A long walk through a deep dark forest where the path leading out is wide enough for a single raccoon. 🦝♟️♣️
(With apologies to Mikhail Tal)
Welcome To Washbear Chess Club!
Trash Panda Throwdowns are the WCC take on your friendly neighborhood USCF-rated tournament. Events use a variety of time controls.
For January 2026 we're taking it slow for three games of 60 minutes with a 30-second increment.
Registration
- Entry fee: $30.
- Pay in cash on site or contact Alex for Venmo.
- Register online using the Google Form below (or contact Alex) to secure your spot. On-site registration accepted up to capacity.
Format
- 3 Rounds Swiss System
- G/60;+30
- Two sections: Open and U1400
- Players under 1400 can play in the Open section only if they were rated over 1400 at any time in 2025 or 2026.
- Clocks and sets provided.
- US Chess Federation membership is required.
- Players should review the Washbear Chess Club Rulebook.
- Players may schedule one half-point bye if requested before Round 1 pairings.
Prizes
$160 in prizes based on 12 entries.
- 1st Place Open: $100
- 1st Place U1400: $60
Door Prize
$10 Gift certificate for Awry Brewing.
Schedule
- January 31, 2026
- Registration: 9:30am - 10am
- Round 1: 10am
- Round 2: 1pm or ASAP
- Round 3: 4pm or ASAP
Location
Chess Education Foundation2908 Brownsboro Road
Louisville KY 40206
Directions
From I-71 take the Zorn Ave exit towards Brownsboro Road.
Turn right onto Brownsboro Road.
The Chess Education Foundation is on the left, just past the Shell station.
For parking, pass the building and turn left on Crescent Avenue. Immediately turn left to park in the rear of the building.
Lunch
We'll be organizing a pizza delivery from Papa John's: choose from cheese, pepperoni, or mushroom. Purchase by the slice during registration at minimal cost.
$2 per slice, or $3 for every two slices of the same topping
Other Nearby Food Options
Walkable
- KK African Kitchen
- Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
- Shell Station (Convenience Store)
Less than 5 minute drive
- Asian Wok
- Blue Dog Bakery & Cafe
- CM Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken)
- Cafe Aroma (Mexican)
- Caffe Classico (European)
- Caspian Grill Persian Bistro
- Crescent Hill Coffee
- Derby City Pizza Co. Express
- Eatz (Vietnamese)
- Eggs Over Frankfort
- FABD Smokehouse
- Good Morning Breakfast & Brunch
- The Grape Leaf (Mediterranean)
- Heine Bros (Coffee Shop)
- Island Breeze Restaurant (Jamaican)
- Joely's Restaurant and Bar (Mexican)
- Kroger
- The Manhattan Project (Bar & Grill)
- Mesh Louisville (Contemporary American)
- Momma's Mustard, Pickles & BBQ
- Osaka (Sushi)
- Parlour (Pizza)
- Please & Thank You (Coffee Shop)
- Red Hog Restaurant & Butcher Shop
- SmashD on Frankfort (Hamburgers)
- Subway
- Taco Bell
- Taqueria Los Gorditos
Post-Tournament Hangout
All players and friends are invited for dinner/drinks after the tournament.
El Nopal811 Eastern Parkway
Louisville, KY 40217
Open directions in Google Maps
Contact
- Alex Gustafson
- alexjgustafson@gmail.com
- (502) 472-3042
Current Registrations
Last updated Nov 19, 2025