2026 Southern California State Championship
May 22-25, 2026

Welcome to the official site of the 2026 Southern California State Championship. Thank you to all of our donors whose generous contributions made this year's event possible.

Meet the Players
AB
1. GM Andrey Baryshpolets
USCF 2607, FIDE 2556
AM
2. GM Arman Mikaelyan
USCF 2606, FIDE 2511
RS
3. IM Robert Shlyakhtenko
USCF 2558, FIDE 2461
NN
4. GM Bachuluun Tsegmed
USCF 2476, FIDE 2431
NN
5. FM Rose Atwell
USCF 2467, FIDE 2383
NN
6. GM Melikset Khachiyan
USCF 2458, FIDE 2381
NN
7. IM Julian Colville
USCF 2399, FIDE 2331
NN
8. FM Mikayel Rostomyan
USCF 2371, FIDE 2260

Format

Tournament rules and format are as follows:

Format: Eight player single round robin

Participants: Seeds for event are as follows: The top six players on the SoCal resident rating list who accepted their invitation, the top finisher in the SuperStates K-12 Championship (SoCal resident), and the winner of the Candidates Tournament.

Time Control: 40/90 + SD/30; +30 increment from move one

Pairings: Pairings will be determined after a drawing of lots in a May 14 Zoom meeting.

Opening Ceremony: Friday 5:00 pm

Rounds:
Friday: One-6:00 pm
Saturday: Two-10:00 am, Three-5:00 pm
Sunday: Four-10:00 am, Five-5:00 pm
Monday: Six-10:00 am, Seven-5:00 pm

Prizes: $$9,700 guaranteed prizes

Prize Schedule
1st Place $2,500 + Trophy + Title of State Champion
2nd Place $2,000
3rd Place $1,500
4th Place $1,200
5th Place $1,000
6th Place $750
7th Place $500
8th Place $250

Cash prizes: Cash prizes are combined and divided equally when players tie. For example: If three players tie for first, the first, second, and third prizes will be combined and divided equally: $2500 + $2000 + $1500 = $6000. $6000/3 = $2000 each.

Tiebreaks for trophy and title:

1. Direct Encounter. If All the tied players have met each other, the sum of points from these encounters is used. The player with the highest score is ranked number 1.

2. Sonneborn-Berger System (calculation). Sonneborn-Berger for Round Robin Individual Tournaments is the sum of the scores of the opponents a player has defeated (including wins by forfeit) and half the scores of the players with whom he has drawn.

3. Koya System for Round-Robin Tournaments. This is the number of points achieved against all opponents who have achieved 50% or more (including wins by forfeit).

4. Sum of Progressive Scores. After each round a player has a certain tournament score. These scores are added to determine the total Sum of Progressive Score.

5. Sum of Progressive Scores Cuts. The Sum of Progressive Score reduced by the tournament score of one or more rounds, starting with the first round.

Ratings: The tournament will be FIDE- and USCF-rated

Default (late) time: The standard default time is one hour. You have one to appear at the board.

Draws: There is no mandatory minimum number of moves that must be completed before a draw can be offered.

Electronic Devices: Players must place all electronic devices in a designated box before the start of the round. They are to have no electronic devices on their person at any time during the round. If a player is caught with an electronic device on their person, the game they are playing will be declared a forfeit loss. If the infraction is deemed an accident the player shall be allowed to participate in the remaining games. If the infraction not accidental, the player will be expelled from the event.

Security Wand: Players agree to be "wanded" when entering or leaving the playing hall subject to Arbiter's descretion.

Score sheets: A copy of their scoresheet shall be given by each player to the TD after each round

National Arbiter: NA Anthony Ong chesspalace2@gmail.com

Site: Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX Hotel, 5985 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Spectators: All spectators welcome

Standings

No. Player Player USCF
Rtg
FIDE
Rtg
1
AB
2
AM
3
RS
4
BT
5
RA
6
MK
7
JC
8
MR
Total Place
1 Baryshpolets GM Andrey Baryshpolets 2607 2556 X 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 5 1st Place
2 Mikaelyan GM Arman Mikaelyan 2606 2511 X 1 1 ½ ½ 1 0 4 Tie 3rd-4th Place
3 Shlyakhtenko IM Robert Shlyakhtenko 2558 2461 0 0 X ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 Tie 6th-8th Place
4 Tsegmed GM Bachuluun Tsegmed 2476 2431 ½ 0 ½ X ½ ½ 1 1 4 Tie 3rd-4th Place
5 Atwell FM Rose Atwell 2467 2383 ½ ½ ½ ½   ½ 1 1 2nd Place
6 Khachiyan GM Melikset Khachiyan 2458 2381 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ X 0 ½ Tie 6th-8th Place
7 Colville IM Julian Colville 2399 2331 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 X ½ Tie 6th-8th Place
8 Rostomyan FM Mikayel Rostomyan 2371 2260 0 1 1 0 0 ½ ½ X 3 5th Place
  Average Average 2493 2414                    

Pairings & Results

Round 1: Friday May 22, 6 p.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Colville   Rostomyan
2 Khachiyan   Tsegmed
3 Shlyakhtenko   Atwell
4 Mikaelyan   Baryshpolets

Round 2: Saturday May 23, 10 a.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Rostomyan   Baryshpolets
2 Atwell   Mikaelyan
3 Tsegmed   Shlyakhtenko
4 Colville   Khachiyan

Round 3: Saturday May 23, 5 p.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Khachiyan   Rostomyan
2 Shlyakhtenko   Colville
3 Mikaelyan   Tsegmed
4 Baryshpolets   Atwell

Round 4: Sunday May 24, 10 a.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Rostomyan   Atwell
2 Tsegmed   Baryshpolets
3 Colville   Mikaelyan
4 Khachiyan   Shlyakhtenko

Round 5: Sunday May 24, 5 p.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Shlyakhtenko   Rostomyan
2 Mikaelyan   Khachiyan
3 Baryshpolets   Colville
4 Atwell   Tsegmed

Round 6: Monday May 25, 10 a.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Rostomyan   Tsegmed
2 Colville   Atwell
3 Khachiyan   Baryshpolets
4 Shlyakhtenko   Mikaelyan

Round 7: Monday May 25, 5 p.m.

Board White Result Black
1 Mikaelyan   Rostomyan
2 Baryshpolets   Shlyakhtenko
3 Atwell   Khachiyan
4 Tsegmed   Colville

Donations

Our 2026 goal is to collect $14,000 in donations

SCCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS

Our Partners

Donations This Year

Donor $
Nardi Family $7,500
Coachella Chess Club $50
Eric Ferguson $196
Vadim Kudryavtsev $100
George Shahin $200
Sabarish Kailasam $50
ICEA $1,000
SGVCC $500
John Wright $500
Anonymous $100
Alaa Moussa $640
Temecula Chess Club $500
Jerry Yee $50
North County Chess Club $490
Chuck Ensey $1,660
The Schiff/Colville Family $100
American Chess Academy $200
Anonymous $500
Gregg Small $196
Anonymous $200
Total $14,731

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