The annual Hart House Holidays Open Chess Tournament is back for another year! We invite you to join us from Friday, December 19th to Sunday, December 21st at Hart House for another edition of our annual flagship event. This event is designed to accommodate all skill levels and is the ideal opportunity to participate in a competitive chess tournament.
Tournament Details
- WHERE: Great Hall, Hart House, University of Toronto.
- WHEN: December 19th, 20th, 21st.
- SCHEDULE:
- Crown, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400: Friday 19th at 6:30pm, Saturday 20th at 10:00am & 4:00pm, Sunday 21st at 10:00am & 4:00pm
- Junior Section (U1500): Saturday 20th at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 3pm, & 5pm
- TIME CONTROL: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 for all sections. 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 for Juniors (U1500).
- STYLE: 5 Round Swiss split in 6 rating sections – Crown (2200+), Under 2200, Under 2000, Under 1800, Under 1600, Under 1400. 4 Round Swiss for Juniors (U1500).
- RATING: All sections will be CFC-rated. Crown, U2200, U2000, U1800, and U1600 sections will also be FIDE rated. The Crown Section will be paired using FIDE ratings.
- FORFEIT TIME: Players who do not arrive within 30 minutes of the round start time will be forfeited.
- BYES: Maximum 2 half-point byes in rounds 1-4 if requested in advance before the start of Round 1.
- ORGANIZER: Hart House Chess Club with FA Victor Zheng as Chief Arbiter.
- EMAIL: hhtournaments@gmail.com
- CAPACITY: 210 players in the Great Hall, 200 spots available for registration. 40 players for Juniors.
- PRIZES: Exact distribution to be announced. There will be a team prize.
Registration
Online registration for the Open and Juniors is available until Wednesday, December 17th at 11:59 PM. In-person and telephone registration is available through the Hart House Information Desk during Hart House Hours.
Entry Fees
Open: $70 by November 30th at 11:59 pm, $80 by December 17th at 11:59 pm and $100 cash-only on-site if space permits.
$35 discount for UofT student members and unrated players (max one discount per player). Unrated players are not eligible for prizes. Free entry for IMs/WIMs/GMs/WGMs if registered by Sunday, November 30th. Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com to claim a discount.
Juniors: $40 by November 30th at 11:59 pm, $50 by December 17th at 11:59 pm. $60 cash-only on-site if space permits.
Playing up
More information about playing up will be available as and when registration opens.
No playing up to the Crown section. Players must be 2200+ CFC or 2000+ FIDE.
Other Info
- HHCC will utilize DGT boards for portions of the Crown section.
- Registrants must be current CFC members — please visit https://chess.ca/membership-fees for more info
- Photography: By signing up, you permit HHCC the ability to take and use photos from the tournament on its social media. If you would not like your photo used, please email us.
- Foreign Ratings: all participants must disclose all foreign ratings at time of registration or via email.
- Withdrawals: see our Policies.
- Parking is available at a daily rate; however, it is limited. Be prepared and come early to find parking.
- Prize Payments: Any prize less than or equal to $100 will be paid via Gift Cards. Direct deposit is required for prizes above $100. All prizes will be payable via direct deposit on request. Please expect 1 week – 3 weeks for payments to be processed.
- Unrated players should review our New To Tournament Guide.
Pre-Registered, Standings, Pairings
Players will be placed in sections according to eligibility based on the latest rating update, not necessarily according to how people registered themselves.
List of Registered Players: https://chess-results.com/tnr1297589.aspx
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a field for noting byes in the registration form. If you have already registered but did not include a bye request, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name, CFC ID, and the round(s) you would like to request a bye for.
- How do I avail the unrated player or titled player discount?
Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name and CFC ID. We will provide you with a discount code.
- I only have a quick/provisional rating. Am I considered unrated?
Players with any sort of rating, whether active, quick, or only provisional, are NOT considered unrated for the purposes of a discount. The unrated discount is targeted specifically at players in their first rated tournament.
For pairings purposes, ratings are picked at arbiters’ discretion.
- My rating has changed since I registered. What section will I be playing in?
Sections will be assigned based on the latest rating update prior to the tournament. If your rating is over the threshold for the section you registered in, we will automatically move you up.
Please indicate in the ‘Comments’ section of the registration form that you would like to play up. Players must be within 100 points of the section’s minimum rating in order to play up.
Play-up fees is $20 and must be paid in cash in-person.
Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com AND cc hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca to let us know that you will be withdrawing. Full refunds are available upto 48 hours before tournament start time, 50% refunds are available upto 24 hours before tournament start time. No refunds will be provided if withdrawing within 24 hours of tournament start time, or after.
For any other questions, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com
Hart House Chess Club 