Chess players from across New Zealand will descend on Tauranga this February for the Bay of Plenty Rapid tournament.

The annual one-day event sees players compete in three skill grades, with a total prize pool of $1400.

There are six rounds, with players paired initially on skill level, before the winners of each successive round play each other.

Mount Maunganui RSA Chess Club secretary Caleb Wright says their tournament style gives players of all skill levels the chance to play.

'We're pleased to attract players from around the country, both young and not so young.

'We had 65 players last year, the most ever for the event.”

The ‘rapid' element of the competition comes from the short time frame players have to complete the game in.

Each of them only has about half an hour on the clock, which they can allocate however they wish.

For example, a player might do five moves in thirty seconds, before taking five minutes to think about a single move. Once the clocks run down, the game is over.

The club, which has been running since 1999, also has regular casual and serious games on Monday evenings at the Mount Maunganui RSA, which Caleb says can be a great way for new players to start, or get practice in for the February tournament.

Tournament entry forms can be collected fom the Mount Maunganui RSA chess club on Mondays 6pm onwards or at Greerton's Tauranga RSA chess club on Fridays at 5pm onwards.