Hamilton Chess Club

The Club champs will run over six club nights starting  Tuesday 11^th March.

The format will be  start time 7.15pm, 1 game per night, open to paid up (as of 11/3/14) club members only . You can check when your sub is due by going to the website – About > Who We Are.  Online payments preferred, see the website for details. Remember No Sub No Play.

There will be an Open Division, and a Junior Division (stronger Junior members can elect to play in the Open Division if they wish; sadly – for some of us at least – weaker senior members cannot elect to play in the Junior division). The Junior division might run over five rounds depending on numbers, or even as a round robin.

The winner of the Open Division will be awarded the title Club Champion 2014. The winner of the Junior division will be awarded the title Club Junior Champion 2014 and will receive a book prize.

Entries will be seeded based on Current club ratings. No late entries allowed – so if you cant make it on the first night let me know and you will be awarded a bye. Also if you want to play but might be a little late on the first night let me know and I will include you in the draw. Please don’t turn up after 7:15 and expect me to redo the draw.  Entries will not be accepted in week two or beyond

Time limit 45 minutes plus 10 seconds per move from move 1, as we need to be out of the room by 9:30. Junior division will be  25 minutes plus 5 seconds per move from move 1.

Games start at 7.15pm – a 30 minute late time applies (your game is lost if you are 30 minutes late). Late time for Juniors is 25 minutes.

Clocks will be started at 7:15 even if neither player is present.

Usual FIDE laws apply. Disputes committee will be club executive (Hilton Ian and Richard). If one or two of the disputes committee is/are party to a dispute, the remaining member(s) will constitute the disputes committee.

Please bring a pen to record your games (recording is mandatory in the open divison, but optional for the  junior division).

One 1/2 point bye allowed per player, if notified to Ian the Sunday before the round that it applies.

No half point byes allowed in rounds 5 or 6.

Ties will be decided using  tie breaks in the following order:  Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz Total, Buchholz Median, Sonneborn-Berger.  If still tied the award will be shared.