The December Monthly Tournament starts Tuesday 2 December 2008. The rounds are on:

Tuesdays 2, 9, 16, 23 December.

You must be a US Chess Federation member to play in the rated tournament. You can join the USCF through us the same day you play your first round. You are welcome to play casual games if you are not playing in the tournament.

The rate of play for the Monthly Tournaments is 40/75, SD/30 (75 minutes of thinking time allowed per player for the first 40 moves, and 30 minutes per player for the remainder of the game). Digital clocks must be used if available and set with a five-second delay.

One half-point bye allowed for rounds 1-3. Only one bye per player.

Unless the round is subsequently re-paired, late entrants for the tournament are granted a half-point bye if one is allowed during that round. Otherwise, the late entrant receives a zero-point bye. The late entrant may then play a rated game against another available player that is recorded in an extra-rated games section. The entry fee remains the same.

Currently 87.5% of entry fees go to prizes, with rounded dollar amounts. The percentages out of the prize fund are 55% for First Prize, 30% for Second Prize, 15% for Top Under Median Rating.

Details have been posted on the USCF site and listed in Chess Life magazine TLA section.