Tournament Life Information for Players


USCFMEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR ALL EVENTS. If not a member, add dues to advance


entry fee or pay themwith entry fee at site. U.S. ChampionshipQualifier. Tournament in which qualification spots for the U.S. Championship are awarded. AmericanClassic.Generally, an event that has been held by one organizer for the last three years and has attracted more than 400 players each year. Heritage Event. Tournament held for at least 25 years. QuickChess. Tournaments with time con- trols of G/5 to G/29. There is a separate “quick” or “overall” rating system that includes these events, and games played in these tournaments will not affect a player's regular rating. Games played with a time control of G/30 through G/60 will be rated in both the quick/overall system and the regular system.


Rating Classes In most events, you don’t have to win


the tournament to win a prize—you can win a class prize as a top scorer of your rating group, or a section prize in a sec- tion restricted to your rating group. These rating groups are: Senior Master - 2400 & up Master 2200-2399 Class C 1400-1599 Class G 600-799 Expert 2000-2199 Class D 1200-1399 Class H 400-599 Class A 1800-1999 Class E 1000-1199 Class I 200-399 Class B 1600-1799 Class F 800-999 Class J 199/below


Some tournaments use different groups


such as 1900-2099, and some have “under’’ prizes or sections including all below a specified level.


Ratings Information You never lose your rating, no matter


how long it has been since you last played. If you return after a long absence, please tell the director and USCF your approx- imate rating and last year of play. If you have a FIDE rating, or a rating or


category fromany other country, nomat- ter how many years ago, you are not unrated. FIDE or foreign ratings may be rejected or have adjustment points added.


Tournament Life Abbreviations & Terms


All tournaments are non-smoking with no comput- ers allowed unless otherwise advertised by S and/or C (see below for explanations).


QC: Quick Chess events. $$Gtd: Guaranteed prizes.


$$b/x: Based-on prizes, x = number of entries needed to pay full prize fund. At least 50% of the advertised prize fund of $501 or more must be awarded.


Bye: Indicates which rounds players who find it inconvenient to playmay take½-point byes instead. For example, Bye 1-3means½-point byes are avail- able in Rounds 1 through 3.


C: Computers allowed. CC: Chess club. EF: Entry fee.


Enhanced Grand Prix points (see previous page).


Ent:Where to mail entries.


FIDE: Results submitted to FIDE for possible rat- ing.


G/: Game in. For instance, G/75 means each side has 75 minutes for the entire game. GPP: Grand Prix Points available.


HR: Hotel rates. For example, 60-65-70-75means $60 single, $65 twin, $70/3 in room, $75/4 in room. JGP: Junior Grand Prix


Memb. req’d: Membership required; cost fol- lows. Usually refers to state affiliate.


Open: A section open to all. Often has very strong players, but some eligible for lower sections can play for the learning experience.


uschess.org OSA: Other states accepted. Refers to state dues.


PPHBF: Professional Players Health and Benefits Fund.


Quad: 4-player round robin sections; similar strength players. RBO: Rated Beginner’s Open.


Rds: Rounds; scheduled game times follow. For example, 11-5, 9-3 means games begin 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. on the first day, 9 a.m. & 3 p.m. on the sec- ond day.


Reg: Registration at site. RR: Round robin (preceded by number of rounds). S: Smoking allowed.


SASE: Formore info, send self-addressed stamped envelope.


SD/: Sudden-death time control (time for rest of game follows). For example, 30/90, SD/1 means each player must make 30 moves in 90 minutes, then complete the rest of the game in an hour.


Section: A division of a tournament, usually exclud- ing players above a specified rating. Players in a section face only each other, not those in other sections.


SS: Swiss-Systempairings (preceded by number of rounds).


T/Dx: Time delay, x=number of seconds. Unr: Unrated. USEF: Combined entry fee & USCF dues. W: Site is accessible to wheelchairs.


WEB:Tournaments thatwill use a player’s on-line rating.


Chess Life — January 2012 49


If details are not announced, players wishing to use such ratings should con- tact the organizer in advance. For foreign players withmultiple ratings


(USCF, FIDE, CFC, FQE, other foreign), the highest rating is used, with possible adjustment points added, unless other- wise announced. Ratings based on 4-25 games are called “provisional ratings” to indicate they are less reliable than established ratings. However, such ratings are valid for pair- ing and prize purposes at all USCF-rated events, unless otherwise stated. A tournament director (TD)may assign


an estimated rating to any player, and may expel an improperly rated player from an event.


Hotel-Motel Rates Rates listed are often special chess


rates—youmust request “chess rates’’ or you will be chargedmore. The chess rates may be unavailable if not reserved several weeks in advance, or if the block of chess rooms is used up. Hotel-desk personnel are often poorly informed about chess rates—if that is the case, ask for the Sales Office or contact the tournament organ- izer.


What to Take to a Tournament Along with a pen or pencil and your


USCF ID card (or current Chess Life), take a chessboard, set, and clock if you have them. For prizes of $600 or more, bring your


U.S. Social Security card. If you have no Social Security number, the organizer must deduct 30% fromyour prize for the IRS (this includes foreigners). Warning! The use of a cell phone in the tournament room is prohibited at most tournaments. If your cell phone rings in a roomwith games in progress, you could be penalized, or even forfeited.


How to Enter in Advance Entering bymail or online (if available)


is easier for both you and the tourna- ment


organizer and often costs less. Check the TLA ads for entering options. Along with entry fee, send full name, address, USCF ID number, expiration date, and section desired (if any). Also, give your last offi- cial USCF rating from your magazine label (first 4 numbers on top row). If you are unrated, or have a rating from many years ago, be sure to indicate this. Your official USCF rating is on the top line of your mailing label: Regular, Quick, and Correspondence. Mailed entries are usually not acknowl-


edged unless you enclose a self-addressed postcard. If entering online, print confir- mation of entry. They are refundable if you withdraw before Round 1 is paired, unless otherwise stated. For national events, refund requests


must be submitted in writing no later than 30 days after the tournament ends. Any requestsmade after this datemay not be honored.


If YouMustWithdraw If you enter bymail and cannot attend,


or must drop out of a tournament in progress, it is important you give notice before pairings are started, so no one is deprived of a game.Mail entrants should send withdrawal notices at least a week beforehand—phone any later than this. To withdraw by phone on tournament day, call the site and ask specifically for “the chess tournament.’’ E-mail withdrawals several days in advance are acceptable if the TD’s e-mail address is listed. Any later than this, both e-mail your with- drawal and call the tournament site as the TD might not have access to his (her) e- mail account. If you forfeit without notice, youmay be fined up to the amount of the entry fee.


Tournament Directors Tournament director certification is an


endorsement of professional competence only. Such certification does not in itself render any tournament director an agent of the USCF, nor is any affiliate an agent of the USCF.


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