Holiday Quad Tournament
Friday, December 12, 2025, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Entry fee: $5
Quite a few players have been reaching out to see if we’ll be hosting a tournament this winter. Initially, we weren’t expecting much interest. We expected more players to be doing something during the holidays, aside from playing chess.
City Creek Chess would like to accommodate these players by hosting a Holiday Quad tournament!
When: 12/12 (First round starts @ 7:30 pm) Where: Kneader’s Bakery & Café (28 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT, 84115)
Sections:
USCF-rated Section – Entry Fee: $5 – Prize: $15; (Swiss paired section: $15; $10)
Community Section – Entry Fee: Free – No prize for this section. Community Section players will only be playing for club rating (CR) points.
Both sections will United States Chess Federation’s (USCF) Official Rules of Chess Link to free version: Free USCF Rulebook Online Version
Tournament Format: Round-Robin Quad tournament (Rule 30) Rounds: three Time Control: G/10; d/3
How does a Quad tournament work?
1. Players are ranked by rating, with the highest rated on top and the lowest towards the bottom.
2. The list is divided into small groups of four players to create a quad. a. If there are not enough players to create a quad, those players will be grouped in the last quad created. That last group will play in a Swiss tournament (Rule 30G) 3. Players will compete in a Round-Robin tournament against the players in their quad.
Schedule: Round one: 7:30 pm Round two: 8:00 pm Round three: 8:30 pm
Additional Notes & Player Expectations:
– All players are expected to follow the rules outlined in Chapter 1 of the USCF’s Official Rules of Chess.
– Below are some common missed rules:
o (Rule 1C2) The Tournament Director may issue penalties for rule violations. The standard penalty is granting your opponent an additional two minutes, but it can range from small warnings to disqualifications.
o (Rule 5F7) Players are responsible for knowing how to set the clock. If we need to find an alternative, see the Tournament Director.
o (Rule 10) This covers rules such as moving the piece you touched, how to properly castle, adjustments, and more.
o (Rule 11) This covers what happens if the board is set up incorrectly or if an illegal move is played.
o (Rules 13 & 14) If a game ends on time, the game may be a draw even if your opponent doesn’t have enough pieces to checkmate with. Review both rules to see what positions constitute wins, losses, or draws, regardless of whether a player runs out of time.
o (Rule 15) Recording your games is not required for this tournament, but strongly encouraged. If you choose not to record your game, you might not be able to make a claim under rules 11, 13, or 14.
o (Rule 20) This covers the conduct of players and spectators. Even if you’re watching a game, talking around the players can give one player an advantage, even by accident. Players should avoid analyzing or discussing games while games are in progress, even if discussing an unrelated game.
City Creek Chess would like to accommodate these players by hosting a Holiday Quad tournament!
When: 12/12 (First round starts @ 7:30 pm) Where: Kneader’s Bakery & Café (28 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT, 84115)
Sections:
USCF-rated Section – Entry Fee: $5 – Prize: $15; (Swiss paired section: $15; $10)
Community Section – Entry Fee: Free – No prize for this section. Community Section players will only be playing for club rating (CR) points.
Both sections will United States Chess Federation’s (USCF) Official Rules of Chess Link to free version: Free USCF Rulebook Online Version
Tournament Format: Round-Robin Quad tournament (Rule 30) Rounds: three Time Control: G/10; d/3
How does a Quad tournament work?
1. Players are ranked by rating, with the highest rated on top and the lowest towards the bottom.
2. The list is divided into small groups of four players to create a quad. a. If there are not enough players to create a quad, those players will be grouped in the last quad created. That last group will play in a Swiss tournament (Rule 30G) 3. Players will compete in a Round-Robin tournament against the players in their quad.
Schedule: Round one: 7:30 pm Round two: 8:00 pm Round three: 8:30 pm
Additional Notes & Player Expectations:
– All players are expected to follow the rules outlined in Chapter 1 of the USCF’s Official Rules of Chess.
– Below are some common missed rules:
o (Rule 1C2) The Tournament Director may issue penalties for rule violations. The standard penalty is granting your opponent an additional two minutes, but it can range from small warnings to disqualifications.
o (Rule 5F7) Players are responsible for knowing how to set the clock. If we need to find an alternative, see the Tournament Director.
o (Rule 10) This covers rules such as moving the piece you touched, how to properly castle, adjustments, and more.
o (Rule 11) This covers what happens if the board is set up incorrectly or if an illegal move is played.
o (Rules 13 & 14) If a game ends on time, the game may be a draw even if your opponent doesn’t have enough pieces to checkmate with. Review both rules to see what positions constitute wins, losses, or draws, regardless of whether a player runs out of time.
o (Rule 15) Recording your games is not required for this tournament, but strongly encouraged. If you choose not to record your game, you might not be able to make a claim under rules 11, 13, or 14.
o (Rule 20) This covers the conduct of players and spectators. Even if you’re watching a game, talking around the players can give one player an advantage, even by accident. Players should avoid analyzing or discussing games while games are in progress, even if discussing an unrelated game.