Finding The Correct Tournament Section
These guidelines are designed to give our students the time and confidence to develop their chess skills while ensuring fair and competitive play. We highly encourage our students to participate in chess tournaments as they offer an excellent opportunity to apply their learnings from class into practice. Playing in tournaments helps students develop a deeper understanding of the game and provides valuable context for why certain strategies and concepts are taught in class.
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Beginner Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Beginner' section.
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Pawn Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Beginner' section.
Knight Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Beginner' section.
Bishop Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Novice' section.
Rook Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Novice' section.
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Queen Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Intermediate' section.
King Class: The minimum section they are able to join is the 'Intermediate' section.
​If CMC student is enrolled for our Winter 2025:
Rating Cutoffs
Beginner Section: Rating below 560.
Novice Section: Rating 560-750.
Intermediate Section: Rating 750-899.
Open Section: Rating 900+
Example Scenario
If a student has a rating of 650 but is enrolled in the Pawn Class, they can still play in the Beginner Section unless coaches determine their skills exceed that level.
*(Optional) Extra Information*
Coach-Recommended Adjustments
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In cases where a student’s skill level significantly exceeds their assigned section, coaches may place them in a higher section that matches their chess strength.
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If a student’s rating exceeds the rating bracket for a tournament section but their class level allows participation, they can still play in that section unless coaches determine their skill level is too high for it.
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Everyone progresses at their own pace on their chess journey. While students are typically assigned a tournament section based on their class level, coaches may move a student to a lower section if they feel the player needs more time to develop before competing in their assigned section or if their chess rating does not meet the bracket of their assigned section. This ensures students have the opportunity to improve at their own appropriate pace and develop their skills before advancing to a higher level.
Advancing Between Sections
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If a student wins 1st place in their tournament section, they will be placed in the next higher section for their next tournament.
Playing in Higher Sections
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Students can always choose to play in a higher section than their assigned class level if they feel ready.