MADISON – Madison City Chess League or MCCL will open its 2024 schedule with the Winter Knights Scholastic Chess Tournament.

Columbia Elementary School will host the competition on Jan. 13.

Winter Knights offers both Rated and Non-Rated sections. Rated players must register in their grade-level section, which closely aligns to the upcoming City Chess Grade-Level Championship in March.

“We’re using a longer time control of 45 minutes for the Rated section to help our students prepare for national tournaments that use either a 90-minute or 120-minute time control,” MCCL Executive Director Todd Guthrie said.

The tournament will open with a players’ meeting at 9 a.m. Round times for the Rated sections will be 9:15 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. Time Control will be G/45; d5.

The Practice Tournament for Non-Rated sections will be conducted at 9:15 and 10:45 a.m. and 12:15, 1:30 and 2:45 p.m. Time Control will be G/30; d5.

Players in all Rated sections must have membership in the U.S. Chess Federation or USCF and obtain membership before registering for this tournament. To receive USCF membership, visit new.uschess.org/join-us-chess.

After registering with USCF, tournament players must renew their MCCL membership for 2024 in a separate order. Players who register will receive $5 off the Winter Knights’ registration fee.

Entry fee for Winter Knights is $20 for MCCL members in all sections. The fee is $25 for anyone who is not a member of MCCL. (All MCCL annual members must renew their memberships in January each year.)

Deadline by online entry is Jan. 10. On-site registration will not be available.

In Rated sections, players in first through third places will receive individual trophies. In each section, players in fourth through sixth places and Top Female will receive individual medals.

In the Practice Tournament for Non-Rated players in grades K-3, the first- through sixth-place winners and Top Female will receive individual medals.

“The Winter Knights tournament has six Rated sections, which are similar to the MCCL City Chess Championship that will be a grade-level championship,” Guthrie said. “Therefore, like the City Chess Championship, students must register in their grade level: K-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12.”

Players in the Non-Rated Section do not need USCF membership. “Winter Knights offers one Practice Tournament — K-3 Non-Rated Section for students who are new to competitive chess in grades K-3,” Guthrie said. “Students in the Non-Rated Section will play five rounds with a game time of 30 minutes with a five-second delay.”

For more information, visit madisonchess.com.