Author: harthousechess

The Hart House Holidays Open kicks off tomorrow night with Round 1 at 6:30 pm at the Great Hall of Hart House at the University of Toronto. For tournament details, see the original post.

Those participating are asked to bring chess sets and clocks (if possible), as HHCC will only have a limited supply of boards and clocks.

As of 7PM, December 8th, the pre-registration is as follows:

With a capacity for a maximum of 200 players, the Great Hall will be used for the majority of sections. The Reading Room on Friday, and the East Common Room on Sat/Sun may be used for the overflow boards.

Onsite registration will be available from 4 PM to 5:30 PM tomorrow. The fee will be $100, with discounts applicable to UofT students and unrated players. Our registration booth will be set up outside of the Great Hall.

Playing up: the current registration pages reflect all players and their appropriate sections prior to playing up. To play up, plan to show up at 5:30 PM to pay the $20 play up fee. Else, you will be paired into a section based on your rating for the tournament.

Arbiters: NA Alex Ferreira

Spectators: Spectators and students are encouraged to come watch the tournament!

Tournament Website: detailed standings, pairings, photos, and more will be posted on our official tournament website.

Merchandise: HHCC merchandise will be available to purchase via our booth outside of the Great Hall. More information can be found here.

See you tomorrow!

HHCC Executive Team

The Greater Toronto Chess League (GTCL) team competition between clubs within the GTCL consists of two championship tournaments: League (regular chess) and Cup (rapid chess).  These rules are for the League championship.

Teams

1. A person can be associated with at most one (1) team (as player or Team Captain).
2. Each team should have a minimum of four (4) team players
   1. May have any number of additional players as substitutes.
   2. Players may be a member of at most one team.
   3. Players must be members of the same chess club.
   4. Players must be members of the CFC for the duration of the tournament.
3. Each chess club may have more than one team (but cannot share players or captains).
4. Each team must designate one of its players as the Team Captain.
   1. Team Captains are responsible for assembling players for each match.
   2. Team Captains are responsible for reporting game results to the tournament coordinators.  
   3. Team Captains are on the Appeal Committee (see below).
   4. Team Captains may delegate his/her responsibilities to another team player for a match if he/she cannot attend.
5. Each Team Captain must provide the team roster to the tournament coordinators.
   1. The roster is an ordered list of team players.
   2. The roster determines which player plays on which board in a match.
   3. The roster should order players as follows:
      1. According to the CFC rating list available on chess.ca on Dec 31.
      2. Ideally, the order should be highest rated to lowest rated to unrated.
      3. The order may be rearranged as long as no player comes after another player that is rated more than 200 points lower.
      4. Unrated players may be inserted in any order.
      5. The tournament coordinator may disallow any re-ordering if he/she believes it is being done to gain an unfair advantage.
   4. The roster must be provided as soon as possible but changes (add, remove, re-order) will be accepted up to 24 hours before the start of round 1.
   5. If a roster is not provided, the tournament coordinators will set a roster based on CFC rating and names (alphabetically).
   6. The roster may not be changed after 24 hours before the start of round 1
   7. The roster should remain fixed throughout the tournament.
      1. Only under very exceptional circumstances will changes be accepted by the tournament coordinator at his/her sole discretion.

Registration

• By December 31, 2022, at 11:59 pm ET, all teams must pre-register.
  • Registration website: (click REGISTER)
  • A maximum of 20 teams may pre-register for the tournament.
  • Teams should pre-register early to reserve one of the 20 places.
  • Teams should provide their initial roster (ordered list of names).
• By January 9th, 2023, at 7:00 pm (24 hours before Round 1):
  • All changes to rosters (add, remove, reorder players) must be received by the tournament coordinator via email at hhchess@utoronto.ca 

