Developed in 1960, the Beat the Champs Tournament continues to be the premier event of the Illinois State Tournaments, generating more than 14,000 entries annually and awarding $10,000 first-place prizes to the winners of both the Men’s and Women’s Divisions. The tournament also features four Youth Divisions, which collectively award $4,000 in scholarships to SMART. The in-house preliminary rounds kick off on the first Sunday in December and run for seven consecutive days. Qualifying rounds begin in mid-February, and contestants who advance to this stage will be notified near the end of January.

Prizes
Adult – Guaranteed $10,000 each to the winners of the Men’s and Women’s Divisions
Youth – Guaranteed $4,000 in Scholarships ($1,000 each division)