We’re deep into chess season, and in anticipation of the OSCF State tournament in Seaside on April 12-13, there are qualifier tournaments galore popping up on the calendar.  In addition to regular Friday Night Quads at the Tigard Grange and Chess Odyssey Quads in the Bethany Area (check the NWSRS calendar for dates), there are several major tournaments planned over the next few Saturdays.  Click through for more details….

Feb. 16th:  Presidents’ Weekend Tournament at Robert Gray Middle School in SW Portland.  There are 70 players enrolled already — with two weeks of registration left!  Trophies and Presidential Swag have been ordered, so take advantage of the early bird registration fee and register online now.  For those of you who like to wield social media, we are working on making round announcements by Twitter and Facebook (in addition to good ol’ fashioned paper).  More details will be coming soon to those who have registered.

Feb. 23:  For those in Southern Oregon, Ponderosa Junior High School is hosting their For the Love of Chess tournament & qualifier on Feb. 23.  Click on the Calendar announcement for the event, or email the organizer for more details and registration.

March 2:

• Chess for Fanconi Anemia Benefit Tournament at Corbett School (in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, less than 20 minutes from downtown Gresham.  This is the fourth year of this donation-based tournament that benefits an excellent and important cause, and this year it’s a qualifier as well.  Contact Benjamin Morrison through this website to register.
• The Grizzly Classic is Back!  The Third Annual Grizzly Classic at the Grant Community School in Salem, OR, provides a great opportunity for players from throughout the Willamette valley & beyond.  Register online now!
• Our friends at Forest Park Elementary are planning their second annual tournament for March 2 as well; some details are in the calendar announcement; an online registration page will follow soon.

March 9:

• Redlands Elementary School in Oregon City is hosting the Wildcat Classic on Saturday, March 9.  This four-section event is an OSCF qualifier, and marks a welcome return for scholastic chess events in Oregon City!  Register online for the Wildcat Classic here.
• The largest qualifier of the year is the Oregon High School Chess Team Association State Tournament, a team event that takes place this year at LaSalle College Prep High School in Milwaukie, OR, on March 8-9.  Although primarily a team-based event and not open to K-5th grade players, there are many options for unaffiliated players from 6th through 12th grade, including the ability to form “open division” teams, as well as a freestanding individual open tournament.  Check out the OHSCTA’s website for more information.

March 16:  Those not at the Chess for Success State Tournament can tour the lower Columbia and visit Clatskanie High School for the Clatskanie Chessmates Tournament, a 4-round OSCF Qualifier.  Register in person on the day of the event.

March 23:  What better way to start Spring Break than with a Chess Tournament — one of the last qualifiers available before the April 1 cutoff — at Valley Catholic in Beaverton?  Some basic information about the Oregon Scholastic Spring Open is already up, and there will be more to come soon.

Finally, there are rumors that a Whitford Tournament may be back on as well… more information when we get it!