Matches & Games

1. This is a CFC-rated single round-robin tournament of team matches.
2. Team pairings for all rounds will be announced before the first round.
   1. Only the team pairings, not the players, will be announced.
3. Chess sets and clocks will be provided.
4. Each match consists of four (4) games on four (4) boards.
   1. Team Captains must assign players to boards no later than 5 minutes before the start of each match (7:05 pm). Doors to the tournament hall open at 6:00 pm.
      • If an assigned player does not appear, the game is forfeited.  Teams need to be disciplined enough to handle their no-shows by 7:05 pm.
   2. Players are assigned to boards in the order of their team’s roster.
      • A team member who appears after another team member on the roster cannot play on a board before that other team member.  Teams must ensure the correct assignment of players to boards (arbiter can award forfeits or reasonable penalties).
   3. If fewer than four players are available, the first boards must be assigned players and the latter boards left empty (and forfeited).  If both teams leave a board empty, both teams will forfeit (score zero).
   4. Team Captains (or delegates) are responsible for recording which player plays on which board.  This is important for correctly rating the games.
      • May be reported on the forms provided at the match.
      • Otherwise, it must be emailed to hhchess@utoronto.ca.
   5. Team Captains (or delegates) are responsible for reporting the results of each game to the tournament coordinator(s).
      • May be reported on the forms provided at the match.
      • Otherwise, it must be emailed to hhchess@utoronto.ca 
5. Each game:
   1. Is played according to the rules of CFC.
   2. Is played at a time control of game in 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move with chess notation required for every move.
   3. The pairings assign a colour to each team.  Team players will play that colour on boards 1 and 3 and the opposite colour on boards 2 and 4.
   4. The game is forfeited after 60 minutes or 8:10 pm.  This extra time is allowed for Toronto’s unpredictable rush hour traffic.  Both forfeit if both do not appear. 
6. Scoring:
   1. Each game is awarded one game point for a win, ½ game point for a draw, and zero game points for a loss or forfeit.
   2. The winner of a match is the team with the most game points.
   3. Each match is awarded 2 match points for a win, 1 match point for a tie, and zero match points for a loss.
7. Cheating:  All participants must act in ways to prevent the possibility of cheating and, equally important, the suspicion of cheating.
   1. Cheating is VERY serious and will be handled as such.
   2. Electronic devices (phones, tablets, computers, etc):
      • It is highly recommended that you do NOT bring your electronic devices into the playing venue.  Leave them in your car or at home.
      • If you do bring an electronic device into the playing venue, turn the power off.  Your game will be forfeited if your phone rings near ANY chessboard.
      • If you must use your electronic device for an unavoidable non-chess purpose, notify the arbiter.  The arbiter must be present at any time the electronic device is powered on and/or away from the game table (especially outside the playing, hallways, washrooms, etc.).
        • If the arbiter is not available, find another impartial witness.

Tournament Tiebreaks

• During the Qualification Stage (applied in the following order, eliminating as you go):
  1. Team with the most match points.
  2. Team with the most game points in all matches.
  3. Team with the most match points with all other tied teams.
  4. Team with the most game points with all other tied teams.
  5. Team with the most game points on boards 1, 2, and 3 with all other tied teams.
  6. Team with the most game points on boards 1 and 2 with all other tied teams.
  7. Team with the most game points on board 1 with all other tied teams.
  8. Highest rated team.  If still tied (extremely unlikely), flip a coin.

• For the Finals Stage (applied in the following order, eliminating as you go):
  1. Team with the most match points.
  2. Team with the most game points in all matches.
  3. Team with the most match points with all other tied teams.
  4. Team with the most game points with all other tied teams.
  5. Team with the higher place in qualification stage.
  6. Team with the most match points in qualification stage.
  7. Team with the most game points in qualification stage.
  8. Highest rated team.  
• The trophy is awarded to one team, the winner, after tiebreaks (if necessary).

Appeals Committee

1. The Appeals Committee will consist of all the Team Captains.
2. For each appeal, any Team Captain(s) who have a direct interest in the outcome of the appeal will be excluded from voting.
3. The committee will be responsible for decisions on appeals to the arbiter’s decisions, complaints, exceptions to posted rules, and any other appropriate rulings.
4. For any tied votes, the arbiter will cast the deciding vote.

Playing in your first chess tournament, or need a refresher before you play? This is the comprehensive guide to playing in your first chess tournament at the Hart House Chess Club (HHCC) and in Canada in general. Most tournaments in Canada will follow these guidelines but check the tournament page for tournament-specific rules. Generally, tournaments will follow the most up to date International Chess Federation (FIDE) Laws of Chess. Most tournaments hosted by HHCC will be Chess Federation of Canada (CFC) rated and follow their Handbook.

Please remember that these guidelines are to prepare unrated and players requiring a refresher before tournaments. It should not be taken as the tournament’s official rules, simply as guidelines. Please reach out to the organizers before the tournament to confirm the rules of the respective tournament.

CHESS TERMS

Time Controls: Most CFC-rated classical tournaments will follow a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment – any game played with 60 minutes per side (including increment based on 60 moves) is considered classical. Players have 90 minutes at the start of the game, with 30 seconds added following each move. There may be slight adjustments to this time control based on tournaments. CFC active-rated tournaments will also follow different time controls. 

Touch Move: Most tournaments will have touch moves in force. Any touch of a piece requires you to move that piece unless you cannot move that piece (for instance, in check). You must say “I adjust” or “J’adoubé” (in French) to adjust your pieces during your turn. Players are not allowed to adjust during their opponent’s time.

