Hampton Roads Chess Association
and
Nauticus / Battleship Wisconsin
present
Battle on the BB-64
A chess tournament on the ship!
Norfolk, Virginia
March 21, 2026
Hampton Roads Chess Association and Nauticus / Battleship Wisconsin join forces to present the third annual chess tournament to be held on board the Battleship Wisconsin (BB-64) docked at Nauticus on the Norfolk Waterfront! Games will be played in the Crew Mess, where sailors from WWII to Operation Desert Storm dined while underway!
There is a LOT of information to share for this event, and most questions can be answered below. Please read thoroughly!
By registering and attending in this event (as participant or guest), you acknowledge and agree to abide by the US Chess Federation's Safe Play Policy, and HRCA's Code of Conduct and General Liability Waiver and Release. More details below.
Registration for this event closes at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, March 19th! No last-minute or on-site registration!
This is an HRCA Scholastic Cup Event!
HRCA membership is not required for the tournament but IS required to participate in the Scholastic Cup awards.
New Memberships must be purchased within one week of event conclusion for points to qualify.
For more information visit https://hrchessclub.org/scholastic-cup/
SCHEDULE
PARTICIPANTS
***NEW THIS YEAR -- THIS IS AN ALL-AGES EVENT!!!***
Players under age 14 require an adult to be onsite for the duration of the event -- All guests must have a Nauticus day pass (see below). We have a special group rate through March 19th. After that, you may purchase regular admission or utilize any discount programs directly with the front desk.
PLAYER REQUIREMENTS:
US Chess membership is required for Open, Amateur, and Novice -- these are rated sections.
US Chess membership is NOT required for Rookie sections.
HRCA membership is only required if you want your points counted for the HRCA Scholastic Cup.
FORMAT
A Swiss System (like a bracket system -- NOT an elimination event!) tournament of four rounds. Time control is G/25; d3, meaning each side has 25 minutes to complete all their moves, and the clock will not start counting down for the first 3 seconds of each move. Select a bye during registration ONLY if you know you will be missing a round due to a conflict with another event. One half-point bye allowed if requested prior to the start of Round 3.
Boards, sets, and clocks are provided. Notation is NOT required in any section due to Quick time control, but notation sheets and pencils will be provided if desired.
Section choices are:
A note on Unrated players: Per new US Chess Scholastic Regulations, HRCA will apply the current Regular OTB rating to Unrated players, if applicable, even if earned after the cut-off for the supplement used for the tournament. In a dual-rated event, if there is no Regular OTB rating, a current Quick rating will be applied, if applicable, but only for prizes, not sectioning (e.g. someone with a 500 published Quick rating but Unrated Regular may still play in the U300 section but is ineligible for Unrated prizes). Bottom line -- only actually Unrated players at the time of the event will be allowed in Rookie sections and eligible for Unrated class prizes in rated sections.
Check your US Chess membership here
AWARDS
$35 Early Entry Fee through 11:59 PM on Sunday, February 22nd.
$40 Standard Entry Fee through 11:59 PM Sunday, March 8th.
$45 Late Entry Fee through 11:59 PM Sunday, March 15th.
$50 Last Week Entry Fee through 11:59 PM Thursday, March 19th.
TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE AT 11:59 PM ON MARCH 19th. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO WALKUPS.
There are no scholarship or Title 1 entry fee waivers for this event.
REFUNDS
If you need to withdraw, please contact the Event Organizer.
Refunds will be given as a tournament credit ONLY. Refunds create a lot of administrative work and loss of important operational revenue to HRCA. Our default refund is to now give participants a CREDIT towards a future HRCA tournament. The credited amount will be $30 and is valid for 1 year. After February 8th, there is a 50% credit. No refunds after February 19th.
**Please check the ENTRY LIST before registering to make sure you do not register multiple times. Duplicate entries are subject to an administrative refund fee of $10.
Nauticus guest tickets must be purchased separately and are NOT refundable.
Tournament Orientation for New Players
There will be no New Player Orientation the day of the event -- Use this link and passcode for a recording of a complete orientation to tournament procedures and rules.
Passcode: h.8mre41
A copy of the slides will be sent to all registered players the evening of March 19th. For an earlier copy, contact the event organizer.
Special Notes for Event Day
PARKING:
Adjacent garages are approximately $13 a day; the MacArthur Center garage within walking distance is $1 a day on weekends!
