The School Chess website has a lot of good, detailed generic tournament information here. (registration/rules/pairings/rounds/reporting results/membership cards/awards/end of tournament).
The current SCA tournament flyer is here. The flyer shows tournament dates, tournament locations, and much more.
Also from School Chess:
Advice to parents (before sending your kids to their first tournaments)
Common misconceptions about scholastic chess
Notes for first-timers:
--SCA tournaments use the touch-move rule
--you don't need to bring a chess clock. Bring a chess set with roll-up board if you have one. They do sell nice chess sets (with roll-up board and carrying bag) that many players end up using
--Turtle Lake normally has an informal "base camp" somewhere where parents and children can relax between games
--Players are encouraged to wear yellow Turtle Lake Chess Club shirts (This makes it much easier to find each other at big tournaments, it makes it easier to locate Turtle Lake players among many tournament photos on the SCA website, and it also helps with "team spirit".)
--grade-level tournaments have typically been drawing about 30-70 players per grade
--tournaments normally run roughly 9:00 to 2:30 or so
--there's usually a welcome session before play starts with explanation of rules, national anthem, etc. At the end, everyone is "turned loose"; players then look up their name (normally posted on a sheet in a hallway), to find their assigned board number and pieces (white or black). It's Ok for parents to help their children find their assigned board, but then parents are asked to leave the competition room (although they can often glimpse the action through a window somewhere)
--all grade levels starts round one at roughly the same time but after that, rounds for each grade may be staggered--just listen for loudspeaker announcement or "town crier" for the next round notification (example: "THIRD ROUND FOR GRADE 2 is now beginning").
--there are typically trophies for top 5 or so, also a "novice trophy" (for the highest-placing player who has never won an SCA trophy in the past). For example, if you place ninth, but the top eight players have all won trophies in the past, you get the novice trophy (must be present at the award ceremony to win)
--if you need to miss a game (for example, you play an early basketball game before heading to the chess tournament), you can request a bye
--Grade-level tournaments have team awards (based on summing the points for each team's top three finishers)
--food and drink (such as pizza/hot dogs/pop/water) is available (bring cash)
--wireless internet access is often available
--After each grade level finishes round five, there is a brief award ceremony. Even if you don't win an individual trophy or team award, you might get a medal for "merit points" (basically if you score 2.5 points in a tournament, you get 2.5 merit points). You get a bronze medal after earning 10 total points.
--"swiss system" software is used for matching up players--everyone is guaranteed five games; after round one, you're normally matched against players with similar records (ie, if you're 4-0, you'll play someone who also is 4-0).
--the tournaments attract a wide range of talent, from very strong players to beginners
--First-time players can register using US mail (directions here), or can register at the door from 8-8:30am. If you're preregistered and prepaid, you can arrive by 9 am. Note that first-time registrants get no confirmation that they've registered.
--If you register using the U.S. mail, you'll need to get it postmarked by Tuesday of tournament week. If not, you can bring the new player form and $18 payment in to register at the door 8-8:30am on Saturday.
--At your first tournament, don't forget to pick up your player ID card at the scorer's table--it's usually available after the fourth round or so. I'd advise recording this number in multiple places (maybe email it to yourself)--you'll need the SCA player ID number when registering for all future tournaments.
--Registering for tournaments online is fairly easy once you get your SCA player ID card.
--when you arrive at tourney, make sure your child is registered correctly.
--You normally can't register for a tournament until the previous tourney finishes
The current SCA tournament flyer is here. The flyer shows tournament dates, tournament locations, and much more.
Also from School Chess:
Advice to parents (before sending your kids to their first tournaments)
Common misconceptions about scholastic chess
Notes for first-timers:
--SCA tournaments use the touch-move rule
--you don't need to bring a chess clock. Bring a chess set with roll-up board if you have one. They do sell nice chess sets (with roll-up board and carrying bag) that many players end up using
--Turtle Lake normally has an informal "base camp" somewhere where parents and children can relax between games
--Players are encouraged to wear yellow Turtle Lake Chess Club shirts (This makes it much easier to find each other at big tournaments, it makes it easier to locate Turtle Lake players among many tournament photos on the SCA website, and it also helps with "team spirit".)
--grade-level tournaments have typically been drawing about 30-70 players per grade
--tournaments normally run roughly 9:00 to 2:30 or so
--there's usually a welcome session before play starts with explanation of rules, national anthem, etc. At the end, everyone is "turned loose"; players then look up their name (normally posted on a sheet in a hallway), to find their assigned board number and pieces (white or black). It's Ok for parents to help their children find their assigned board, but then parents are asked to leave the competition room (although they can often glimpse the action through a window somewhere)
--all grade levels starts round one at roughly the same time but after that, rounds for each grade may be staggered--just listen for loudspeaker announcement or "town crier" for the next round notification (example: "THIRD ROUND FOR GRADE 2 is now beginning").
--there are typically trophies for top 5 or so, also a "novice trophy" (for the highest-placing player who has never won an SCA trophy in the past). For example, if you place ninth, but the top eight players have all won trophies in the past, you get the novice trophy (must be present at the award ceremony to win)
--if you need to miss a game (for example, you play an early basketball game before heading to the chess tournament), you can request a bye
--Grade-level tournaments have team awards (based on summing the points for each team's top three finishers)
--food and drink (such as pizza/hot dogs/pop/water) is available (bring cash)
--wireless internet access is often available
--After each grade level finishes round five, there is a brief award ceremony. Even if you don't win an individual trophy or team award, you might get a medal for "merit points" (basically if you score 2.5 points in a tournament, you get 2.5 merit points). You get a bronze medal after earning 10 total points.
--"swiss system" software is used for matching up players--everyone is guaranteed five games; after round one, you're normally matched against players with similar records (ie, if you're 4-0, you'll play someone who also is 4-0).
--the tournaments attract a wide range of talent, from very strong players to beginners
--First-time players can register using US mail (directions here), or can register at the door from 8-8:30am. If you're preregistered and prepaid, you can arrive by 9 am. Note that first-time registrants get no confirmation that they've registered.
--If you register using the U.S. mail, you'll need to get it postmarked by Tuesday of tournament week. If not, you can bring the new player form and $18 payment in to register at the door 8-8:30am on Saturday.
--At your first tournament, don't forget to pick up your player ID card at the scorer's table--it's usually available after the fourth round or so. I'd advise recording this number in multiple places (maybe email it to yourself)--you'll need the SCA player ID number when registering for all future tournaments.
--Registering for tournaments online is fairly easy once you get your SCA player ID card.
--when you arrive at tourney, make sure your child is registered correctly.
--You normally can't register for a tournament until the previous tourney finishes
