2026 Birthday Tournament
Status: Upcoming
Dates: February 1, 2026
Format: Over-the-board (OTB)
Circuit: Houston Circuit 2026
Organizer
Azeri Chess Academy LLC (USCF Affiliate ID A9567106)
Tournament Director
International Grandmaster and Local TD Ulvi Bajarani (USCF ID 17112757)
Tournament Purpose
This tournament is part of the Azeri Chess Academy Houston Circuit 2026 and is dedicated to the Tournament Director’s upcoming birthday on January 27, 2026.
Date & Time
Round 1 starts on February 1 [updated on Jan 22, the reason is the severe weather.], 2026, at 10:00 AM.
Venue
Houston Chess Studio, 250 Patton Street Suite H Houston, Texas 77009.
Time Control
G/30, d10 (Each player gets 30 minutes with a 10-second delay per move).
Format
6-round Swiss system.
Pairings will be generated using ChessRoster SwissSys 11.75 (subject to updates to more recent versions).
Ratings
This tournament is USCF-rated, and the official February 2026 USCF ratings will be used.
Byes
- Up to two (2) half-point byes is allowed and must be declared during registration.
- No additional byes are permitted except for 0-point byes.
- A 1-point bye is awarded to a player who is left without an opponent when the number of players is odd in a given round.
Entry Fee
- $60 – Until December 30, 2025, or for the first 10 players, whichever comes first.
- $80 – Until January 14, 2026, or for the next 20 players, whichever comes first.
- $100 – Until February 1, [updated on Jan 22, the reason is the severe weather.] at 12:00 AM (midnight), or until all spots are filled.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
- A 50% refund will be granted if a player requests cancellation by January 20, 2026, at 12:00 AM (midnight).
- No refunds will be issued after this deadline.
Withdrawal Policy
- Players must notify an arbiter before the start of a round if they intend to withdraw.
- Failure to notify an arbiter may affect eligibility for future tournaments organized by Azeri Chess Academy LLC.
Number of Entries
Maximum of 64 participants.
Eligibility
- Open to all players with active USCF membership.
- Players must ensure their USCF membership is active before the start of Round 1.
- Onsite check-ins may be available for players needing USCF membership renewal. They must pay the required renewal fee plus an additional $10 processing fee.
- Failure to renew an expired membership before the tournament will result in exclusion without a refund.
Tournament Schedule (Estimated Round Start Times)
1st Round – 10:00 AM
2nd Round – 11:25 AM
30-minute break
3rd Round – 1:20 PM
4th Round – 2:45 PM
5th Round – 4:05 PM
6th Round – 5:25 PM
Closing Ceremony – 6:45 PM
Prize Fund
Prize distribution is based on the final number of players in the tournament:
| Prize / Category | < 10 players | 10–15 | 16–20 | 21–25 | 26–30 | 31–35 | 36–40 | 41–45 | 46–50 | > 50 players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st prize + plaque | $300 | $400 | $500 | $500 | $500 | $500 | $550 | $590 | $590 | $590 |
| 2nd prize | — | $100 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $350 | $350 | $410 | $410 |
| 3rd prize | — | — | — | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $210 | $300 | $300 |
| Best U1600 | — | — | — | — | $150 | $150 | $150 | $200 | $200 | $300 |
| Best U1400 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $150 | $200 | $200 | $300 |
| Best U1200 | — | — | — | — | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $200 | $300 |
| Best U1000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $150 | $150 | $200 | $300 |
| Best U800 | — | — | — | — | — | $150 | $150 | $150 | $200 | $300 |
| Total prize fund | $300 | $500 | $750 | $900 | $1,200 | $1,350 | $1,800 | $2,000 | $2,300 | $2,800 |
Less than 10 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $300
- 2nd prize: —
- 3rd prize: —
- Best U1600 / U1400 / U1200 / U1000 / U800: —
10–15 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $400
- 2nd prize: $100
- 3rd prize: —
- Best U1600 / U1400 / U1200 / U1000 / U800: —
16–20 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $500
- 2nd prize: $250
- 3rd prize: —
- Best U1600 / U1400 / U1200 / U1000 / U800: —
21–25 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $500
- 2nd prize: $250
- 3rd prize: $150
- Best U1600 / U1400 / U1200 / U1000 / U800: —
26–30 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $500
- 2nd prize: $250
- 3rd prize: $150
- Best U1600: $150
- Best U1400: —
- Best U1200: $150
- Best U1000: —
- Best U800: —
31–35 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $500
- 2nd prize: $250
- 3rd prize: $150
- Best U1600: $150
- Best U1400: —
- Best U1200: $150
- Best U1000: —
- Best U800: $150
36–40 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $550
- 2nd prize: $350
- 3rd prize: $150
- Best U1600: $150
- Best U1400: $150
- Best U1200: $150
- Best U1000: $150
- Best U800: $150
41–45 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $590
- 2nd prize: $350
- 3rd prize: $210
- Best U1600: $200
- Best U1400: $200
- Best U1200: $150
- Best U1000: $150
- Best U800: $150
46–50 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $590
- 2nd prize: $410
- 3rd prize: $300
- Best U1600: $200
- Best U1400: $200
- Best U1200: $200
- Best U1000: $200
- Best U800: $200
More than 50 players
- 1st prize + plaque: $590
- 2nd prize: $410
- 3rd prize: $300
- Best U1600: $300
- Best U1400: $300
- Best U1200: $300
- Best U1000: $300
- Best U800: $300
- If rating prizes are offered, unrated players are eligible only for prizes in the lowest rating group. This does not affect their eligibility for the overall (main) prizes.
- Prizes are equally shared in case of a tie.
- Payments will be sent via Zelle/PayPal before January 31, 2026. Prize-winners must contact the organizer immediately after the final round to confirm their preferred payment method. Additionally, the prize winners are required to participate in the prize ceremony following the tournament. Failure to complete these actions will result in disqualification from receiving the prize.
Tiebreaks
Tiebreaks will be determined using ChessRoster SwissSys, applying standard USCF tiebreak methods:
- Solkoff
- Modified Median
- Cumulative
If players are tied for 1st place and all tiebreaks are equal, a coin toss will determine the winner.
Anti-Cheating Measures & Electronic Devices Policy
- All players are subject to electronic device scanning (“wanding”).
- No electronic devices (phones, smartwatches, etc.) are allowed unless explicitly permitted by the arbiter for medical reasons.
- A designated storage box will be provided for electronic devices.
Photography & Video Recording
By registering, players consent to being photographed and recorded by the Tournament Director and their associates for promotional purposes.
Equipment & Notation Rules
- Chess sets, clocks, scoresheets, and pens will be provided by the organizer.
- Notation is mandatory unless a player has less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock.
- Players may keep a yellow scoresheet copy and a pen. However, players are encouraged to bring an extra pen, as available pens may be limited.
Parking & Nearby Restaurants:
- Free parking is available near the venue.
- 3 restaurants in the same strip center as venue: The Red Hot Noodle (Asian), Subway, and Patron Pizza. Several others are within walking distance.
Questions?
Use the “Questions / Withdraw” button on the left sidebar to get information about how to contact us.
Registration Form
The registration form automatically refreshes every 5 minutes to show the latest availability. Next refresh in 05:00.
Questions / Withdraw
For questions or withdrawals related to this tournament, please use our contact form: Tournament Contact Form .