WELCOME
On behalf of the team at Chess Power I want to wish you a very warm welcome to the Chess Power Online Champions Trophy 2023 Chess Championship.
The Champions Trophy is the ultimate individual battle to find the best junior chess players in New Zealand. It is extremely challenging. Every player in this event has had to qualify by achieving one or more outstanding results through the year. This year and in the future there will be two Champions Trophy events, onsite and online. This welcome letter is for the ONLINE event.
Use the links below to access the onsite Champions Trophy event and other events in the Chess Power Nationals program.
Onsite Teams Nationals Finals 2024
Chess Power Team - Champions Trophy 2019
Thank you for supporting our tamariki and giving them the opportunity to enjoy a truly memorable and unique experience. We really appreciate your support.
I am delighted to say we have 717 players registered for our National program of events. For the online Champions Trophy we have 81 players registered. We are excited and can't wait for the best individual online junior event in New Zealand to start and see the ultimate battle begin!
DATE
We recommend you check your technology is working correctly in the days leading up to the event. Here are some steps to check everything is working.
1. Click the Zoom link https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
2. Once Zoom has started, click the small arrow next to the Mute button. In the popup menu, press Test Speaker & Microphone.
3. Check to make sure you can hear and your microphone is working
NATIONALS TECH CHECK
We will be running two Zoom sessions prior to the Team Nationals for players to check their technology.
Connect Check: Wednesday 23 October 6:00pm - 7:00pm
This session will be for players to check that Zoom is working correctly and they can connect and check-in to Tornelo.
Back Camera Check: Friday 25 October 6:00 - 7:00pm
This session will be for players to check their back camera is connected and positioned correctly and ready for play.
Players who do not have a back camera connected during the event will not be able to participate!
For both sessions, use this link to connect to Zoom https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Connect to Tornelo ready for check-in using this link https://tornelo.com/chess/orgs/nzjunior/events/chess-power-online-champions-trophy--5.
To check-in, go to the website https://tornelo.com/chess/orgs/nzjunior/events/chess-power-online-champions-trophy--5.
8.30am Guests connecting online9.30am Opening Announcements10.00am Start Round 110.35am Start Round 211.00am MORNING TEA BREAK11.20am Start Round 311.55am Start Round 412.30pm Start Round 51.00pm LUNCH BREAK1.30pm Start Round 62.05pm Start Round 72.30pm AFTERNOON TEA BREAK2.50pm Start Round 83.25pm Start Round 94.15pm Fun Activity!4.30pm Prize Giving5.30pm Tournament Close and Farewell
We want to stress the importance of Fair Play. Essentially this means that you cannot gain assistance during your games in any way. You can read more about how we protect players in the guide.
Results of games for all divisions will be recorded live and are available on the website https://tornelo.com/chess/orgs/nzjunior/events/chess-power-online-champions-trophy--5. You can also use this link to see the other players that will be participating in your division.
As this is an individual event, school uniforms are not required. We recommend you dress smart casual in something that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable.
Trophies and Junior Master titles
The top female player in each division will be couriered the Best Female ONLINE Champions Trophy to keep and become the female champion for their division.
If two players get the same number of points, a tie-break is used based on the individual players performance to determine the overall winner.
Medals
The top players in the following age groups (below the overall division winner) will receive a special Champions Trophy age group medal.
Junior Division
- 7 and under
- 9 and under
- 11 and under
Intermediate Division
- 11 and under
- 12 and under
- 13 and under
Senior Division
- 14 and under
- 16 and under
- 18 and under
- Merit 4 points or below
- Credit 4.5 or 5 points
- Excellence 5.5 or 6 points
- Distinction 6.5 points or more
X-Chess Launch
We’re extremely excited to introduce X-Chess at this year’s Nationals! X-Chess offers a refreshing twist to traditional chess by minimizing opening theory and preparation, bringing creativity to the forefront of each match. X-Chess means thinking from the very first move. Whether you're new to chess or a seasoned player, X-Chess provides a unique challenge, blending strategy and skill in ways that promise to engage and surprise.
This Nationals event we will introduce a beautiful online experience, available for you to try! We can’t wait for you to experience the game’s dynamic pace and exciting possibilities firsthand.
We’re also thrilled to announce that the boxed edition and the tournament edition of X-Chess will be available for pre-order exclusively at Nationals. Secure your copy during the event, with deliveries expected in January. This is the perfect opportunity to see what X-Chess has to offer and take a step into a new dimension of chess strategy. We hope you’ll dive in and discover why X-Chess is creating such a buzz in the chess community!
Kyla's latest novel, May the Best Player Win, draws inspiration from her own experiences in the world of chess. Described as a family-friendly version of The Queen's Gambit, the book tackles real challenges faced by young players: battling gender stereotypes and overcoming performance anxiety. WGM Carissa Yip, the current US Women's Chess Champion, calls it "A game-changer for all ages, regardless of whether you play chess! From start to finish, this book will have you inspired to conquer your next match in life."
Kyla will join us to share more about her new novel and its universal themes that resonate with chess players and non-players alike. Visit her website at kylazhao.com to learn more.
Yours in Chess,
Paul Macdonald
CEO
Chess Power