22nd Powell Memorial Tournament

Open for everyone!
 

Final Standings -- Winners

Date & Location -- Tournament Format -- Byes -- Prize Fund

Registration -- Eligibility -- Tournament Rules -- FAQ
 

Wearing a mask is optional.
Tournament capacity: 80 players.

 

1. Date & Location

• Saturday, March 15, 2025
• Location: Mechanics' Institute Chess Room
  57 Post Street, 4th Floor
  San Francisco, CA 94104 (click here to map)
   

2. Tournament Format:

• Tournament Format: Swiss System
• Total Rounds: 4
• Round Times: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
• Time Control: G/40;d5  (Game in 40 minutes with a 5-second delay at each move.)
• Games will be US Chess regular-rated. Tournament results will be submitted immediately after the last round is finished.
• Three sections: 2000+, 1600-1999, and u1600 & unrated players.
• Pairings are based on the Mar 2025 regular supplemental US Chess rating.
• Play-up rule:
  Players must have an 1800 USCF regular supplemental rating to be eligible to play up to the 2000+ section;
  Players must have a 1400 USCF regular supplemental rating to be eligible to play up to the 1600-1999 section.
   

3. Byes

• Byes are available for players in any round if they can't participate but would like to stay in the tournament.
• A maximum of 2 half-point byes can be requested in this tournament.
• Round 1-2 byes must be requested 15 minutes prior to the round start time.
• Round 3-4 byes must be requested before the start of Round 1. Round 4 bye is irrevocable to prevent prize-fund manipulations.
• Late registrations will receive a 0.5 bye for any missed round, up to a total of 2 rounds.
   

4. Prize Fund --  $1000 based on 60 paid entries 

	2000+	1600-1999	u1600
1st Place	$200	$150	$100
2nd Place	$150	$100	$85
3rd Place	$80	$70	$65

• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing prize checks.
• Per IRS rules, anyone with a cumulative $600+ prize in any calendar year must fill out a W9, and the Mechanics' Institute will provide a 1099 form. 

 

5. Registration:

• Mechanics' Institute Member: $40
• Non-Member: $50
• Play-up: $15 for members, $20 for non-members.
• $20 late fee
• $5 admin fee for all cancellations & refunds.
• Click HERE to Register: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2025Tournaments/22ndPowellMemorialTournament

6. Eligibility

• Players must have a current US Chess Federation membership that expires no later than the last day of the tournament.
• Not sure if you have a membership? Need to check the expiration date of your members? Visit: https://new.uschess.org/player-search
• Become a member or renew your membership: https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
   

7. Tournament Rules

• Standard US Chess rules apply.
• Forfeit time is 40 minutes.

8. FAQ

• What do the time controls mean?
  Time controls tell you how much time you have for each game.
  G40;d5 means a game in 40 minutes with a 5-second delay on each move. This means you get 40 minutes, your opponent gets 40 minutes, and at each move, the clock counts down from 5 to 0 before the player's time starts. If a player doesn't use up the whole 5 seconds, the remainder of that time is lost.
• How many games/rounds?
  The 4SS before the time control means it is a Swiss System tournament with four rounds, or four games, that a player can play in. The tournaments are never eliminated, so you can stay in the tournament whether you win or lose. 

 

Mechanics' Institute Chess Club reserves the right to update any details of this event (including but not limited to sections, time control, round times, prize fund, etc.) as we get closer to the event date to ensure an excellent tournament experience for players.