MEALS:
No outside food or drink is allowed inside Nauticus or the Battleship. For anyone bringing their own lunch and eating on the front porch, they have a lunch bin system. Guests can drop their lunches in the bin at check-in, and they’ll wheel it into storage. At lunchtime, you can bring it back out to the porch.
If you leave the museum, your wristband will give you re-entry. Please make sure your player knows where to find you or designate another adult to supervise if you leave the premises without your player. Be aware the tournament rounds are very close together, so do not depart the site with your player and risk missing a round.
The on-site cafe is under new management, and they are offering pre-orders of box lunches, which is strongly recommended to get your food on time for your player to eat between rounds -- Click here for a menu. Lunch order payment is the responsibility of the individual and is not included in your registration fee.
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER and PAY for LUNCH.
WAITING AREAS ("SKITTLES"):
Please enjoy the venue and pack light (you may go back to your vehicle if needed). All players and accompanying family members / friends are strongly encouraged to explore Nauticus and the Battleship between rounds! Camp chairs are not permitted at the venue.
The Brock Theater on the 3rd floor of Nauticus is the main waiting area for parents. This will be open to all museum guests, so please be mindful of others enjoying the space and secure your belongings. A short film will be shown at 11am and 2pm for all museum guests.
YOU MAY NOT USE THE NAUTICUS CAFE AS A WAITING AREA. Volunteers will be enforcing this.
*Parents of younger children who may not be able to navigate from the ship's crew mess back to Nauticus will be allowed to wait in the galley (standing) next to the crew mess.
Please make sure your players know where to find you after each round!
BATHROOMS:
There is ample access to public bathrooms in Nauticus. There is one bathroom available on the deck of the ship prior to descending the stairs to the crew mess. We STRONGLY urge parents to ensure their kids use the bathroom BEFORE the start of a round. Once the round has started, getting a child back and forth to a bathroom on the ship is challenging.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY:
Access to the ship's galley requires the physical ability to climb up and down one short but steep ladder. Players unable to make that climb can contact us in advance to make arrangements for an alternative assigned board in an accessible area of the ship or Nauticus.
Discounted Group Nauticus/Battleship Tickets:
Required for all guests. Admission to Nauticus and the Battleship is included in the entry fee for players only.
IMPORTANT - After registering your player for the tournament, go to 2026 Battle on the BB-64 ADMISSION tickets to purchase your group rate admission tickets for family members or friends accompanying the player. You will receive a wristband upon arrival for entry. These tickets are non-refundable. Your PLAYER'S admission is included in their entry fee - do NOT purchase a ticket for registered players.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Volunteers help ensure our events run smoothly and that players and families have an enjoyable experience. Volunteer spots include set up, clean up, wristband distribution, player escorts (Safe Play certification required), scorekeepers, CERTIFIED Tournament Directors (TDs), and assistant/junior TDs (not certified).
Key (all-day) volunteers receive complimentary wristband access!
Sign up to volunteer for a part of the day here: Hampton Roads Chess Association: Battle on BB-64
CONTACT US
Please contact the Tournament Organizer:
For more information/questions, contact the Tournament Organizer, Tina, at cschweiss2@hrchessclub.org or 757-472-5909.
Email is the fastest way to reach us.
POLICIES AND RULES
It is our goal to provide a fun, safe, and supportive environment. Community partnerships are vital to HRCA, and we want to ensure we remain good stewards to our partners and their facilities. There is a lot of downtime during tournaments -- parents are responsible for supervising their children when they are not playing a scheduled match. Please note only designated areas of the facility are open to players and guests. No one is allowed in undesignated areas (including classrooms) at any time. No drop-offs for youth under age 14.
By registering and attending in this event (as participant or guest), you acknowledge and agree to abide by the US Chess Federation's Safe Play Policy, and HRCA's Code of Conduct and General Liability Waiver and Release. For more information on Safe Play or HRCA's Code of Conduct and General Liability Waiver and Release, please click the BLUE links above. Violations of these policies may result in warnings, or ultimately, disqualification or dismissal from the event without refund.
Photo Policy: Please be advised that photos and/or videos may be taken at HRCA events for use in HRCA's marketing, grant reporting, educational, news, or other promotional materials, whether in print, electronic, or other forms of media, including on our website and social channels. HRCA will not identify images using the full names of those photographed without express written permission. By attending an HRCA event, you consent to have your image recorded for distribution and agree to release, defend, hold harmless, and indemnify HRCA from any and all claims, including compensation, involving using your picture or likeness. If you wish to opt-out, you can make your wishes known to the photographer, and/or the event organizers, and/or contact HRCA at hrca@hrchessclub.org.