Spiegel Cup and Spiegel Cup Series
Spiegel Cup is the most important and prestigious tournament in Scholastic chess in MA. It is closed, and only top 10 players can qualify to play in each section. There are 4 sections: 8&U, 11&U, 14&U, and High School, but for the last several years High School section is Open – means any High School student can come and play in the final. The other 3 sections have strict rules to determine the best players in MA. Prior to 2013-14 the top 10 in each section was defined as the 4 winners of qualification tournaments, and the best 6 players by rating.
Spiegel Cup Series is effectively changing this 4-6 system to 4-1-5, whereby the 6th highest rating invitation is replaced with an invitee who has scored the most total points in a combination of the four qualifiers and additional scholastic events organized by MACA affiliates which are designated in advance as SCS events. All these additional events (“semi-qualifiers”) should be held between September the 1st and March the 1st.
These events will determine a winner in each of 3 sections: 8&U, 11&U, 14&U, who scores the most cumulative points in all SCS events (including qualifiers).
When a player registers for SCS event, he/she chooses the section, and can earn points ONLY towards that section in THAT event.
Note that the order determining finalists is:
Winners of qualifiers (4).
Winner of SCS (1), 4 finalist determined in #1 are excluded from SCS list.
Top 5 by rating. 5 players determined above in #1 and #2 are excluded from rating list.
Half point bye can be taken in SCS event, but it would not count towards SCS points.
If a player plays up, then his points will be counted only towards the section he plays in. Ex. player A is eligible to play in 8&U and played several tournaments in that section, then player A decided to play in 11&U section. His points for 8&U won't be changed, but he will be included in 11&U list with the points, which player earned in the event where he played in 11&U section.
In case two or more players have the same top score at the end, the following tie-breaks will be used:
Points scored in MACA qualifiers.
Average rating of opponents (pre-event ratings in MSA, and post-event for previously unrated players).
The full list of rules you can find on MACA site HERE.
MACA Scholastic Committee decided that only best 8 (of all SCS tournaments and 4 qualifiers) results will be counted towards the SCS score.
Here is the list of MACA and SCS events for 2018-19.
9.16 Papa Ginos, Waltham Spiegel Cup Series
9.30 Qualifier #1 for Spiegel Cup
10.21 Cambridge, BCC Spiegel Cup Series
11.4 Lynn, Perelchess Spiegel Cup Series
11.10 Qualifier #2 for Spiegel Cup
2.3 Shaloh House, Brighton Spiegel Cup Series
2.9 ChessEmpireKids, Burlington Spiegel Cup Series
2.10 Gus Gosselin Grade Championship
2.18 NESSP, Groton Spiegel Cup Series
3.3 Qualifier #4 for Spiegel Cup
3.10 Spiegel Cup Final
3.24 Hurvitz Cup
3.31 Girls Championship Open
4.27-28 Girls Championship Closed invitational (6 players)
5.4 MA G/60
5.25-27 MA Open (3 Scholastic sections: K-12, K-6, K-3)
Here is the list of future scholastic and open good for students tournaments (see MACA event listing, more events will be added):
3.16 RI Scholastic Championship
3.17 BCC Scholastic
3.23 ChessEmpireKids, Burlington
5.4 Battleship, Fall River