The School Chess Association (SCA) begins the 2004/2005 chess season with the Kickoff Open chess tournament at Heritage Middle School in West St. Paul Saturday, Oct.9.

SCA tournaments are open to all children, 12th grade and younger, including home schooled and private school students. Children do not need to be affiliated with a school chess club to participate.

The organization has a variety of tournament formats, including sectional tournaments (3rd grade and under, 6th grade and under, 9th grade and under, and 12th grade and under), grade level tournaments (players compete only with players in their own grade), rated sectional tournaments (in addition to regular sectional play, students can also play in games rated by the United States Chess Federation), and many more.

In addition to trophies for top performers, the SCA also awards merit point badges when children are credited with enough merit points. A child earns a merit point for each game that is won in an SCA tournament. The merit point system provides recognition and incentives to children who may not finish high enough in an individual tournament to earn a trophy, but who show perseverance and a love for the game of chess.

The School Chess Association is a 37-year-old organization that sponsors chess tournaments, chess camps, and supports scholastic chess clubs throughout Minnesota. For more information, visit its Web site at www.schoolchess.org