Activities We Sponsor | Chess Tournaments
The Annual Scholastic Chess Tournament is on the first Saturday of February!
The highlight of The Waypoint Foundation's activities is the Scholastic Chess Tournament that is held each year for local students. Participation is open to all students K-12 who either attend school in or live within any Grant and Adams County Washington school district. This includes public, private, and home school students. Participation is limited to 100 students, so we encourage early registration. We encourage all students to participate.
As children we participated in a similar annual tournament and received great benefit from the preparation, participation, and prizes won in the tournament. Members of our family won the tournament a total of six times. One of our older brothers, Ryan, had a real passion for the game; he won the tournament three times. Having passed away in a tragic auto accident in 2001, we determined that a great way to memorialize him as well as give back to our community would be in the establishment of a similar chess tournament.
Chess education is extremely effective with children because:
- Chess involves all levels of critical thinking (knowledge, comprehension, analysis, evaluation);
- Chess requires forethought and cultivates visualization skills;
- Chess improves problem solving skills;
- Chess encourages children to overcome the fear of risk-taking;
- Chess teaches concentration and self-discipline;
- Chess enables children to assume responsibility for their decisions;
- Chess rewards determination and perseverance;
- Chess raises self-esteem and promotes good sportsmanship;
- Chess encourages socialization skills that extend across cultures and generations;
- and most of all, Chess is fun!
- National Scholastic Chess Federation
In conjunction with this chess tournament we host chess classes to help participants learn the basics of the game, chess etiquette, strategy, and some of the things they will need to know to participate in the tournament. We recommend at least one of these classes to everyone, including parents; however, the class is not required for participation in the tournament. Please refer to the tournament registration form for dates and locations of these classes.
The tournament is held each year at the Parkway School cafeteria in Ephrata on the first Saturday of February with check-in beginning at 7:45am and the final round should be completed by 3:30pm.
The start time of each round is estimated, and we encourage all participants to remain close to the tournament to be prepared for upcoming rounds. Those who leave the tournament for lunch should ask prior to leaving for an estimate as to the start of the next round.
Waypoint tournaments are directed under the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Laws of Chess (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - get it free by clicking here). We recommend that all participants in the tournament as well as all parents with children participating in the tournament be familiar with these rules. In conjunction with the chess tournament we host several chess classes to help participants learn the basics of the game, chess etiquette, strategy, and some of the things they will need to know to participate in the tournament. We recommend at least one of these classes to everyone, including parents; however, the class is not required for participation in the tournament. Please refer to the Calendar for dates and locations of these classes. The official tournament directors are Troy and Roger Pugh. For additional information, refer to the registration form (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - get it free by clicking here) or contact Troy Pugh at The Waypoint Foundation. Registration forms can be picked up at any school office or The Waypoint Foundation office.
Tournament pairings will be determined utilizing the Swiss pairing system. Tournament rounds are played G/30, meaning each player has 30 minutes to complete their moves. Prizes will be awarded based on the number of games won with the exception of the two top prizes. If after the end of five rounds there is not a clear winner, playoff rounds will be played to determine the ultimate first and second place at G/30 or less. Prizes will be awarded based on number of games won and will vary depending on total number of tournament participants and number of winning games. Some players will not receive any prize, although they will be better prepared for the next year's tournament. Any questions regarding the distribution of prize money can be directed to Troy Pugh.
We are happy users of SwissSys tournament software, which helps our tournaments run simply and efficiently.
Click here to view prior tournament results.
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