Continental Chess Bulletin Continental Chess Bulletin Continental Chess Bulletin

40th annual WORLD OPEN  JULY 4-8, 5-8, 6-8, 2-8, 1-3 OR 4-5, 2012   $250,000 PROJECTED PRIZES, $204,000 MINIMUM  SHERATON PHILADELPHIA CITY CENTER HOTEL In 13 sections. The 8 main sections, Open through Under 1200, have a special early bird entry fee that ends TOMORROW (Wednesday, Feb 15).        FULL DETAILS         ENTER NOW    RECENT UPDATES PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL:  Dates changed from June 28-July 2 to June 29-July 3. Six foreign GMs have already entered! The $800 minimum prize for foreign GMs is no longer available, however a $500 minimum prize is still available for the next two foreign GMs to enter.   FULL DETAILS   ENTER NOW CHICAGO OPEN:  Under 1100 Section dates changed from May 25-26 to May 26-28 or May 27-28.   FULL DETAILS   ENTER NOW  . COMING EVENTS Details posted at www.chesstour.com now include the following:  . Mar 2-4 or 3-4: 21st annual EASTERN CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Host Hotel at Cedar Lake, Sturbridge, MA. $18,000 projected prizes, $12,000 minimum guaranteed. NOTE ERROR IN ONE PREVIOUS EMAIL: The Master Section has no 5th prize. ENTER NOW Mar 3-4 or 4: 45th annual NEW YORK STATE SCHOLASTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS at Hilton Hotel, Saratoga Springs, NY. 6 rounds, 8 sections.  Corrected info for room reservations: call 888-866-3591 or 888-866-3596, use group code AIEM. If rooms are sold out, wait a few days and call again, as there are often late cancellations. Backup hotel: Courtyard by Marriott, 2 blocks away, 518-226-0538. ENTER NOW Mar 9-11 or 10-11: 19th annual WESTERN CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Sheraton Hotel (formerly Renaissance), Agoura Hills in southern California. $20,000 projected prizes, $16,000 minimum guaranteed. ENTER NOW Mar 16-18 or 17-18: LONG ISLAND OPEN at Holiday Inn Islip Airport, Ronkonkoma. First CCA tournament on Long Island since the 1970s. $75 room rates, free parking, free airport shuttle! ENTER NOW Mar 16-18 or 17-18: 16th annual MID-AMERICA OPEN, Crowne Plaza Clayton (Saint Louis). $18,000 projected prizes, $12,000 minimum.  ENTER NOW Mar 23-25 or 24-25: 13th annual PITTSBURGH OPEN, Doubletree Green Tree Hotel. Free parking, free airport shuttle. $12,000 projected prizes, $9000 minimum. ENTER NOW Mar 30-Apr 1 or Mar 31-Apr 1: 10th annual SOUTHERN CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Wyndham Orlando Resort. $14,000 projected prizes, $10,500 minimum. April USCF official ratings used. Note correction: entry fee $50 less to under 1000 or unrated in Class E. ENTER NOW Apr 4-8, 5-8, 6-8 or 7-8: 6th annual PHILADELPHIA OPEN at the luxurious, AAA Four Diamonds Loews Philadelphia Hotel. GM and IM norms possible at this first mega-tournament of 2012! New this year: free entry to IMs and WGMs, and higher second section cutoff (U2200 rather than U2100)! These changes should result in a much stronger Open Section. $80,000 projected prize fund, $60,000 minimum. 9 rounds in Open, 7 rounds in other sections. $98 special chess rates, way below the regular Loews rates. ENTER NOW Apr 27-29 or 28-29: 23rd annual VERMONT RESORT OPEN at upscale new site, Holiday Inn Rutland/Kilington. $89 room rate, heated pool, exercise room, free wireless, free parking, free shuttle to Amtrak, bus terminal, or Rutland Airport, many restaurants within walking distance.  ENTER NOW May 4-6 or 5-6: WESTERN AMATEUR for Under 2300 at Sheraton Four Points LAX, Los Angeles. $89 room rates, $5 parking, free airport shuttle. $10,000 guaranteed prizes. ENTER NOW May 24-28, 25-28, 26-28 or 27-28:  21st annual CHICAGO OPEN at Westin North Shore Hotel, Wheeling, Illinois. $100,000 PRIZE FUND UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED. Open is 9 rounds with GM and IM norms possible, other sections 7 rounds. The Under 2300 Section returns after a few years absence and is FIDE rated; raising the 2nd section eligibility from Under 2100 to Under 2300 plus new free entry to IMs, WGMs & foreign FMs should make the Open stronger and increase norm chances. NOTE CHANGE: Under 1100 Section now plays May 26-28 (G/90, d/5) or May 27-28. ENTER NOW June 29-July 3 (NEW DATES): 9th annual PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL at Sheraton Hotel. 9 rounds, $8000 guaranteed prizes. Six foreign GMs have already entered! The $800 minimum prize to the first 5 foreign GMs to enter is no longer available, but the next two foreign GMs to enter will obtain a $500 minimum prize. Also $300 minimum prize to other GMs and to foreign IMs and foreign WGMs. Note that dates are changed from June 28-July 2 to June 29-July 3, but the tournament is still Friday through Tuesday.  ENTER NOW July 4-8, 5-8, 6-8, 2-8, 1-3 or 4-5: 40th annual WORLD OPEN at Sheraton Hotel, Philadelphia. 9 rounds in most sections, $250,000 projected prizes, $200,800 minimum. GM and IM norms possible in Open Section. Four FIDE rated sections: Open, Under 2400, Under 2200, and new Women's Championship. 6 round Senior Amateur, 6 round Women's Championship and 9 round Under 13 Championship play July 1-3, allowing these players to also play in a July 4-8, 5-8 or 6-8 section. ENTER NOW    36 WIDELY BELIEVED MYTHS about CCA chess tournaments (revised Aug 8, 2011) CLICK HERE.