I’m new to chess, can I still participate?
Absolutely! We welcome you to play in one of our tournaments, even if you’ve never played before.
There are three classical events open to new players. The Reserves are open to players under 2150 ACF, including new players who are unrated and run for 11 days. The USYD Major and Minor are shorter events, and may be more suitable if you’re looking for something more casual. Both run for four days at the start and end of the tournament.
There are two events with a faster time control, the Australian Blitz Championships and the USYD Rapid, also open to all players.
You are also welcome to register as a spectator, as general attendance is free for the Australian Championships. There will be other events throughout the 11 days for anyone to participate in, which aren’t competitive chess!
Please note that if you are not an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia, you will first need to obtain a FIDE ID from your national federation. If you are, we will handle the rest for you, and you won’t need to do anything but register!
My rating is below 2150 ACF, can I still play in the Championships?
Please email auschamps@usydchessclub.org. Exceptions are granted on a case-by-case basis, as per the ACF bylaws.
The final rating list used will be the December Rating List.
Players may be moved from the Championships to the Reserves if their rating falls below 2150 ACF on the December Rating List.