Goodbye Summer Chess Championship!

August 29, 2021

Register  Entry List

Let's finish Summer with a competitive online chess tournament.  We will be using the Lichess.org platform.

The Tournament will begin at 12:00 PM EST on Sunday, August 29 The time control for all sections will be G/25 with a 5 second increment. We will have 4 rounds of the tournament and will be rated by the USCF using online ratings. All fair play rules are in affect. We will be manually looking through each game and using LiChess.org's anti-cheating algorithm 

**NEW** We are now requiring all players to be on a zoom call to be eligible for any prizes

$550 prize fund (based on 40 entries) Sections are based on the HIGHER of USCF regular and Online USCF Regular ratings. 

K-12 U500: 1st place: $70 amazon gift card, 2nd place: $40 amazon gift card. Top player (outside of top 2) in grades K-5: $30 amazon gift card

K-12 U1000: 1st place: $70 amazon gift card, 2nd place: $40 amazon gift card Top Player (outside of top 2) in grades K-8: $30 amazon gift card

K-12 Championship - Open to all K-12 players regardless of USCF rating: 1st place: $100 amazon gift card, 2nd place: $70 amazon gift card. Class prize: Top U1100 and Top U1300 receive a $50 gift card. If multiple players tie for the same prize, it will be evenly distributed among those who tie for the prize. 

 Please note: We have a minimum of 10 players required per section. If we do not reach the minimum by 12:00 NOON the day before the tournament, we will combine two sections. 

 

Tournament Format:

  • All Sections:  4 rounds of G/25;+5. Rounds will be paired after every game is completed from the previous round. We give a 5 minute grace period from the time the last game finishes. If you opt into our text message alerts, you will be alerted to when each round is beginning. 
  • Pairings based on a player's lichess classic rating (not US Chess rating).
  • Pairings are done automatically by the lichess system and cannot be changed.
  • Tournament prizes awarded up to 2 weeks after the tournament to allow for games to be screened for fair play. 

Registration Details:

  • Open to all players, K-12.
  • Players will receive an email with a link and password to join the appropriate section of the tournament.
  • Players must have a lichess account (if you do not have one, you must create one https://lichess.org/signup).
  • Players join the Chess Katz team in lichess https://lichess.org/team/chesskatz-tournaments after registering.
  • Registration closes at 11:00 AM EST the day of each tournament
  • BYES POLICY Online registration closes the day of the event at 11:00 AM EST.  Players may request a 1/2 bye in round one (players who "late join" after 12:00 PM will also receive a 1/2 bye). No other 1/2 byes can be requested. 

 

How to Join a Tournament:

  • Tournament link will be shared by 10:00 PM the night before the tournament. All tournaments are password protected. If your child has a sibling/family member / friend who is not registered, please do not have them enter the tournament!
  • Players are advised to participate in the tournament from a computer, laptop or a tablet. It is not permitted to play on a phone or mobile device.
  • Players are advised to join the tournament 20-30 minutes early. If you join at the last minute it may be too late to resolve any technical issues that you have.
  • The tournament starts at 12:00 PM EDT SHARP. 
  • Players who "late join" after 12:00 PM will receive a 1/2 bye for 1 round
  • Reentry is not available.
  • Chess Katz is not responsible for wifi connection or technical issues.

Fair Play

  • Tournament games will be reviewed by lichess and Chess Katz tournament staff. The USCF has officially endorsed LiChess's fair play algorithm, which will be taken into account when determining fair play practices
  • Every game will be manually looked at by coaches and our anti-cheating algorithm to ensure a fair experience for all
    participants.
  • Chess Computers and outside help are not allowed.
  • If you've ever had an account that was flagged by lichess or chess.com, you will not be eligible to participate in our event
  • Players found in violation of Fair Play policies are not eligible for any prizes and will be removed from the Chess Katz team. Since this is a USCF event, they will also be reported to the USCF. Players who lost to the player who violated fair play will receive 1/2 a point for the game in accordance with USCF rules
  • All players will be required to be on a zoom call to be eligible for prizes
    • The primary purpose of the Zoom room is to ensure fair play and to provide a way for the player and TD to communicate. If you have a question the best place to ask it is in the Zoom chat.
    • You must use a computer (desktop, laptop, or tablet). You may not play on any other device such as a cell phone; however, you can use a cell phone for your Zoom camera. 
    • You may not use a physical board to analyze or play on. However, you may keep score with a pencil and scoresheet if you wish.
    • You should not have anybody else next to you while playing the game. That is not against the rules, but it causes unnecessary suspicion which we would rather avoid.
    • You may be invited to a zoom interview at the conclusion of the tournament 
  • You are expected to be in front of your computer at all times when your game is in progress. If you do not turn your camera on, you will be forfeited