General Info
The Lakeshore Chess Lecture and Weekly Club Tournament #1 will take place on March 9, 2022. Space is limited to 24 people for the lecture and 24 players for the tournament (see registered players below.) You’re welcome to attend one portion and not the other; attendees must pre-register to guarantee their spot by registering at lakeshorechess.com, but walk-ins are welcome as long as we have the space. If you walk-in after 30 minutes before round 1, you will receive a bye for the first round. See FAQs below to see how you can attend for free or a discount!
The tournament will be a 2-section, 4-round swiss with rapid (g/15+10) time controls.
The entrance fee for the lecture and casual play is $30, $30 for the tournament, or $50 for both the tournament and lecture by March 8th. All fees $5 more day of event.
All FIDE titled players play free; $10 deducted from prizes.
BONUS Drop in with a partner or find someone at the meeting and play a USCF rated game at any time control (as long as we can finish in time) for $5 per person.
Lecture Details
Presenter Ben Rothschild
Topic Endgames for Beginners
Target Audience Complete beginner to 1200 USCF strength
Price $30 or $25 with tournament entry, $5 more day of event
Time March 9th, 2022 6:00PM
Location 660 W Lake. Suite 350 Chicago, IL
Details More details coming soon!
Presenter Bio Ben Rothschild is a lifetime chess expert, according to the rankings of the United States Chess Federation. He is the author of The Real Beginner’s Guide to Chess, which teaches piece values, trading and checkmate. Ben has taught after school classes, given individual lessons, and directed chess camps. He has defeated chess masters in tournaments, can play blindfold, and calculate several moves ahead.
Tournament Details
Basic Info
$260 Prize Fund b/15 paid entries
Date March 9, 2022
Round Times Round 1 at 7:30PM, all other rounds as soon as possible (we aim for 60 minutes between rounds)
Early Registration ends March 9th, walk-in registration welcome until round 1 starts.
Location 660 W Lake. Suite 350 Chicago, IL
Format 4-Round Swiss System
Time Controls G/15+10
Entry fee $30 by 1/3/22 ($50 with lecture). $10 to play up and all fees $5 more day of event.
Byes Players may request up to two half-point byes upon registering or before round 2 starts by contacting registration@lakeshorechess.com.
Sections & Prizes
Sections and pairings will be assigned based on USCF quick rating unless unrated or more than 200 points different from regular, in which case the regular will be used. Players may play up a section for $10 if their USCF rating is within 200 points of the minimum cut-off. Prizes are based on 15 paid entries for the tournament; updated prizes will be posted at the tournament site by round 2.
Open 1800+
1st $125 2nd $30
Reserve u1800
1st $75 2nd $30
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I want to attend the tournament and/or lecture, but I’m unable to pay the entry fee. Is there anything I can do?
A: Absolutely! While we charge for our events so we can pay for the venue, prizes, lecturers, and other costs, we’re here to promote chess in the Chicago community.
There are two ways you can cover your entry for either the tournament or lecture:
- We allocate 4 entries each for both the weeknight tournament and the lecture for players in need. These slots are assigned on a no questions asked, first-come-first-serve basis, though preference is given to younger (high school and below) players. We will deduct the tournament entry fee from any winnings, though the lecture will be completely free. We only ask two things—first is that you abide by the honor system and make an effort to contribute what you can, even if it’s less than the posted fees, so we can continue to host these events. Second is that you volunteer your efforts to help us set up and coordinate the event, to the best of your capabilities, either before, after, or during the event. If you’d like to attend and this applies to you, contact us directly at registration@lakeshorechess.com.
- Referral bonuses! Earn $10 for each person that pays and attends the lecture, or $10 for each that pays and plays in the tournament. These are not stackable (e.g. if a person you refer attends both the tournament and lecture, you will only receive a $10 credit.) If you’d like to earn referral credits, get your friends, colleagues, or whomever to register first, then email us at registration@lakeshorechess.com with their names. Once we confirm, we will coordinate the rest. If you’re clever, you can get together a group and effectively earn a group discount! Referral bonuses don’t roll over because we don’t have a mechanism to track it for everyone. But if you refer a large number of players, we can give credits for future events as well.
Q: I want to bring my child to the lecture; do I have to pay for two entries?
A: You won’t have to pay for separate entries for you and your child unless you are also an aspiring chess player, in which case, please be honest 😄. However, our capacity is limited so if the space gets tight, we may ask parents to wait elsewhere or find some other solution until everything is finished.
Q: Will the lecture be recorded so we can review the content later?
A: Yes! The recorded lecture and accompanying Lichess studies will be available on this page so students can review the content later.
Q: If the lecture is going to be available for free online, why would I pay to be there?
A: Interacting and asking questions directly to the lecturer will allow a student to learn topics at a much deeper level. We aim to have a practical portion during our lectures whenever relevant, where students can put their newfound knowledge to use against opponents in real life. Learning a bishop + knight mate will stick a lot better after you can practice it a few times against someone while using a clock! Lastly, this is a prime opportunity to meet and engage with peers in the chess community in an environment where you’re actually encouraged to talk and get to know each other—chess is much more than just a game, it can help you make lifelong friends!
COVID Precautions
Masks required during play along with either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test from within 72 hours.
If further restrictions are put in place, we will reschedule the tournament with full refunds offered to anyone that can’t make the rescheduled time.
If you require special accommodations for any reason, please contact registration@lakeshorechess.com