rounds, with two games in each round games. This makes it a total of 10 games played in this tournament. The tournaments are never elimination, so win or lose, you can stay in the tournament.