March 25-27 or 26-27,  Missouri
Heritage Event
US Chess Grand Prix Points: 120 (enhanced)

26th annual Mid-America Open. 5SS, 40/80, SD/30 +30. (2-day option in all, rds 1-2 G/60 d10). Clayton Plaza Hotel Saint. Louis-Clayton, 7750 Carondelet Ave., Saint Louis MO 63105 (I-64 W/US 40-W Exit 32B, 1.2 miles north on Hanley Rd).  Free parking.

Masks are required if unvaccinated.
Certification of Covid vaccination or negative Covid test within 72 hours of tournaments required. Players certify by entering at chessaction.com.

In 6 sections:  

Major Section: Open to 1900/over (see peakrating.us). Prizes $2000-1000-600-400, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100 bonus, top USCF U2300 $800-400.  FIDE rated.

Under 2100 Section: $1500-700-500-300.  FIDE rated.

Under 1900 Section: $1500-700-500-300.

Under 1700 Section: $1400-700-500-300.

Under 1500 Section: $1200-600-400-300.

Under 1200 Section: $900-500-300-200.

Unrated prize limits: 1) Unrated limit; U1200 $150, U1500 $300, or U1700 $500.  2) If Online Regular rating is more than 50 points over section or prize maximum, prize limit $300.

Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined score among all sections: $800-400-200. Must average under 2200; may play in different sections; register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 3/26; prize limits do not apply to mixed doubles.

US Chess Junior Grand Prix points available.

Top 5 sections entry fee: $113 online at chessaction.com by 3/23, 3-day $118, 2-day $117 if check mailed by 3/14, $130 online until 2 hours before round 1 or at site at least 1 hour before game.  GM's free with $100 from prize. 

Under 1200 Section entry fees: all $20 less than above.

No checks at site, credit cards OK. No mailed credit card entries.

Re-entry  (no Major to Major) $60  

Online entry fee $3 less to MCA members (not valid for players entering on-site).

All: Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine paid with entry:  see:  www.chessaction.com

Foreign player rating info     Prizewinner tax info    CCA electronic devices policies

PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELLPHONES DURING PLAY. Please leave your phone home, in your hotel room or car, or in a bag at your table.  

For all tournaments, adjusted FIDE or foreign ratings, if higher than USCF, may be used. Players must disclose FIDE or foreign ratings when entering, or may later be expelled. Other over the board ratings such as club, league, scholastic, state or province, etc, adjusted if appropriate, may be used at our discretion if above USCF.  No rating below the latest official USCF rating, on the list corresponding to the ending date of the tournament, will be used. For 9 round events offering title norm possibilities, FIDE ratings are used. Click here for further details.

Ratings: March official USCF ratings used. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated, or to qualify for Major; (see www.peakrating.us ). Players must reveal foreign, FIDE and other over the board ratings, and these ratings, adjusted if necessary, may be used if higher than USCF. See also above.   

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 5 pm, Sun 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat. 10 am, rds. Sat. 11 am, 2 pm & 5 pm, Sun. 10 & 3:30.

Half point byes OK all, limit 2; must commit before rd 2.

Prizes not claimed at site sent by PayPal (may take a few weeks).

Hotel rates: $120-123-128-133, includes free full hot buffet breakfast, 888-303-1746, 314-726-5400, request chess rate, reserve by March 11 or rate may increase, rooms may sell out earlier. 

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car online through chesstour.com.