National Scholastic Chess Foundation
 


NSCF Grand Prix -- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "NSCF Grand Prix"?
The NSCF Grand Prix is an annual contest sponsored by the National Scholastic Chess Foundation. It rewards highly active and high-scoring tournament players by awarding "Grand Prix points" to the top finishers in NSCF-conducted tournaments.

How are Grand Prix points awarded?

The NSCF Grand Prix competition is segmented by grade categories. Players in all sections that award trophies are eligible for Grand Prix points. The number of points awarded to a given score is based on the strength of the section a player competes in. Regardless of how many different sections a player competes in throughout the tournament season, a single cumulative point score is tabulated for that player, and compared to others in the same grade category.

For the 3-game Future Masters and the 4-game tournament sections, points are awarded according to the following table:

 
Score
Section
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
Future Masters
4000
2520
1587
1000
630
397
FM/Championship
1414
1000
707
500
354
250
177
125
Championship
1189
841
595
420
297
210
149
105
Elementary/Reserve
354
250
177
125
88
63
44
31
Reserve
177
125
88
63
44
31
22
16
Elementary
125
88
63
44
31
22
16
11
Primary
125
88
63
44
31
22
16
11
Booster
88
63
44
31
22
16
11
8
2-3 Unrated
37
26
19
13
9
7
5
3
K-1
26
19
13
9
7
5
3
2

(The FM/Championship section is a 4-round combined section in which one to three over-1400 rated players join the Championship section in lieu of forming a small Future Masters section. The December 10, 2011 tournament at Columbus Elementary was such a section. The Elementary and Reserve sections were run in the Fall of 2011 only; in 2012 they were replaced by the Booster and Elementary/Reserve sections.)

To find your Grand Prix point score, find the row for your section and the column for your score in that section. For example, a score of 3 out of 4 in a 4-round Elementary section is awarded 177 points. Points are awarded down to section scores of 0.5 regardless of how that score was obtained (byes count).

For regular tournament sections of other than 4 rounds, scores are prorated. The Grand Prix Tables and Formulas page presents tables for various numbers of rounds, and explains the formulas and rationale usd to construct the tables.

Tell me that again?
Let's try an example. Ashley, a third grader, plays in four tournaments during the Fall.
  • In the first tournament, she plays in the 2-3 Unrated section and scores 2 wins and 2 losses for a total score of 2. Examining the above table, we can see she is awarded 9 Grand Prix points.
  • In the second tournament, she scores 2 wins, a draw and a loss for a score of 2.5 and is awarded 13 more points.
  • In the third tournament, having attended some NSCF classes, she outclasses everyone in the section and scores a perfect 4-0 to win the 2-3 Unrated section. She is awarded another 37 points.
  • In the fourth tournament, she joins the US Chess Federation and plays in the USCF rated Primary section, where she scores 3-1 and is awarded 63 more points. She now has 9+13+37+63 = 122 Grand Prix points, and finds herself listed among the leaders in the Primary grade competition.
Ashley may also choose to play in other rated sections throughout the season. All Grand Prix points earned in those sections will be added to her final score, but being a third grader she only competes for the Primary grade Grand Prix awards.

How many awards are there?
  1. All winners receive attractive plaques with the winner's name engraved. They will be awarded in 4 categories, as follows:
      K-1 (pre-K thru 1st):Top 5 plus ties, plus top kindergartner, if not a category winner.
      Primary (grades 2-3): Top 5 plus ties plus top 2nd grader, if not a category winner
      Elementary (grades 4-5): Top 5 plus ties plus top 4th grader, if not a category winner.
      Middle School (grades 6-8): Top 5 plus ties plus top 6th grader, if not a category winner.
  2. Special recognition will be given to the Overall Champion. All grades including High School (grades 9-12) are eligible for this award.
  3. The top player in each category will be recognized as a Category Champion, and the top K (or pre-K), 2nd, 4th, and 6th graders will each be recognized as a Grade Champion, IF that person is not the champion for that category. A player may win only one award. If the grade champion finishes 2nd-5th, this will be instead of the place plaque. For example, if a second grader finishes 2nd in the Primary category there will be a Primary Champion, a Second Grade Champion, and 3rd-5th place awards in the Primary category. If a Category Champion is also a Grade Champion there will be no separate award for the Grade. If the Overall champion is also a Category Champion there will be no separate award for the Category.
  4. Every player who receives a plaque will get a free entry in the Grand Prix Awards Ceremony tournament, which is held the following Fall.
  5. The Overall, Grade and Category Champions will each receive additional prizes which will be determined at a later time.
What tournaments are on the NSCF Grand Prix circuit?
All tournaments entitled "NSCF Scholastic Grand Prix tournaments" which can be found on the 2011-2012 NSCF Grand Prix schedule at nscfchess.org. The 2011-12 circuit runs from November 2011 through May 2012. The results of the January 2012 Greenwich City Championships and the March 2012 Westchester County Chess Championships will be included in the NSCF Grand Prix standings. Special point-award charts will be posted prior to the event.

How will players and parents be informed of the standings after each tournament?
As soon as possible after each tournament, GP points will be calculated and the leader's total point scores posted on the Grand Prix page at nscfchess.org. In addition, the bulletin boards at selected Grand Prix tournaments will be posted. The standings will list the top 20% or more of the players in each grade category, and the overall top 40 plus ties.

What if a dispute arises regarding the rules and how they affect the standings?
The NSCF Executive Director reserves the right to unilaterally resolve all disputes regarding the Grand Prix. As a general guideline, rule changes will not be made in mid-season, but helpful suggestions will be considered for the future.

How do I sign up?
Simply register for and play in a NSCF Grand Prix tournament, and you are automatically part of the Grand Prix competition. The tournament schedule and registration procedure can be found on the 2011-2012 NSCF Grand Prix schedule at nscfchess.org.




Privacy policy     /     Site Map