Charlotte Marathi Mandal Open Chess Championship

What are the tournament rules & formats?

• Participation Eligibility – All players 5 years old or older
• Format: This is a Swiss-style tournament
• # of Rounds: At least 5 Rounds (This might be more if the number of players increases)
• Time Control – 20+0 Minutes per side. Zero increments

What are the tournament formats?

Chess KLUB will use the Swiss System. In this system, players in each section will play against each other. No one is eliminated. In fact, as you continue to win games, you face progressively stronger opposition players and those who were not so successful play against each other. Towards the end of the event, you are likely to face players at your level.

Also, in the Swiss-system events, players are paired with each other according to the following general principles:

• A player is not paired with any other player more than once.
• Players with the same score are paired whenever possible.
• Colors are assigned as fairly as possible. Alternating the colors is ideal.
• For the first round, the players are ranked according to their last official rating. If you are an UNRATED player, then you might be paired randomly.
• The top player in the upper half is then paired against the top player in the lower half of the field, and so on. The top-ranked player’s color in the first round is normally allocated by lot, and then colors alternate down the halves
• In the second round, our system uses the same principles to pair each of the three score groups (those who won, those who drew, and those who lost). These pairing procedures will continue through the rest of the tournament.

How do you ensure a touch & move-in online tournament?

Just like the touch and move rule in the real world, in the online chess tournament once a move has been made, there is no take back. No request for take backs will be entertained.

What are the time controls for the tournament?

Time Control for this tournament is 20 minutes per player. There is no increment. If a player is late for a round, the opposing player may start the game when the Tournament Director announces it is time for the round to begin.

How are scores determined?

For every win, you receive 1 point. For draw, you receive ½ point and for every loss, you receive 0 point. Trophies will be given to the top 3 scorers in each section based on points and tie-breaks.

How will you ensure that discipline is maintained, and no one is taking any help?

We trust every player to be honest. We will have Zoom session open for all. It is mandatory for you to have the video on. Anyone not following the video rule will be disqualified. Our internal systems will detect if you try to take outside help.

Where can I locate the pairings?

This tournament will be conducted on Lichess.org and hence all the pairings will be conducted by Lichess

What should I do when something is wrong?

The player must call the attention of the TD (Tournament Director) immediately if there is any problem or disagreement between players by raising their hand on Zoom. Please wait patiently for the TD and avoid making unnecessary noises. Please mute your audio if you do not have any issues.

Which ratings do you consider?

This is an UNRATED Tournament.

How are tiebreakers determined?

Lichess automatically calculates the Tie-breakers. In general, if one’s opponents’ scores are higher, that means they played stronger opposition and therefore deserves a higher place on the standings.

What time will the tournament start?

The Tournament will start exactly at 11 AM EST on 7th August 2021.

When should we check in online?

You should check-in at least 1 hour before to ensure that you don’t lose out on the initial pairing. The check-in time is 10 AM EST and is open till 10:45 AM EST.

What should I do first when I arrive?

You should join the tournament on Lichess at least 1 hour before to ensure that you don’t lose out on the initial pairing. The check-in time is 10 AM EST and is open till 10.45 AM EST.

When and where is the awards ceremony?

All trophies will be sent via courier in 7-10 business days from the date of the tournament. All digital certificates will be emailed to you, directly within 1 week of the tournament. We will not be printing any certificates.

Can I use the restroom while my game is still in progress?

Yes! However, note that you are not allowed to pause your virtual clock or video while the game is going on.

What restrictions are there in place?

You can not do the following

• You should be on Zoom Call with your video on throughout the tournament.
• You can only use a laptop or a desktop with a working webcam to play the tournament
• You cannot use Mobile phones or tablets to play the games in the tournament.
• You can not take anyone’s help
• You can not use phones or other devices.
• You can not open any other browser apart from the one you’re playing the tournament on.

What browser do you recommend?

We recommend using Google Chrome

What should I do when my game is finished?

Please wait for everyone to finish their game, your scores will automatically be noted by the computer. Your next round will start within 1 minute of everyone finishing the game.

Will you publish the results? How?

Winner(s) name will be announced on Website Hall of Fame, in the Chess KLUB Online community and on our Social Media.