FIRST COAST FALL OPEN 2024
Our First Coast Open tournaments are the heart of Chess for Charity Club. By participating in this event, you help us provide our community with free weekly chess tournaments, classes and most importantly, food for our local food pantry. Chess for Charity Club was founded in February 2021 and as of December 2022, we have donated 186 baskets of food, supported 313 chess players by hosting 94 free rated tournaments and provided 109 free chess classes. To encourage the growth of chess, we have also hosted free Tournament Director (TD) Workshops and held free guest lectures and simuls by influential chess professionals like FM Peter Giannatos and FM Jorge Oquendo. Chess for Charity Club ranked #1 in the state of Florida for the most US Chess rated events in 2021 and 2022! Please consider attending our First Coast Open to help further chess in Florida and to continue to help those in need.
TOURNAMENT DETAILS
November 9th, 2024
IM Saudin Robovic will be on-site to analyze games between roundsThis is an official USCF rated tournament. Active USCF number required.
1600+ Classical rated Section: Standard Swiss, 65 minute game with a 5 second delay, 3 rounds.
U1600 Classical rated Section: Standard Swiss, 65 minute game with a 5 second delay, 3 rounds.
U1200 rated Section: Standard Swiss, 25 minute game with a 5 second delay, 5 rounds.
U1000 Scholastic rated Section: Standard Swiss, 25 minute game with a 5 second delay, 5 rounds.
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100 Point Rule: Players may only play up if their rating is within 100 points of the section limit.
Chess sets and clocks provided. TD may combine sections/use accelerated pairings, if needed.
**NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION**
SCHEDULE
Check-in at 9:00am. Clocks start at 9:30am.
1600+ and U1600 sections: R1 9:30am, Lunch 12pm, R2 1pm, R3 3:45pm.
U1200 and U1000 Scholastic sections: R1 9:30am, R2 10:45am, Lunch 12pm, R3 1pm, R4 2:15pm, R5 3:30pm.
Food trucks on site.
LOCATION
Deermeadows Baptist Church 9780 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville FL 32256.
REGISTRATION
Suggested donation is $30 and any nonperishable food items. Let's fill up our local food pantry!
If you are unable to make the suggested donation, we welcome and encourage you to attend - we wish all to attend regardless of the ability to donate. In this case, please contact us to register by phone at 904.677.1445.
CONTACT
For more information, contact Tournament Director Ray Ratliff at 904-677-1445 or info@ChessForCharityClub.org.
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
or a complete list of our events, visit www.ChessForCharityClub.org.
ABOUT US
Chess for Charity Club is an entirely volunteer-run, self-funded and donation-based family organization dedicated to giving back to our community. Inspired by our children’s love for the beautiful game of chess, Chess for Charity Club serves the community through the generosity of our members. We collect nonperishable food items during our free classes and free rated chess tournaments and donate that food to local food banks. Our chess instructors and tournament directors are a group of volunteers that donate their time and knowledge to help further chess in Florida. Please come and experience what we offer and if you can, bring a nonperishable food item because like in chess, EVERY PIECE COUNTS!
JOIN OUR MISSION
Our mission at Chess for Charity Club is to build a united chess community with a focus on combating hunger. Below are a few ways you can support our mission.
Register for our First Coast Open tournaments.
Drop off a nonperishable food item at any of our events.
Donating time or expertise. Please contact us at info@ChessForCharityClub.com.
We welcome all monetary contributions. Your donations directly support operating costs (chess material, tournament rating reports, website, etc) and additional food for our local food pantry. Donate here.
JOIN OUR GROUP
Join our Facebook group here.
JOIN OUR FREE TOURNAMENTS AND CLASSES
For a list of our free tournaments, classes and events, please visit www.ChessForCharityClub.org.
Food donations.
Chess for Charity Club delivering food donations.
Charity Event
Volunteer Coach Ray - Beginner Class
Volunteer Coach Nick Peterson - Advanced class
Volunteer Coach Joseph Cagle - Advanced class
Volunteer Guest Lecture by FIDE Master and author Peter Giannatos.
Checkmake at The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.
Beginner (U500) Rated Tournaments.
Gambit at The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
Open Rated Tournaments
HopTactics 2022
SpookTactics 2021
U500 Rated Tournaments
Florida State K-3 Champion 2022 Ryan analyzing games.
Building long-lasting friendships.