Notation: Chess notation is required for all moves, even if low on time, when there is a 30-second increment per move. All HHCC classical rated tournaments will required notation of all moves. Paper scoresheets (to record moves) will be provided by organizers. Carbon-copy papers may be used to allow organizers/arbiters the ability to keep a record of games. Tournaments will indicate if this rule is not in effect. Generally, CFC-Active rated events do not require notation.

Ratings: Tournaments will either be rated or unrated. Rated tournaments will result in an “Elo rating.” Unrated tournaments do not require a CFC membership, while CFC-rated tournaments do, unless tournaments are junior-only. Some tournaments will also be FIDE rated. FIDE-rated events do not require membership for participants. CFC-Active ratings are often used for quicker-timed tournaments. 

Tournament Format: Most new-to-chess participants will play in a Swiss format in individual chess tournaments. A swiss format means that you are not eliminated after your first match. If you lose your first match, you will most likely be paired with someone else who also loses their first match. You will be paired based on your cumulative score after each round. There are very few chess tournaments worldwide that use a knockout format. The other format commonly seen in smaller, restricted, or team-based tournaments is the Round Robin format. This format means that everyone plays each other once, and most likely, your pairings will be known beforehand. 

Chess Variants: Most tournaments will be played in the standard chess set-up. Tournaments will state if it uses a variant, such as Fischer Random (Chess 960), Bughouse, or Duck Chess. 

Byes: Sometimes a conflicting event happens during a tournament. Instead of not playing entirely, you can request a “bye”. Byes should be requested before the tournament. This allows you to still compete in the tournament and still get points. You won’t be paired for that round but will be paired in subsequent rounds. At HHCC, 1/2 point byes are only given if requested by Round 1 and not in the final 2 rounds. If requested mid-tournament, they will be 0-point.

GENERAL CHESS ETIQUETTE

Eating: Food is not allowed in the playing hall of HHCC tournaments. Water stations will usually be provided. 

Washrooms: When it is your opponent’s turn, you should not tell your opponent that you are leaving to use the washroom or fill your water bottle. This is considered a distraction and is not needed. You also do not need to tell the arbiter that you are leaving to use the washroom. It is expected that participants stay within the tournament halls, which will be defined by the tournament organizers before the tournament. You are not allowed to leave your own board when it is your turn.

Phone use: Any electronic device that could be used to transmit or receive information related to chess or to calculate potential moves, such as smartphones, tablets, computers and smartwatches, are not allowed in the tournament playing area (the tournament director and TD’s support staff are excluded). Further, no such devices can be in the immediate possession of a player, regardless of the player’s location, during a game in progress. Violating this rule by a player will result in the player’s immediate forfeit of a game in progress. 

Disputes: When there are disputes about a game, pause the clock and get the arbiter’s attention. There is not much that can be done when the match is over.

Illegal Moves: When a player makes an illegal move, it will be penalized with a 2 minute addition to the opponent’s clock. The second illegal move is a forfeit (loss). This rule follows the FIDE handbook.

Withdrawals: When unable to finish a tournament, you must tell the arbiter or organizers. A “forfeit” is awarded for no-shows, and may prevent you from playing in future tournaments. Participants should also consider “byes”, which allow players to skip rounds and return.

Communicating with others: During the game, participants are not allowed to communicate with others regarding their game, regardless of whether in-person or online. This is considered cheating.

Leaving the board: Players can only leave their board during their opponent’s turn. Players should not tell their opponent or the arbiter before doing so.

Dress: The North American amateur chess community has no dress code to follow. Higher levels of chess will require stricter dress requirements. 

Spectators: Generally, spectators are allowed at chess tournaments. Major chess events will provide seating and screens/demonstration boards to allow spectators to follow the top boards. Players playing a concurrent game are generally also allowed to spectate other ongoing matches. 

On Friday, November 4th, the Hart House Chess Club welcomed GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Eric Rosen, and WGM Nemo Zhou to a quick meet-and-greet with HHCC members and the Toronto community.

Participants were able to play blitz games, sign autographs, and take selfies with the chess celebrities. Today’s visit marked another successful event the HHCC participated in with esteemed guests this year: lending GM Garry Kasparov chess boards during Collision 2022, hosting a simul with GM Evgeny Bareev, hosting a simul with IM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, hosting FM James Canty III, and lending chess sets/clocks used by Gothamchess (IM Levy Rozman), GM Fabiano Caruana for the CGC.

Come check out our signed boards that will be displayed and raffled during the Hart House Rapid Championship next Saturday.