2025 Tournament format

• All players are divided into two divisions: TK-3 and 4-8. Players only face opponents from the same division.

• Each player competes both individually and as a team representative* for their school. Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, both for individual and team play.
  * The highest scoring 3 players from each school, within each of the two divisions, are automatically formed into teams that compete against teams from other schools.

• We use a Swiss-system tournament with 5 rounds of play. There are no eliminations, so each player gets to play 5 games and are expected to complete all 5 games, which results in the most fair results and minimal number of byes.

  • When there is an uneven number of players, one player may get a bye, which means they do not play for one round and get an automatic win instead. From a competitive standpoint there are pros and cons to a bye - the win is guaranteed but the bye can hurt in a tiebreak.
    Note: If a player needs to leave, due to some important and unforeseen circumstance, it's important to notify a chess official. This allows us to update the remaining rounds and pairings. We want all kids to play chess and have fun, rather than sit at a board, waiting for an opponent that will never show up... 

• From each game, a player is rewarded as follows: Win = 1 point, draw = 0.5 points and loss = 0 points. A player's total score is the sum of points from all 5 rounds. In case of an equal amount of points, tiebreak is decided by the strength of competition faced (for the chess nerds out there: we use Solkoff, then Modified Median, then Cumulative). 

• The time control is 15 mins with no increment. A player than runs out of time loses the game. A player that fails to arrive within 5 minutes of the start of a round loses the game.

• At the beginning of every round, the player with the black pieces starts the clock for the player with white pieces, who makes a move and then taps the clock to turn it over to the other player. This continues until the game has concluded. 

  • If a player is missing when the round begins, their opponent will start their clock. If white is missing, black starts the clock without making a move. If black is missing, white makes a move and then starts the clock for black. 

  • If the missing player fails to show up within 5 minutes, they lose the round. 

• Chromebook computers are used as digital chess clocks. https://chessclock.org

• All standard chess rules will be enforced with the following exception:

  • Leniency for touch rule within junior division: The "touch rule" states that a piece that has been touched must be moved, as long as it has a legal move, even if the only legal move loses the game on the spot. Seniors are required to abide by the touch rule. Juniors are recommended, but not required. 

  • No take-backs: Once a piece has been moved and released, the move cannot be taken back, unless the move is illegal. There are no exceptions to this, even in the junior division.

• Seeking or receiving advice about what moves to play from anyone (parents, other players, chess officials, the opponent etc.) is strictly forbidden and may lead to a warning, point reduction or disqualification, depending on the severity. 

• Only active players and chess officials are allowed inside the playing hall during active play. 

  • Parents are only allowed inside the playing hall before the first round begins, to take pictures etc.

• Players that finish their games must agree on the result and shake hands. In case there is a dispute about the result, players will call over a chess official immediately, without moving the pieces. Once the result is recorded - and agreed on by both players - the players must leave the playing hall.

• Players are expected to stay by their board for the duration of the game. This is to prevent chaos in the playing hall, given the large number of players present. Players can go to the bathroom, but should seek permission from one of the many chess officials available first.  

Chess rules

The rules of chess can be found through many sources, including Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_chess. All rules are applied without exceptions, including "en passant", no castling through check etc.  

• A player wins when:

  • The opponent's king is checkmated

  • The other player resigns

  • The other player runs out of time

  • The other player is disqualified

  • The pairings show a bye

• A draw occurs when

  • The players mutually agree to draw (at any point of the game)

  • The player whose turn it is has no legal moves to make and is not in check (stalemate)

  • 3-fold repetition - the exact same position occurs for the third time and one player claims the draw. The position must be on the board and cannot be claimed retroactively.

  • 50 move rule: 50 moves are made without any irreversible move, i.e., no pieces taken or pawns moved. The position must be on the board and cannot be claimed retroactively.

  • Lack of sufficient material to mate - such as a king and knight or bishop vs a king

Chess etiquette 

Competitive chess requires deep concentration for an extended period of time. Losing a chess game can be tough and players must learn to cope. It is equally important to be gracious in victory. During all phases of the tournament, players must respect their opponents and the rules, traditions and etiquette of chess.  

Here are some examples of chess etiquette:  

• Before each game, it is customary to shake hands as a sign and reminder of the mutual respect the players have for each other.

• During play, there should be no conversation between the players. There are a few exceptions:

  • Letting the opponent know that he or she is in 'Check'

  • If the opponent is trying to make an illegal move or in any other way breaking the rules of chess. If the players cannot immediately agree to resolve a dispute of rules, they must raise their hands to call for a chess official. 

  • A player may offer a draw in good faith. A player may not repeatedly offer a draw as a way of annoying their opponent.

  • Piece adjustments: Every piece should be placed in the center of a square, to avoid uncertainty about which square it is in. If a piece is not in the center, a player can notify their opponent with "I adjust" and then adjust the piece to the center. 

• Players should never suggest to their opponent to resign. It is disrespectful to the other player and ignorant of the fact that mistakes in chess can happen to anyone at any time and easily result in a "winning position" being lost or drawn.
  Note: Every year, we see numerous examples of winning positions turning into stalemate draws or loss on time. For this reason, many players insist on playing all the way to checkmate, even in losing positions. This is smart play and not in any way a sign of disrespect. 

• There is zero tolerance for any form of intentional physical or verbal disrespect, such as kicking the opponent under the table or whispering insults.