CHESS KLUB U-1500 International Chess Championship

What are the tournament rules & formats?

• Participation Eligibility – Unrated Players. Under 1500 FIDE / USCF Ratings
• Format: This is a Swiss-style tournament
• # of Rounds: At least 7 Rounds (This might be more if the number of players increases)
• Time Control – 15 +0 With no increment.

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 15 + 0 With 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?

Pairings (match-up) will be automatically posted before and after each round. This can be seen in the “Pairings” tab of our CHESS KLUB Tournament Arena

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?

You can give your FIDE or USCF ID whichever is the latest. We will find out your ratings and will consider the one that is the latest.

Example: If you have a FIDE rating that is 5 years old vs a USCF rating that is only 1 year old, your USCF rating will be considered for eligibility.

How are tiebreakers determined?

We use the USCF & FIDE approved Median system, which adds up the final scores of the tied players’ opponents. In other words, it is the computer software that is approved  that will calculate the tie-breaks. In general, if one’s opponents’ scores are higher, that means they played stronger opposition and therefore deserves a higher place on the standings. 

Which FIDE rating do you use for your tournament?

We use the most recent regular rating for pairing as per the official FIDE website. 

What time will the tournament start?

The Tournament will start exactly at 10 AM EST on 25th February 2023.

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 8:00 AM EST and is open till 9:30 AM EST.

What should I do first when I arrive?

You will need to check yourself in when you arrive.

When and where is the awards ceremony?

Once we calculate the standings and tiebreaks for a section, we will announce the awards. All prize monies will be transferred directly to your bank account. All trophies will be sent via courier in 7 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 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?

Right after the completion of a game, your scores will automatically be noted by the computer. Your next round will start when the TD announces the next round. The next round starts immediately after all the games are over from the current round.

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.