MADISON – Registration is open now for the 2022 Rookie Rally.

Mill Creek Elementary School, 847 Mill Road is hosting the chess tournament on Feb. 5. The contest is affiliated with Madison City Chess League or MCCL.

“Historically, Rookie Rally has been hosted by Blossomwood elementary, but this year they have asked MCCL to host it in Madison. We were glad Mill Creek was able to take over hosting duties for this year,” MCCL Executive Director Ranae Bartlett said.

Rookie Rally will open with a mandatory meeting for players at 9:15 a.m.

This tournament has Rated sections only: K-3 U300; K-3 Championship; K-5 Championship; K-8 Junior High; and K-12 Open. To assign sections, officials will use players’ official published ratings as of Jan. 19.

Round times will be 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Time control will be Game 30/d5. This tournament will be 5 round Swiss, U.S. Chess Federation or USCF rated.

All sections will be USCF rated, so players must have USCF membership. Unrated players can register to play in Rookie Rally if they join USCF before registering for the tournament.

“Players will then receive their first rating after the tournament report is filed with the USCF,” Bartlett said. “If you are in grades K-3 in your first rated tournament, you should register for the K-3 U300 section. Everyone has to play in a first rated tournament some time, and this will be a great one to try.”

To receive USCF membership online, visit new.uschess.org/become-member.

Rookie Rally’s entry fee is $25 per individual. Deadline for online fees is Feb. 2. Onsite registration will not be available. A player cannot receive a refund after pairing is complete.

“This is an individual event, with secondary team prizes. A ‘team’ is based on the four highest scorers. Teams may represent a school only. Pairings will attempt to avoid same team pairings in the first two rounds,” Bartlett said.

For individual awards, the top 10 players will receive trophies in K-3 U300; K-3 Championship; K-5 Championship; and K-8 Jr High. For K-12 Open, the top five individuals receive trophies. Medals go to all individuals whose score ties for a trophy place but loses on tie‐break.

For team awards, trophies will go to the top five teams in K-3 U300; K-3 Championship; and K-5 Championship sections. Trophies also go to the top two teams in K-8 Junior High and top two teams in K-12 Open sections.

To register for Rookie Rally, visit madisonchess.com. On the MCCL home page, scroll down to the “Donate * Join * Register” section, and click the link for 2022 Rookie Rally. Type information in all boxes to register.