37th annual WORLD OPEN

July 1-5, 2-5, 3-5 or June 29-July 5, 2009

Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel

$250,000 PRIZE FUND UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED!

A Heritage Event
An American Classic
An ACP Qualifier

July 1-5, 2-5, 3-5 or June 29-July 5       GPP:  300 (enhanced)       Pennsylvania

At Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, 17th & Race Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19103. Special parking rates: $5/day with guest room at Sheraton,$12 without. Downtown location, Franklin Institute and many other museums as well as stores & restaurants within a few blocks.

$250,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND.  Free analysis of your games by GM Sam Palatnik; free lectures by other GMs 7/3 10 am, 7/4 10 am, 7/5 9 am.

In 9 sections (Unrated eligible only for Open, Under 2400, or U900/Unr).

Open Section: $20000-10000-5000-2500-1500-1000-800-700-600-500, clear winner bonus $200, top U2500/Unr $2000-1000. If tie for first, top 2 on tiebreak play speed game 7/5 11 pm (white 5 minutes, black 3 minutes & gets draw odds, 5 second delay) for title & bonus prize. GM & IM norms possible in 5-day & 7-day schedules. FIDE rated.

Under 2400 Section: $14000-7000-3000-2000-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 2300 $2000-1000.  FIDE rated, IM norms possible in 5-day & 7-day schedules.

Under 2200 Section: $14000-7000-3000-2000-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 2100 $2000-1000.

Under 2000 Section: $14000-7000-3000-2000-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 1900 $2000-1000. 

Under 1800 Section: $14000-7000-3000-2000-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 1700 $2000-1000.

Under 1600 Section: $12000-6000-3000-2000-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 1500 $2000-1000.

Under 1400 Section: $10000-5000-2500-1500-1000-900-800-700-600-500, top Under 1300 $1500-800.

Under 1200 Section: $5000-2500-1500-1000-800-700-600-500-400-300.  

Under 900/Unrated Section: $300-200-100, trophies to top 10, no unrated may win over $100.   

Prize limits: 1) Players with under 26 games played as of 7/09 list may not win over $1500 in U1200, $3000 U1400 to U1800. Games rated too late for 7/09 list not counted. 2) Players who had official rating more than 30 points over section maximum any month 7/08-6/09 have a prize limit of $2000. 3) Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line.

Top 8 sections entry fee, if mailed by 2/17: 7-day $307, 5-day $305, 4-day $304, 3-day $303.
Mailed by 5/15: 7-day $317, 5-day $315, 4-day $314, 3-day $313.
Mailed by 6/18: 7-day $327, 5-day $325, 4-day $324, 3-day $323.
At site: All $350; no checks, credit cards OK.

ONLINE entry at chesstour.com: $310 by 2/17, $320 by 5/15, $330 by 6/24, $350 after 6/24 until 2 hours before rd 1.

Phone entry at 406-896-2038: $315 by 2/17, $325 by 5/15, $335 by 6/24 (entry only, no questions). No phone entry after 6/24.

GMs free; $200 entry fee deducted from prize. WGMs $100; another $100 entry fee deducted from prize.

Entry fee $100 less to all in U1200 Section and seniors over 65 in Under 1400 & above.

Under 900/Unrated Section entry fee:  $25 if mailed by 6/18, $26 ONLINE at chesstour.com by 6/24, $30 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 6/24 (entry only, no questions), $40 at site.  FREE ENTRY TO UNRATED in this section if paying 1 year USCF dues with entry!

All: No checks at site; credit cards OK.  Re-entry: $160, no re-entry from Open to Open, any schedule, byes OK, no discounts. $20 fee for switching section after 6/30. $15 service charge for refunds (no service charge if fee applied to future CCA tmts). 

SPECIAL USCF DUES:  1 year USCF membership with Chess Life if paid with entry: $30 ONLINE, $40 by mail, phone or at site. Cost of reduced dues borne by CCA.  USCF membership required.  Please tell your chess friends about these bargain dues rates!

5-day schedule: Wed 7 pm, Thur/Fri/Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 5 pm.
7-day schedule: Mon-Fri each 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 5 pm.
4-day schedule: Thur 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6 pm, Fri/Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 5 pm.
3-day schedule (U1200 & up): Fri 11 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 6 pm & 8:30 pm, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 10 & 5. 
Above schedules merge & compete for same prizes. 

3-day schedule (U900/Unrated Section): Fri 1:30 pm, 3:45 pm & 6 pm, Sat 11 am, 1:30 pm, 3:45 pm & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 12:30 pm.

Half point byes OK all, limit 4 (limit 2 in last 4 rounds); must commit before round 3, having under 2 points when requesting byes.  (Players with 1-0 scores and round 2 games in progress cannot request byes.)  

Entries, re-entries close 1 hour  before your first game. 

Hotel rates: $93-93, 215-448-2000, rooms may sell out about 5/31, two night minimum 7/3-4.  ROOMS AT THE SHERATON ARE NOW BELIEVED SOLD OUT, THOUGH IN PAST YEARS SOMETIMES A FEW ROOMS BECAME AVAILABLE AGAIN VERY LATE DUE TO CANCELLATIONS.

If rooms at Sheraton are sold out, backup hotel is Radisson Plaza Warwick, 215-735-6000, ask for chess rate of $104 single or twin, special chess parking rate with room at Radisson $8/day.  ROOMS AT THE CHESS RATE ARE NOW SOLD OUT AT THE RADISSON.  SEE WWW.EXPEDIA.COM FOR ALTERNATIVES. 

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

Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied!

Ratings:  JULY OFFICIAL USCF LIST USED; FIDE ratings are not used for US players.  Unofficial uschess.org ratings based on 4 or more games are usually used if otherwise unrated.  Unofficial ratings are not used if you have an official rating.  Foreign player rating info.

Unofficial uschess.org ratings based on 4 or more games are usually used if otherwise unrated. 
Unofficial ratings are not used if you have an official rating.

Special rules: 1) Players must submit to a search for electronic devices if requested by Director.  2) In round 4 or after, players with scores over 80% and their opponents may not use unauthorized headphones, earphones, or cellphones, or go to a different floor of the building without Director permission. 3) As in all CCA tournaments, writing your move before playing it is allowed, unless you are using an electronic scoresheet.

Mailed entry: Continental Chess, Box 249, Salisbury Mills, NY 12577.

Questions: www.chesstour.com, 845-496-9658. Invitation requests: go at chess.us.  Use @ symbol instead of "at." You may request "lowest possible section" if July rating unknown.  No smoking.  Advance entries will be posted at chesstour.com.  JGP (Junior Grand Prix points available).

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