Date: December 16-17, 2023
Venue: Edmonton Chess Club – (780) 424-0283
Address: #204 10840 124th Street, Edmonton, AB T5M 0H3
Organizer: Terry Seehagen
Tournament Director: TBD
The tournament will be both CFC and FIDE rated.
This event is a team tournament, each team consisting of 3 players plus an optional substitute. The average rating of the team players must not exceed 2000 in any round. The format of the event will depend on the number of registered teams but will probably be a Swiss. Please go through the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before registering a team!
Deadline for entries is 8:00 p.m. on Monday, December 11. We wish to have an even number of teams in the tournament, in order to avoid an entire team receiving a bye in each round. Entries from teams or individuals will be accepted after the deadline only to make the number of teams in the tournament even.
The team entry fee must also be received by the deadline. Teams based in Edmonton must pay in cash at the Edmonton Chess Club prior to the deadline, while for Calgary-based teams, this year the Calgary Chess Club will be assisting by collecting entries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can play? Anyone who is a CFC member. Non-CFC members must either purchase annual CFC membership ($43 for adults, $28 for juniors) or CFC tournament membership ($20 for adults, $10 for juniors). Memberships are available on-site.
How do I join a team? It’s easy, ask a few people around the club or chess players you know. Make sure that your team meets the tournament’s regulations. Decide on who will be the captain and pre-register the team by filling out the registration form below or by contacting the organizer.
What if I can’t find a team? Individuals are advised to try organizing their own teams (it’s a lot more fun that way). However, if you absolutely cannot find players, please contact the organizer. You will be added to a list of players looking for a team.
How does the maximum rating regulation work? The average rating of the 3 playing members of the team must not exceed 2000 in any round. Examples of a legitimate team of three players are: 2200, 2000, 1800 (2000 average), or 2400, 2000, 1600 (2000 average), or even 1600, 1500, 1400 (1500 average). For a team with a substitute the average rating of the 3 playing members may vary from round to round but must never exceed the 2000 threshold. For example, if a team consists of 4 players rated 2300, 2200, 2100 and 1500, the 1500 must play in every round, while the other three members of the team may alternate.
Which rating period will be used? Players’ ratings at the time of the official registration will be used. After that, even if the team’s average happens to exceed 2000 the team will still be eligible to participate in the tournament. For pairing purposes the actual rating at the time of the start of the event will be used.
Will CFC or FIDE ratings be used? The higher of the two. If a player has neither, the organizer retains the right to assign it. The default rating for unrated participants will be 1500.
Who will I get to play? As an illustration, in a match betweens teams A and B, the 1st board of team A plays the 1st board of team B, the 2nd board of team A plays the 2nd board of team B, and the 3rd board of team A plays the 3rd board of team B. The board order of every team is pre-determined and will not change during the event. The order will generally be based on ratings but two players may be swapped before the start of round 1 if their ratings are within 100 points of each other. For example, if board 1 is 2150, board 2 can be 2225 but not 2275.
What is the tournament schedule? There will be 5 rounds starting at 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. (Saturday) and 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. or ASAP (Sunday). Default late time is 1 hour.
What is the time control? Game in 90 minutes with a 30-second increment from move 1.
What is the entry fee? The team entry fee is $120 and the team captain is expected to collect it from the team members.
Are there any discounts? Yes. Every junior age 20 years and under gets a $5 discount. A team with FIDE titled players (GM, IM, FM) receives a $20 discount provided that such players play at least 3 games.
What are the prizes? Sum of entry fees minus ACA dues of $10 per paid participant. The names of all the players of the winning team will be engraved on a permanent trophy displayed at the ECC.
What are the duties of the team captain? The team captain is responsible for all communications with the tournament organizer. He will determine who will play in each round, select the team name, make appeals, and pay the team’s entry fee. The captain may also advise team members regarding draw offers, i.e. when a player is offered a draw, the team captain may be consulted. The answer may only be yes, no, or no response. The captain must answer without looking at the position as the decision must be based solely on the needs of the team.
Registration