2026 San Francisco Scholastic Chess Championship

Tournament Rules

The information below reflects the details on the 2025 San Francisco Scholastic Chess Championship.

Updated details will be announced soon.

2025 San Francisco Scholastic Chess Championship

1 Tournament Format: Swiss System
 

• 6 Sections (play in one of the six):

4 Non-rated sections based on school grade:

Grade K-2

Grade 3-5

Grade 6-8 (Middle School)

Grade 9-12 (High School)

2 USCF-rated sections based on USCF regular rating:

Under800

800+

*** Please note that players who have a rating already may choose to play in the non-rated sections.
 

• Time Control: G/30 d5 (Game in 30 minutes with a 5-second delay at each move.)
• Total Rounds: 4 rounds
• Tiebreak: Standard scholastic tiebreak methods per US Chess Scholastic Regulations will be used to differentiate between players with the same final results.

Modified Median

Median

Solkoff

• Teams: Players from the same school or the same club may form a team in any section.

Minimum of two players to form a team;

The top 4 players' scores will count toward the team's standing.

2: Schedule

• Round times: 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm.

Round times are tentative and subject to adjustments.

• Award ceremony: approximately 3:30 pm
• Expected end time: around 4:30 pm

3. Byes

• A half-point bye can be requested if a player can't make one or two rounds.

• Maximum number allowed: 2

• Last round to request a bye: Round 4

4. Awards

• Trophies to the top 10 players in each section.

• Top 10 overall school teams across all sections.

• Top 5 overall club teams across all sections.

• Medals to all participants who did not earn a trophy.

5. Registration

• The event is free, but registration is required for all sections.

6. Eligibility

• All players must be in K-12 grades.
• Players in the non-rated sections do not need USCF membership.
• The expiration date of their US Chess membership must be later than the last day of the tournament (I.e., your membership must be active on March 29th).

Do you have a membership? Need to check the expiration date of your membership? Visit: https://new.uschess.org/player-search

Become a member or renew your membership: https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess

7. Tournament Rules

• Standard US Chess rules apply, even for the non-rated sections.

• Forfeit time is 15 minutes.

8. FAQ

• What do the time controls mean?

Time controls tell you how much time you have for each game.

G30;d5: Game in 30 minutes with a 5-second delay with each move. This means you get 30 minutes, your opponent gets 30 minutes, and the clock counts down from 5 to 0 at each move before the player's time starts. If a player doesn't use up the whole 5 seconds, the remainder of that time is lost.
 

• How many games/rounds?

Each player will play four games. Whether they win or lose, players are expected to play their games. This is not an elimination competition.​​
 

Many thanks to the following sponsors who made this event possible!

Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

City and County of San Francisco

San Francisco Public Library for sending the Bookmobile

Bright Knights Chess Club

Our Scholastic Chess Program is generously supported by:

The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund

The Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation