Welcome to the 10th Edition of the New York State Magnus High School and Junior High Chess League

(Out-of-State Players Are Welcome)!

 

Columbia Grammar And Prep. High School Cafeteria,

36 West 93rd Street

(between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue),

New York, NY

Home To Serious Scholastic Chess In New York City!

Covid-19 Policy

 

Oct. 13, Nov. 3, Dec. 15, 2024;

  Jan. 12, Feb. 9, Mar. 2, April 27, 2025

 

    Our format this season for the Magnus League is seven separate matches, each one is a two-Round Swiss-System tournament on each of the above dates.

    You register for each match date separately, you are not required to play all seven matches (there is a separate entry fee for individuals for each match date).


 

    1. We are open to players in Grades 7-12 (who are also born after 4/27/2005).    


 

    2. Players can play as individuals as well as part of a school team. 
 

        We have both individual and team prizes!


 

    3. We also have Mixed Doubles Teams Bonus Prizes!


        Mixed Doubles Teams are two players, one male, one female (they can be from different sections and different schools), with an average team rating Under 2200 at signup deadline.  Players must sign up by February 9th for Mixed Doubles.
 

    4. We have three separate sections!


        1. Varsity Section, for players rated 1800 and above (at match date or within the prior 12 months), or players rated 1700 and above who have also scored 2-0 in a Magnus League Season Nine or Ten J-V or Varsity section match, or invitees;
       2. Junior-Varsity Section, for players whose Official Rating is between 1300-1899 at match date or invitees;
       3. Novice Section, for players whose Official Rating is Under 1400 at match date or Unrateds.

   

    5. We have two rounds each date-- 10:00 am and 1:30 pm-- earlier if feasible. 
 

    6. Our Magnus League time control:  Game/60 + 30-second delay (please bring a delay clock if you have one).  

 

    7There are $700 in individual prizes each match date!

        1. Varsity Section:  $200 to First, $100 to Second,
        2. Junior-Varsity Section: $150 to First, $100 to Second,
        3.  Novice Section:  $100 to First, $50 to Second

                                (there is a $50 prize limit to Unrated Players in the Novice Section),

           Players cannot play with a rating lower than their Online Regular Rating minus 100 points.  Prizes not claimed at site may be paid by PayPal (may take a couple of weeks).
 

    8.  $700 Individual Bonus Prizes, to the three top-scoring players across all 3 sections after all 7 matches:  First $300, Second $200, Third $100.

    9.  School Prizes (the top 4 scores from the same school):  Awards to the 4 highest-scoring overall school team scores, and any school teams tied with them, across all 3 sections after all 7 matches (school team scores with more rounds played, including forfeit wins and full-point byes, may receive extra credit if tied).

  10. $750 Mixed Doubles Team Prizes (split equally among winning team members): across all 3 sections after all 7 matches!

        First Mixed Doubles Team $300, Second Mixed Doubles Team $200, Third Mixed Doubles Team $150, Fourth Mixed Doubles Team  $100!

 

  11.  The USCF Official Rating List in effect for the month during which a match takes place will govern the parings and section eligibility for that match date. USCF Online Regular Ratings or unofficial USCF ratings are usually used for players who would otherwise be unrated, or who wish to enter the Varsity Section (or to play up in the Junior-Varsity Section).  The Tournament Director reserves the right to assign estimated ratings to players with non-USCF ratings or Online Ratings.
 

  12.  Limit of eight half-point byes over all seven match dates (limit of two byes March 2-April 27), must commit by March 1 (commit by April 26 for players with minus scores if team also has minus score).  All byes for the second game of each match date must also commit by 11 am of match date.
 

  13. Players must check all cell phones, electronic communication devices and devices with chess-playing capabilities with the Tournament Director until after their games are over.  Possession of a cell phone in the restroom (or in a place where the player is not observed) is a very serious offense, and will result in a forfeit loss to the player (the TD may instead issue a warning if such an offense happens within the first five moves of the game).
 

  14. Players' electronic scorekeeping devices are not allowed.  The tournament supplies official duplicate scoresheets to use in recording games.
 

  15. Players are not allowed to leave the tournament area without permission of the Tournament Director.
 

  16. Notice to Late Players:  The Tournament Director reserves the right to re-pair and issue forfeit losses to players who have not arrived or contacted the TD within 15 minutes after the advertised starting time of the round.

 17. THERE IS A $20 FINE FOR PLAYERS WHO FORFEIT THEIR GAMES BY NOT GIVING THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR PROPER NOTICE THAT THEY WILL NOT PLAY.  Please email director@magnusleague.org by 9 am Sunday (Saturday is even better)! 
 

 18. IMPORTANT:  Players who have already been registered by their school must also confirm their participation for this Sunday’s matches using our website registration— OTHERWISE THEY WILL NOT BE PAIRED!  Late registration fees may apply anytime after 5 pm Saturday!
 

 19. Entries may be limited to 64 players on each date!

    
 20. Players can register at the early entry fee on the Magnus Chess League website  until 5:00 pm of the Saturday before the next match date, at  www.magnusleague.org

     Individuals can enter a match date without a team for $50 in advance until 5 pm the night before each date (entry fee will go up to $60), until 9 am on the match).

    The optional school team entry fee is $1,350 for a team of up to eight players from the same school, for all seven Magnus match dates (14 games total).  A school can have the same or different players on each match date.  
 

  21. All players are responsible for having current U.S. Chess Federation memberships during all their match dates: http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrLst.php

  One-year USCF membership dues may either be paid in advance at a discount when registering for the tournament, or directly through the U.S. Chess Federation at: https://secure2.uschess.org/webstore/member.php
 

             You can check out the Tournament Life Announcement on the USCF website, under New York State (shown below):

https://new.uschess.org/10th-annual-new-york-state-magnus-high-school-and-junior-high-chess-league-out-state-welcome

 

Thank You Again, Chess Aficionados, for (re-)joining us for our Tenth Annual Season of the Magnus League!