Welcome to the 12th
Edition of the New York State Magnus High School and Junior High Chess League
(Out-of-State Players
Are Welcome)!
Covid-19
Policy
Sept. 27, Oct. 11, Nov. 22, 2026;
Jan. 24, Feb. 21, Mar. 14, April 25, 2027
Our format this
season for the Magnus League is seven separate matches, each one is a two-Round
Swiss-System tournament on each of the above dates.
1.
We are open to players in Grades 7-12 (who are also born after 4/25/2007).
2. Players
can play as individuals as well as part of a school team.
We have both individual and team prizes!
3. We also
have Mixed Doubles
Teams Bonus Prizes!
Mixed Doubles Teams are two players,
one male, one female (they can be from different sections and different schools),
with an average team rating Under 2200 at signup deadline. Players must
sign up by February 21st (no extra charge) for Mixed Doubles.
4. We have three separate sections!
1. Varsity Section, for players rated 1800
and above (at match date or within the prior 12 months), or players
rated 1700 and above who have also scored 2-0 in a Magnus League Season Eleven
or Twelve J-V or Varsity section match, or invitees;
2. Junior-Varsity Section, for players
whose Official Rating is Under 1900 at match date and who are also rated
1300/above within 12 months of match date, or invitees;
3. Novice Section, for
players whose Official Rating is Under 1400 at match date or Unrateds.
5. We
have two rounds each date: 10:00 am and 1:30 pm (possibly earlier for
Round 2 if feasible).
6. Our
Magnus League time control: Game/60 + 30-second delay (please bring a delay clock if you have
one).
7. There are $800 in individual prizes each match date!
1. Varsity Section: $200 to First,
$100 to Second, $50 to Third;
2. Junior-Varsity Section: $150 to
First, $100 to Second, $50 to Third;
3. Novice Section: $100 to
First, $50 to Second
(there is a $50 prize limit to Unrated Players in the Novice Section),
Prizes not claimed at site may be paid by PayPal (may take a
couple of weeks).
8. $700 Season Twelve Individual Bonus
Prizes, to the three top-scoring players across all 3 sections after all 7
matches: First $400, Second $200, Third $100.
9. Season Twelve School Prizes (the top 4 scores from the
same school): Awards to the 4
highest-scoring overall school team scores, and any school teams tied with
them, across all 3 sections after all 7 matches (school team scores with more
rounds played, including forfeit wins and full-point byes, may receive extra
credit if tied).
10. Season Twelve $750
Mixed Doubles Team Prizes (split equally among winning team members):
across all 3 sections after all 7 matches!
First Mixed
Doubles Team $300, Second Mixed Doubles Team $200, Third Mixed Doubles Team
$150, Fourth Mixed Doubles Team $100!
11. The USCF Official
Rating List in effect for the month during which a match takes place will
govern the parings and section eligibility for that match date. USCF
Online Regular Ratings or unofficial USCF ratings are usually used for players
who would otherwise be unrated, or who wish to enter the Varsity Section
(or to play up in the Junior-Varsity Section). Players cannot play at a
rating below their USCF Online Regular Rating (at match date) minus 100
points. The Tournament Director reserves
the right to assign estimated ratings to players with non-USCF ratings or Online
Ratings.
12. Limit of six half-point byes over all seven match dates
(limit of two byes March 14-April 25), must commit by 12:30 pm March 14.
All byes for the second game of each match date must also commit by 12:30 pm of
match date.
13. Players must check all cell
phones, electronic communication devices, smart watches and devices with
chess-playing capabilities with the Tournament Director until after their games
are over. The rules and penalties for electronic device violations are
posted at the tournament.
14. Players'
electronic scorekeeping devices are not allowed. The tournament supplies
official duplicate scoresheets to use in recording games.
15. Players are not
allowed to leave the tournament area without permission of the Tournament
Director.
16. Notice to Late
Players:
The Tournament Director reserves the right to re-pair and issue forfeit losses to players who have not
arrived and have not contacted the TD within 15 minutes after the advertised
starting time of the round.
17. THERE IS A $20 FINE FOR PLAYERS WHO
FORFEIT THEIR GAMES BY NOT GIVING THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR PROPER NOTICE
THAT THEY WILL NOT PLAY. Please email director@magnusleague.org
by 9 am Sunday (Saturday is even better)!
18. IMPORTANT: Players who have
already been registered by their school must also confirm their participation
for this Sunday’s matches using our website registration— OTHERWISE THEY WILL NOT
BE PAIRED! Late registration fees may apply anytime
after 5 pm Saturday!
19. Entries may be limited to 76 players on each date!
20. Players can register at the early entry fee on the Magnus
Chess League website until 5:00 pm of the Saturday before the next
match date, at www.magnusleague.org
Individuals can enter a match date with or without a team
for $60 in advance until 5 pm the night before each date (entry fee will go up
to $70), until 9 am on the match date).
The optional school team entry fee is
$1,400 for a team of up to six players from the same school, for all seven
Magnus match dates (14 games total). A school can have the same or
different players on each match date.
21. All players are responsible for having current U.S. Chess
Federation memberships during all their match dates: http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrLst.php
One-year USCF membership dues may either be paid in advance
at a discount when registering for the tournament, or directly through the U.S.
Chess Federation at: https://secure2.uschess.org/webstore/member.php
You can check out the Tournament
Life Announcement on the USCF website, under New York State (shown below):
Thank You Again, Chess Aficionados, for (re-)joining us for our Twelfth
Annual Season of the Magnus League!
Please visit us at www.magnusleague.org
for tournament updates and online registration.