Avila Chess Club and Dorris Van Doren Library present:

THE VAN DOREN DECEMBER OPEN

DATE: Saturday, December 5th, 2026

LOCATION: 551 E. Redd Rd., El Paso, TX 79912

4 ROUNDS, G/30;inc/5

SECTIONS:

- OPEN (USCF 1200 and up)

- RESERVE (USCF 1199 and below, unrated players)

Dual-rated. US Chess membership required to play. Players rated USCF 900-1199 may "play up" in the Open section. Players with unofficial provisional ratings over 900 may be placed in the Open section at the TD's discretion.

SCHEDULE:

Round 1 - 11:00am

Round 2 - 12:30pm

Round 3 - 2:00pm

Round 4 - 3:30pm

Space is limited to 30 players total. 

Player check-in is from 10:30-10:45am. Players not checked in by 10:45am may not be paired for Round 1.  

Pre-registration is required to play in round 1. Pre-registration closes at 9pm on Friday, December 4th. On-site registrations may receive a zero-point bye for round 1.

One half-point bye is allowed. Round 1 byes must be requested before 9am on December 5th. All other byes must be requested prior to the start of round 3.

Boards and pieces will be provided. Players are expected to bring their own clocks, and to know how to set them and use them. A limited number of clocks will be provided. 

Notation is required in both sections. Exemptions to notation must be requested in advance, and will be granted only to players who are under 10 years old and meet one of the following criteria: 1) Rated under 600 USCF, or 2) New to US Chess (membership less than 3 months). Requests for exemptions for other reasons (medical, religious, etc.) must be submitted via email by 9pm on December 4th. Players who are granted an exemption will have 5 minutes subtracted from their clocks at the start of each round.

DGT boards and USCF-approved notation devices are permitted. Players who intend to use either must notify the TDs via email by 9pm on December 4th, and must arrive by 10:30am on the 5th to show the notation device to the TD. Players are responsible for setting up their own DGT boards.

Phone and tablet policy: Phones must be OFF and put away in the player's bag, or face-down on the tournament table, during all games. Players may NOT leave the playing room with a phone or tablet during a game - doing so will result in an immediate forfeit loss.

Spectator policy: Spectating is allowed from a distance of 3-4 feet from the players. Spectators must remain quiet and not attempt to communicate with players or with anyone else in the playing room. 

Awards: In each section, medals for 1st-3rd, Best Youth, and Best Female. In the Reserve section, an additional medal for Best U600. Awards immediately following round 4. 

Please consider donating $5 per player to help us cover our operating costs and continue providing quality tournaments in the future. We can accept cash donations on site as well. Thank you for your generosity!

- Avila Chess Club

email: avilachessclub[at]yahoo[dot]com

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