Regulations

Chess players are entitled to participate if they are registered with FIDE by Oceania Federations (Zone 3.6 federations) or associate members of FIDE (international chess federation). Players must not have reached his/her respective age group birthday before 1st January 2026.

Age Group Requirements

• UNDER 8 Born on or after 1st January 2018

• UNDER 10 Born on or after 1st January 2016

• UNDER 12 Born on or after 1st January 2014

• UNDER 14 Born on or after 1st January 2012

• UNDER 16 Born on or after 1st January 2010

• UNDER 18 Born on or after 1st January 2008

• UNDER 20 Born on or after 1st January 2006

Chess players are entitled to participate if they are registered with FIDE by Oceania Federations (Zone 3.6 federations) or associate members of FIDE (international chess federation). Players must not have reached his/her respective age group birthday before 1st January 2026.

Age Group Requirements

• UNDER 8 Born on or after 1st January 2018

• UNDER 10 Born on or after 1st January 2016

• UNDER 12 Born on or after 1st January 2014

• UNDER 14 Born on or after 1st January 2012

• UNDER 16 Born on or after 1st January 2010

• UNDER 18 Born on or after 1st January 2008

• UNDER 20 Born on or after 1st January 2006

90 minutes per player, per game with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one.

A player defaults the game if they have not appeared at their board within 30 minutes of the start of the game.

Final ranking order of players is determined by the number of points scored. If two or more players are tied, the tie shall be broken by tiebreak systems in the following order:

1.  Direct Encounter

2. The greater number of wins

3. Buchholz

4. Buchholz Cut 1

5. Buchholz Cut 2

6. Sonnenborn Berger

1. The Continental President for Asia (Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan)  will, after consultation with the organizing federation, nominate the Technical Delegate and Chief Arbiter, as well as the necessary assistant arbiters and other officials. The Chief Arbiter may, in consultation with the Technical Delegate, issue additional written regulations on other details not covered by these regulations.

2. The Technical Delegate (or nominee) shall chair the Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee shall be composed of three members and two reservaes, all from different federations. No member of the Appeals Committee shall take part in a decision affecting a player belonging to the same federation unless both players are from the same federation.

3. Appeals including appeals against the decisions of the Chief Arbiter or assistants must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson of the Appeals Committee within fifteen minutes of the completion of the relevant playing session alongside a $100 NZD bond.

4. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final, binding and takes effect immediately. The bond will be returned to the appellant if the appeal is successful or otherwise at the discretion of the appeals committee.

Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three positions, after application of tiebreaks where required, in each age group division (both open and girls sections).

Certificates of Participation shall be given to all players, FIDE-accredited trainers, Managers and Officials.

FIDE rules state that for a direct title to be awarded immediately, an applicant has to have achieved at some time or other a minimum FIDE standard rating as follows:

IM 2200, WIM 2000, FM 2100, WFM 1900, CM 2000, and WCM 1800.

Players who would otherwise have been awarded direct titles if they had previously achieved the minimum rating, will be eligible for the title once the requisite rating has been achieved. Following the event, a confirmed list of titles will be sent to all Oceania federations and associate members - titles will not be awarded by FIDE until after that list has been sent, and only on application/request by the player's national federation.

If groups are combined to make a bigger group, then the requirements (at least 8 participants from at least 4 federations) shall apply to this merged group.

Titles can be awarded to the best player(s) of the subgroups, provided the subgroup has at least 6 participants from at least 3 federations and the player scores a minimum of 50% in a minimum of 9 games.

The Chief Organizer and Oceania Zone President reserve the right to merge divisions to support the awarding of direct titles. Open titles are awarded in open sections and women's titles awareded in girls' sections. To summarise FIDE Direct Title regulations:

• In the U20 divisions, the gold medal winner shall be awarded the Grandmaster (GM)/Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm (9 games). 1st equal (up to 3 players) shall get the IM/WIM title. The silver and bronze medal winners shall be awarded the IM/WIM norm and FIDE Master (FM)/Woman FIDE Master (WFM).

• In the U18 divisions, the gold medal winner shall be awarded the title of International Master (IM) / Woman International Master (WIM). 1st equal players (up to 3 players) shall get IM/WIM norm (9 games). The Silver & Bronze Medal winners shall be awarded the FIDE Master (FM) / Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title.

• In the U16 divisions, the gold medal winner shall be awarded IM/WIM norm (9 games). 1st equal player (up to 3 players) shall get FM/WFM title. The Silver & Bronze Medal winners shall be awarded the Candidate Master (CM) / Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title.

• In the U12 & U14 divisions, the gold medal winner shall be awarded the FM/WFM title. The Silver & Bronze Medal winners shall be awarded the CM/WCM title.

• In the U8 & U10 divisions, Gold, Silver & Bronze Medal (after tiebreak up to 3 players - tiebreaks are outlined in reg 5) shall be awarded the CM/WCM title.

The Immigration NZ website has information on whether a visa or NZETA is required and how to apply for a visa or NZETA. Visa invitation letters will only be provided to players and accompanying persons (e.g. parents) once the entry and registration fee has been paid. If you are unable to obtain a visa or NZETA, your entry/registration fee will be refunded.

Note that anyone transiting through another country on the way to or from NZ (particularly anyone transiting through Australia) should check requirements for transit visas for those countries.

Please contact canterbury@chess.org.nz after you entered and paid your/your child's entry fee, and we will send you an invitation letter for a visa. In your email, please advise of any additional accompanying persons e.g. parents or other family members so  they can be included in the letter as well.

To receive free accommodation (room only) as an official player or Head of Delegation (excluding New Zealand), an official of your federation must complete the official form for this purpose and email it to canterbury@chess.org.nz by 11:59pm on 31 January 2026. The form will be emailed to all Oceania federations. Accommodation will from 8-14 April and be twin or triple share at the official event hotel, Hotel Give. Any upgrades, additional nights, accompanying persons etc. are subject to availability and paying costs incurred.

By entering the Oceania Youth Chess Championships 2026, players and their parents/responsible adults accept that information, including some personal information (particularly names and dates of birth), will be collected, retained and shared for the following purposes:

• To provide information to players and others about the tournaments and sponsors

• To process entries including payments

• To make arrangements with accommodation providers where applicable

• To publish tournament information including entries, pairings, standings, results etc. (this information will  remain online as a historic record after the end of the tournaments)

• To send results to FIDE and NZCF for rating and titles

• To maintain FIDE and NZCF rating databases - player name and date of birth will be shared with FIDE and NZCF (NZ players) rating officers as required

• Publicity before, during and after the tournament including quotes, photos and video footage

You have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or to be removed from our mailing list, please contact us at canterbury@chess.org.nz.