When You First Arrive
The first thing to do when you arrive at one of our events is head to the check-in desk. We will have your information from your online registration. You pay the registration fee in cash when you check-in.
Before the Tournament Starts
The limbo between registration and the start of the tournament can feel like eternity. Players, parents and coaches are encouraged to enter the tournament hall and play practice games, meet other players and make new friends. Spare sets and pieces are also allowed in the waiting area for use during this time and between tournament rounds.
Starting the Tournament
All players and parents will be asked to move to the announcement area. We start the tournament off with announcements, going over the basic rules, getting players to their groups and identifying the scorers. The players will be asked to follow their scorer into the tournament hall to start the tournament.
During the Tournament
Each group will play five rounds against various opponents, time-permitting. Players are paired with opponents each round using a computer program utilizing the swiss pairing system for larger groups or with a pre-defined round robin pairing sheet for smaller groups.
Only players currently playing a game and tournament officials are allowed in the tournament hall. Parents and players who have finished their games must remain in the waiting area until the scorer calls the group in for the next round.
At the beginning of a round the scorer will call the players of their group into the tournament hall. The scorer will seat the players with their opponents, then the players will shake hands and start their games.
If there are any problems during a game such as rules infractions, distractions (talking opponent) or anything at all out of place, players can raise their hand to have a scorer or a referee come and resolve the issue. It’s important to raise issues during the game, as most issues cannot be resolved after a game has been completed.
At the end of a game the players will raise their hand and give the result to the scorer. Players will check and confirm that their score has been accurately recorded and then initial beside the result. A win is recorded as a “1”, a loss is recorded as a “0” and “1/2” is recorded for a draw.
After the Tournament
After all rounds are completed we will call the players and parents of that group to the awards area. Awards will be given out to the players along with some final closing announcements.
We hope you had fun, enjoyed the event and that we will see you again!
New players will get a Chess and Math account created with the information provided during the online registration process. All chess players will receive an official rating from the Chess and Math Association of Canada. A rating is a numerical value to estimate chess playing ability and assists us in grouping similar skilled players together. You can always check a player’s rating and tournament history by visiting www.chess-math.org.
