Hampton Roads Chess Association
presents
GIRLS GOT GAME
May 30, 2026
King's Grant Presbyterian Church
745 Little Neck Road, Virginia Beach
Join us for a special tournament event just for girls! Enjoy making new friends and participating in numerous fun side contests throughout the day. Special workshop on walking meditation and breathwork included!
By registering and attending 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, May 28th! No last-minute or on-site registration!
There is a LOT of information to share for this event, and most questions can be answered below. Please read thoroughly!
FORMAT
This is a 4-round Swiss system tournament, which is akin to a bracket system in sports. It is not an elimination event. You will play all rounds (unless assigned a full-point bye for an uneven number of players). It is an individual event, no team awards.
The time control for the tournament is G/30; d5 -- this means each player has 30 minutes to complete all their moves, and no time is deducted from the clock for the first 5 seconds of each move (a "delay"). Chess notation is required in all rated sections. Novice players are asked to try / do their best!
Boards, sets, clocks, notation sheets, and pencils are provided.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
This event is open to women and girls only!
US Chess membership is required for Novice U300 and Open. It is NOT required for the Rookie sections.
Players under age 14 require an adult to be onsite for the duration of the event. This can be a parent or other family member, friend / parent of a teammate, or coach.
SECTIONS
Players will register for one of the following sections:
Rookie / Non-Rated Sections
9U: Players age 9 and under as of May 1, 2026 who are not US Chess members / do not have a US Chess rating. Designed for beginners with little to no tournament experience.
14U: Players age 10-14 as of May 1, 2026 who are not US Chess members / do not have a US Chess rating. Designed for beginners with little to no tournament experience.
Ladies: Players age 15 and up who are not US Chess members / do not have a US Chess rating. Designed for beginners with little to no tournament experience.
Rated Sections
Novice (U300) and Unrated: Players in Pre-K through 12th grade who are US Chess members, unrated (first rated event) or rated Under 300 Regular OTB on the May 2026 rating supplement. No adults.
Open: Players of all ages who are US Chess members, rated 300 and up Regular OTB on the May 2026 rating supplement. Adults playing in their first rated event must enter Open.
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
EVENT SCHEDULE
If you are registered and paid in advance, there is no need to check in. NO WALK-UP REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT -- YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE. If you need to request or cancel a half point or zero-point bye (meaning you will miss a round) and have not already done so on this registration form, you MUST do so by Noon the day of the event.
AWARDS
The following awards are the MINIMUM that will be awarded. Final determination for additional trophies will be made two weeks prior to the event based on entries.
Tournament Awards:
9U: TROPHIES to 1st - 5th place overall individual players. Trophy to top 6U.
14U: TROPHIES to 1st - 5th place individual players. Trophy to top 11U.
Ladies: TROPHIES to 1st - 5th place individual players.
Novice (U300) and Unrated: TROPHIES to 1st - 5th place overall individual players. Trophy for Top Unrated.
Open: TROPHIES to 1st - 5th place overall individual players. Trophy for Top U600.
Medals to all additional players with at least 2 points. Participation ribbons to remaining players.
Trophy to top Mother-Daughter Team!
Side Contest Awards:
The Puzzle Rush contest will award a medal to the top finisher in each tournament section (ability based).
The Cheeseball Jar contest will award a small prize to the best guess overall.
All other side contests will award a medal to the top finisher in each of the following groups (age based): 6U, 8U, 10U, 14U, Ladies
ENTRY FEES
$35 Early Entry Fee through 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 3rd.
$40 Standard Entry Fee through 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 17th.
$45 Late Entry Fee through 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 24th.
$50 Week-of Entry Fee through 11:59 PM on Thursday, May 28th.
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 11:59 PM ON THURSDAY, May 28th. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO WALK-UPS.
Scholarship participants approved for discounts and Title I schools who need entry fee assistance MUST contact us in advance to register. Financial Aid relies on donor support and is limited. Please note that entry fees are required to participate and are NOT tax-deductible.
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 May 17th, there is a 50% credit. No refunds after May 28th.
**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.
PRE-ORDER AND PAY FOR EVENT T-SHIRTS
Special girl-designed t-shirts will be available for purchase through May 13th at 6 PM. T-shirts are NOT included in the entry fee. You MUST pre-order and pay for your shirt, which is optional. Shirts are $22 for Youth XL - Adult XL. 2XL and up $25. Shirts will be on site for pick-up Saturday morning. ORDER HERE.
SPECIAL NOTES FOR EVENT DAY
PARKING:
There is ample free surface parking at the church. If the front and side lots are full, there is an overflow lot in the back.
MEALS:
Lunch will not be provided. Because we are continuing with fun side events during the lunch period, players are encouraged to pack a lunch. Rounds start at set times, so you may leave to get lunch if you don't wish to participate in the lunchtime activities and be back before 1:45. There are many fast-food restaurants within a mile of the church.
SKITTLES / WAITING AREA:
The church is ours for the day. We cannot use "The Parlor" room until after 10 AM due to a meeting, but you may find space in any other open classroom or enjoy the picnic pavilion outside if the weather is nice. Girls may only use the playground under direct parental supervision!!! Feel free to bring camp chairs for comfort.
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, hall and room monitors, side contest monitors and judges, scorekeepers, CERTIFIED Tournament Directors (TDs), and assistant/junior TDs (not certified). CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER.
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
Please note only designated areas of the facility are open to players and guests. No one is allowed in undesignated areas (including the aquatics center or fitness centers or track) at any time.
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.