Hampton Roads Chess Association
presents
National Chess Day 2025
Scholarship Fundraiser
October 11, 2025
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Center Court
MacArthur Center
300 Monticello Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23510
Registration for this event closes at 6 PM on Thursday, October 9th. No last-minute or on-site registration!
This is a scholarship fundraising event. There are no refunds or credits for entry fees paid.
An HRCA Scholastic Cup Event!
HRCA membership is not required for the tournament but is required to participate in the Scholastic Cup awards.
For more information visit https://hrchessclub.org/scholastic-cup/
HRCA chess tournaments are NOT drop-off events for youth under the age of 14. Please ensure you have arranged for a responsible adult to accompany your child to the tournament and stay for the duration. This can be a parent or guardian, a friend or relative, or parent of a friend or teammate staying on site and agreeing to be responsible for your child.
Additionally for this event, MacArthur Center policy is as follows: All minors age 17 and under must be accompanied at all times by a parent or supervising adult age 21 or older 7 days a week after 5 p.m. Minors 17 and under and shopping prior to 5 p.m. must leave the mall by 5 p.m. or be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult age 21 or older. All supervising adults 21 and older are only allowed to escort up to 5 minors at a time and must remain with them during the entire visit. Supervising adults can visit the security office that provides wristbands that allow minors to shop without supervision while the adult remains on the property.
Since this event will not conclude until after 5 pm, parents of 14–17-year-olds must be back on site at 5 PM or arrange for another responsible adult to supervise their teens.
This event is generously sponsored in honor of Raiden Ervin Syed's 5th Birthday, corresponding with National Chess Day!
ALL proceeds from this event benefit HRCA's Scholarship Fund.
This fund provides needs-based financial assistance to HRCA members to help cover costs of chess classes, tournaments, and other chess-related programs. HRCA provides an average of $5,000 each year in needs-based scholarships.
Learn more about our scholarship program HERE
The following activities are available FREE all day!
Learn-to-play tables, chess variations fun tables, coloring contest, puzzle contest, casual chess
Two tournaments!
Main Event
Format: 4-Round Swiss (not an elimination event - similar to a bracket system) tournament at a "Quick" time control of G/25; d3 (each player has 25 minutes to make all their moves, with a 3-second grace period per move during which no time comes off the clock).
Seven sections for all ages and abilities:
Open (US Chess rated - advanced) -- for adults and kids
Amateur (US Chess rated U1000) -- for adults and kids
Novice (US Chess rated U500) -- kids / scholastic only
K-12 Rookie (not US Chess rated, beginners in middle school (6th-8th), high school (9th-12th))
K-5 Rookie (not US Chess rated, beginners in grades 4th-5th)
K-3 Rookie (not US Chess rated, beginners in elementary school (PK-3rd)
Family & Friends (not US Chess rated, beginner adults)
Awards:
Trophies to the Top 5 players in each section, Top U1300 in Open, Top U700 in Amateur, Top U300 and Top Unrated in Novice, Top PK-1st grade in K-3 Rookie. Top Girl in each section.
Medals to all other players with an even score (2 points) or better.
Ribbons to all other players.
School Teams -- There are no school team trophies for this early season fundraising event.
Family Teams -- Trophies to Top Father-Child and Top Mother-Child, any sections. "Father" and "Mother" refer to any legal guardian.
If not attending the award ceremony, any prizes not claimed within 14 days of completion of the event will be forfeited.
Entry Fees:
$35 Early Bird rate thru 9/13. Standard entry fee $40 from 9/14-9/28. Late entry fee $45 9/29-10/5. Last-minute / "week of" entry fee $50 10/6 to close of registration at 6 pm on 10/9. Scholarship funds cannot be used to waive or lower fees for this tournament, as it is the primary fundraiser for the scholarship fund.
Blitz
Register separately for the blitz HERE.
Format: 4 double rounds (play the same player twice, once as black and once as white) Swiss system with a time control of G/5; d0. One section only, must be a US Chess member.
Awards: Cash Prizes - $100-75-50 (1st-3rd), Top U1200 $50, Top U800 $50
Entry Fees: $20 Early Bird rate thru 9/13. Standard entry fee $25 from 9/14-9/27. Late entry fee $30 9/28-10/4. Last-minute / "week of" entry fee $35 10/5 to close of registration at 6 pm on 10/9.
Refunds: This is a scholarship fundraising event. There are no refunds or credits for entry fees paid. Any withdrawals prior to the close of registration will convert to tax-deductible donations.
Event timeline:
Volunteers needed! Volunteers are needed to help set up, clean up, teach chess basics, keep score, and be HRCA ambassadors. Certified TDs are also needed. Teens with chess experience are welcome to help! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
Tournament Organizer: For more information/questions, contact Tina at cschweiss2@hrchessclub.org or 757-472-5909. Email is the fastest way to reach us.
Policies and other Important Information
Safe Play and Code of Conduct: It is our goal to provide a fun, safe, and supportive environment. Community partnerships are vital to HRCA, and we want to ensure we remain good stewards to our partners and their facilities. There is a lot of downtime during tournaments -- parents are responsible for supervising their children when they are not playing a scheduled match. Running through the facility and horseplay/roughhousing area prohibited.
By registering and attending in this event (as participant or guest), you acknowledge and agree to abide by the US Chess Federation's Safe Play Policy, and HRCA's Code of Conduct and General Liability Waiver and Release. For more information on Safe Play or HRCA's Code of Conduct and General Liability Waiver and Release, please click the BLUE links above. Violations of these policies may result in warnings, or ultimately, disqualification or dismissal from the event without refund.
Photo Policy: Please be advised that photos and/or videos may be taken at HRCA events for use in HRCA's marketing, grant reporting, educational, news, or other promotional materials, whether in print, electronic, or other forms of media, including on our website and social channels. HRCA will not identify images using the full names of those photographed without express written permission. By attending an HRCA event, you consent to have your image recorded for distribution and agree to release, defend, hold harmless, and indemnify HRCA from any and all claims, including compensation, involving using your picture or likeness. If you wish to opt-out, you can make your wishes known to the photographer, and/or the event organizers, and/or contact HRCA at hrca@hrchessclub.org.