U.S. Championship Qualifier
American Heritage
American Classic
June 6-8 or June 6-9 Ø GPP: 200 × Nevada
2008 National Open. 6-SS, 40/2, SD/1 (2 day option rds 1-3 and unrated all rds G/60). Riviera Hotel and Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. $100,000 Prize Fund based on 850 paid entries ($70,000 guaranteed). Championship. $$: 8000-4000-2000-1000-600-400-400-400-400-400-200-200-200-200-200, under 2500 2000, under 2400 1600, under 2300 1200. $2,000 EXTRA for perfect score. The winner of the Championship section also receives a replica of the Edmondson Cup. Under 2200. $$: 5000-2500-1300-600-300-250-250-250-250-250-100-100-100-100-100. Under 2000. $$: 5000-2500-1300-600-300-250-250-250-250-250-100-100-100-100-100. Under 1800. $$: 5000-2500-1300-600-300-250-250-250-250-250-100-100-100-100-100. Under 1600. $$: 5000-2500-1300-600-300-250-250-250-250-250-100-100-100-100-100. Under 1400. $$: 2500-1500-1000-500-250-150-150-150-150-150-100-100-100-100-100. Under 1200. $$: 1500-1000-500-250-150-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100, Unrated: 500-300-200-100-100. Plus score bonus ($16,000) in addition to any other prizes, every player who finishes with 3-1/2 points or better wins a $50 gift certificate. Plus score certificates will be given on site only. EF (top sections): $129 by 1/15, $169 by 5/19, $199 by 6/4 $220 on site. $80 more for players rated under 2100 in the Championship Section. Add $2 for 2-day option. $35 off advance entry fee only for Juniors under 20 or Seniors over 65. EF (unrated): $99 by 6/4, $120 on site (counts as 1/2 paid entry).
This is an open tournament – you may play in any section at or above your rating level; unrated players may play only in Championship or Unrated Section. CCA minimum ratings or other ratings may be used if higher than USCF June Supplement. Reg: 6-11 p.m. Thursday, 8-9:30 a.m. Friday. Rds: 11-6, 11-6, 10-5. 2-day schedule: Reg: 8-9 a.m. Saturday. Rds: 10-12:30-3 and merge with 3-day in round 4. Unrated: 10-12:30-3, 10-12:30-3. Half point byes available in any round, but round 5 or 6 byes must be requested before the start of round 2. Add 50 cents to advance EF for 1st round 1/2 point bye only. Chess sets and boards provided for tournament play only, not for skittles. Please bring chess clocks!
The LAS VEGAS INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL features the National Open, the U.S Game/10 Championship and the Susan Polgar World Chess Championship for Girls and World Chess Challenge for Boys. Many free extras and surprises! Free parking. Free raffle with great prizes.
Free lectures by GM Susan Polgar and others. Free analysis of your games by GM Arthur Bisguier. USCF rated Blitz tournament Thursday evening. Susan Polgar International Chess Camp all day Thursday. GM Gata Kamsky Simul Thursday. Scholastic Tournament Friday. LOW room rates! HR: $82 single or double ($92 Friday and Saturday nights). 1-800-634-6753 or (702) 734-5110. Don’t be shut out; make your reservations early and be sure to ask for the chess rates; the Riviera sells out most weekends. Cutoff for special hotel rate is May 19th. Rates may be as high as $175 a night after May 19th. RESERVE NOW! Credit card or one night room deposit will be required to hold reservation, may be canceled 48 hours in advance for nominal fee. Tournament Registration: National Open, PO Box 90925, Henderson, NV 89009-0125, on line at http://www.vegaschessfestival.com/ or by fax at (702) 933-9112. NS. W. FIDE.
I always enjoy this event. Very well organized.
US Championship Qualifier!? Has something been decided about the 2008 US Championship?
Has the rating class naming system, A B C D E, led to an avoidable problem that most Tournament Organizers nonetheless perpetuate?
Prize and grouping partitions are almost always at the even ratings — meaning on 1200 1400 1600 1800, instead of the relatively rare 1300 1500 1700 1900.
By neglecting to annually alternate or stagger the group boundaries, are not some players more frequently at an advantage (at 1550), while other are more frequently at a disadvantage (at 1650)?
The 1550 player is going to recoup is entry fee ante more often, on average.
Imagine that USCF players simply had ratings, without all the A B C D E stuff and their formalized rating boundaries on all the evens. Then would the natural random differences in T.O. style cause some T.O.’s to align group/prize boundaries on the odds, creating a better balance among tournaments?
It is not a huge problem, but it seems an avoidable problem.
GeneM , CastleLong.com
Serious real-money prizes: tick!
Isn’t this tournament already done? If you note, the tournament dates are in June.
It is for next year’s event! I love this tournament. It is my favourite. I plan to play again and play my hero, Gata Kamsky! We shall meet at last OTB!
I do not know the US system. But it looks strange, it is a 6 round Swiss with 6 hour games in 4 days?
Even if you want a short event, not bad is a 9 round Swiss with normally 4 hour games (90 min + 30 sec is 4 hours for 60 moves).
12 hours chess in one day is too much.
Yes, I agree but I think they do this to attract greatest number of participants due to cost factor of attending chess tournament would make it prohibitive for most to do so. The US Open and World Open are two tournaments I believe still have European 9 day one game a day tournament. I have experienced 12 hours of chess in one day when you get two games back to back going the distance time wise and it wears you out! But for me personally, I could not play in the 9 day tournament unless they have it locally to me such as the 1983 US Open was.
I mean, 9 rounds of 4 hour games in 5 days (2 per day for 4 days, one on final day). Or even 7 rounds in 4 days.
6 rounds is not enough to get a good result in a Swiss anyway, even 7 is a lot better.