Greater Peoria Chess Foundation

Due to the lack of qualifiying tournaments during Covid lockdowns, we are again hosting an Open Swiss System tournament to determine the match finalists. Games are played on 5 consecutive Mondays, starting September 26th.

Players are paired on Monday night and the game must be played by 7pm the next Monday. If both players are present they will play their game that evening. Absent players are allowed the 1 week grace period to play their game on an agreed time and place. Those who are registered and unable to attend that evening will be notified by email with the name and email address of their opponent.

Make up games may be played at a time and place agreed upon by the players. It may also be played online if either player should so request. You can play online at either chess.com or lichess.org by issuing a challenge to your opponent and the opponent accepting it. A free account is all that is required to play online at either site. Please contact the TD as soon as possible If you don't have the ability to play online.

Players should submit their game notation with the results. If the game is played online you can just send the URL of the game score recorded by the web site. Rulings of the web site will be considered final in cases of disputes about moves and cheating.

While entry into the championship is free to all local residents, USCF membership is a requirement.

Unplayed games are forfeited. Two feitures and the player is withdrawn from the tournament.

If there is a tie for first in the swiss, both players advance to the final match. If there is a tie between two or more players for second place, the two players will play another game, this time with colors reversed from their original encounter. If three players tie, the two lower rated players play a play in game with reversed colors and the winner then faces the highest rated player of the 3, again with colors reversed. If there are 4 tied, play in games are 1v4 and 2v3 with winners meeting, again all games are with colors reversed. If there are 5 ties, players 4 & 5 play in to the 4 player field and the winner plays 1. If there is a draw in the first playoff game, another game is played, reversing colors again. If that too is drawn, 2 more games are played at G30+5 and another 2 possible games at G5+3. If ties remain thereafter, a coin flip or other random selection is made with both players present. The G30 & G5 games will all be played in a single meeting.

The top two winners of the swiss meet in a final match. It takes at least 2 points and a lead in score to win the match. Possible scores are 2-0, 2-1, 2.5-.5, 2.5-1.5. If the score is tied at 2-2, we again go to a possible 2 games at G30+5 and 2 games at G5+3, played in a single meeting. The higher rated player receives White in the first game, colors are alternated thereafter.

NOTE: The playoff rules were unintensionally left off the rules previously published. I had to search back in time to find the actual playoff rules that were first omitted in 2016. The rules were then copied and amended each year since. This is the first time in a long time that we have neded a playoff to reach the finals. - Murrel.