Petoskey District Library Chess

Weekly Chess Club every Monday

The Petoskey Chess Club meets September through May every Monday from 3:30pm to 5:30pm in the Library's Lower Level Classroom, and is mentored by Robert Bemben, Robin Ray, and Adam Masek. Young people ages 8–18 are welcome to join.

Monthly Tournaments (ages 8-18)

Our monthly Swiss-style tournaments are now rated by the U.S Chess Federation (USCF) and take place only during the school year. Tournaments held Sept 2024-February 2025 will be held in the library's lower level classroom from 4:30-6:30pm. Beginning March 13, 2025, the monthly tournaments will take place in the upper level of the Carnegie Building from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The Carnegie Building is across the street from the library (451 Mitchell Street). Please arrive no later than 5:00pm and use the entrance at the connector space with Crooked Tree Arts Center. Tournament will begin at 5:30pm. Competitors of all skill levels ages 8-18 are invited to participate, but membership in the USCF is required. For more information, email Robert Bemben. Tournament dates for the 2024-2025 school year are:

• September 19, 2024
• November 21, 2024

• December 12, 2024
• January 16, 2025

• February 20, 2025
• March 13, 2025

• April 10, 2025
• May 3, 2025 (*see below)

Our end-of-school-year tournament will take place on Saturday, May 3, from 1:00pm to 7:30pm, at the Carnegie Building.

Petoskey Open Chess Classic - June 21, 2025

Join us on Saturday, June 21, for the third annual Petoskey Open Chess Classic, sponsored by Petoskey District Library!

General Information

Location:
This event takes place at the Carnegie Building, located at 451 East Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey (across the street from the Petoskey District Library).

Sections:
4-round Swiss-style Open section
4-round Swiss-style Reserve section (1200 and under or Unrated)

Rounds:
9:30am – 12:00pm – 2:30pm – 5:00pm

Entry Fee:
Adults: $10.00 (paid online) or $15.00 at on-site registration on day of event.
All proceeds go towards youth chess programs in Petoskey.
Juniors (ages 8 to 18): Free

Online Registration:
Online registration is available for both adults and youth players at OnlineRegistration.cc, which is the service provider used by the Michigan Chess Association for all its events, including scholastic tournaments. Online registration will be available until June 20.

Note: A discount will be applied for youth players (ages 8-18) during the online checkout process, bringing the entry fee down to $0.

On-site Registration:
Though we prefer pre-registration as it allows us to plan effectively, players may also register on the day of the event (June 21) from 8:00am to 9:00am at the Carnegie Building. Registrations will not take place after 9:00am, so please arrive early enough to have your tournament entry processed. Credit card payments accepted.

Custom trophy cups from Sturgeon River Pottery:
Open 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 1st U1600
Reserve 1st, 2nd, and 1st U700

Contact:
Tournament Director - Robert Bemben, email: rjbemben@gmail.com

Rules

Registration:
Memberships in the United States Chess Federation (USCF) and the Michigan Chess Association (MCA) are required to participate. We may be able assist local youth with MCA membership costs; please contact rjbemben@gmail.com.
• Purchase USCF membership on its website here
• Purchase MCA membership on its website here

Time Control:
G/45; d10 for both sections: Each player has 45 minutes with a 10-second delay per move.

Recordkeeping:
Players must record moves on a game scoresheet; both players may stop recording under time pressure (when at least one player’s clock shows less than 5 minutes). Clocks and chess sets are provided for use in the Reserve section. Players in the Open section are asked to bring their own clocks and tournament-style sets if they have them.

Petoskey Fall Chess Classic - October 2025

More information coming soon about our third annual event!

General Information

More information coming soon

Rules

More information coming soon

Archived Chess News

2024 Chess News

Coming soon!

2023 Chess News

Oct. 10, 2023 -- Petoskey Fall Chess Classic Set for October 21

Chess