THE COLUMBUS CHESS ACADEMY
2026 Midwest Youth Team Chess Festival
2026 Midwest Youth Team Chess Festival
JR MOTCF
Cherry Valley Hotel
March 21st
2299 Cherry Valley Rd SE, Newark, OH
Hotel Rate: $139 per night; Call (740) 788-1200
Ask for the “Chess Rate" or book online here
Must reserve by February 27th to guarantee the Chess Rate
Eligibility: Open to all K-12 players who are Under 1200
Format: 5 Rounds, Team vs Team Swiss System Tournament, G/45+5. Four players per team plus one alternate. Students do not need to be from the same school. All players must be U1200 and the average rating of the team must be U1000. Team average will be calculated of the four top ratings. Switches limited to 50 rating points before Round 1, then order of teams must stay—no switching allowed after. US Chess Membership is required. March ratings will be used.
Registration: Team captains register team online here or with mail-in registration below. $150 per team by March 11th, $200 after. Registration cutoff is March 20th at 8 PM. No on-site registrations.
Round times: Saturday: 9 AM, 11 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM
Prizes: Trophies for each player per team for top three teams. Depending on number of teams registered and the average rating spread, there may be Under Prizes.
Individuals: Individuals may request to be a part of a team. $40 per player by March 11th, $50 after. Registration cutoff is March 20th at 8 PM. No on-site registrations. Individual registration online or with mail-in registration. CCA cannot make any guarantees regarding the ratings of assigned teammates nor guarantee you having a complete team of 4 players but we will try our best. If we cannot find you a team, you will receive a full refund.
Plaques: Commemorative plaques sold for $50. Plaques will include the team's name and all individuals. Contact Kathy to place an order or see an example. Orders must be placed by 3/7; plaques will be delivered at MOTCF.
Note: Captains can change their team names by emailing Kathy or changing them on-site up until the start of Round 1. Please do not submit names that are inappropriate or offensive. MOTCF and JR MOTCF Rules found here. Sets not provided, please bring sets and clocks. Items will be sold at bookstore.
Contact: Kathy Lin, info@columbuschessacademy.org; Cell: 614-746-7682
Cherry Valley Hotel
2299 Cherry Valley Rd SE, Newark, OH 43055, USA
Register
Thank you for registering!
Register
Thank you for registering!
Registration
If you do not have a team, but would like to be assigned to a team when a spot becomes available, please fill out the Individual Registration form. If you already have a team, have your TEAM CAPTAIN fill out the Team Registration. Other members of the team do not have to submit a registration.