TOURNAMENT INVITATIONS FOR FOREIGN PLAYERS

Many foreign players require invitations from Continental Chess in order to obtain a visa.  In fact, we receive so many requests for invitations that we have a hard time keeping up with them. To maximize the chances that you will receive your invitation in time, please observe the following guidelines.  

Also, please note that NO "CONDITIONS" ARE OFFERED for Grandmasters, other than free entry (if specified in the tournament publicity), with fee coming out of any prize.  GM "conditions" with small prizes may be common in Europe, but our system is no conditions and large prizes.

1.  Request your invitation as early as possible- preferably at least two months before the tournament.  Do not expect same day service.  Sometimes we cannot respond promptly because of a backlog of other work.  And once you receive your invitation, often you will encounter an additional long delay obtaining your travel visa.

2.  Send your invitation request by e-mail to go@chess.usnojunk (delete "nojunk")

3.  If you wish to have your invitations faxed, usually the quickest way (invitations by e-mail are rarely accepted), please provide us with a dedicated fax number that is always available and not often busy.  Fax lines which are also used for regular phone conversations are less desirable.  Almost 50% of  fax numbers we have been given in the past have come up as "busy" or "no answer" despite repeated attempts.  If  possible, provide multiple fax numbers.

4.  Do not fax or mail invitation requests to us.  Send them only by email, as this goes directly to the invitations manager.  If you fax or mail to our office, we have to send the fax or letter on to the invitations manager (who works elsewhere), and we often have no time to do this, or cannot do it because we are away at a tournament.  

5.  Specify which tournament or tournaments you are interested in (or a date range), and include the full list of persons needing an invitation to that tournament.  Please try to give us full information that will not have to be revised later, which adds to our work load. If in doubt, ask for more tournaments to be included on the same invitation.  We can invite you to a whole year's worth of tournaments if you wish.

6.  If you get no reply to your invitation request for two weeks or more, please email us again at the chess.us address above.

7.  NOTE AGAIN!  No "conditions" are offered for any GMs, other than free entry (if stated in the tournament publicity), with fee coming out of any prize.  

8.  We try to list all significant details regarding each tournament on this website, so there will be no need for players to inquire.  Inquiries with questions already answered on this site add to our workload and interfere with the sending of invitations, so please try to avoid them.

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