April 2021 Tuesday Night Marathon Online

Three Tuesdays: April 13, 20, 27

USCF Online Regular Rated event via Chess.com
Open for everyone! 

Information: https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/april-2021-tuesday-night-marathon-online

Registration: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2021OnlineTournaments/Apr2021TNMOnline

1. Platform

• The tournament is played on Chess.com.
• Free account is sufficient to play in the tournament. No Chess.com account yet? Easy to make, just follow the instructions below.
• See Eligibility for more details on chess.com accounts.
   

2. Dates

• Three Tuesdays in April 2021: April 13, 20, 27
   

3. Tournament format:

• Tournament format: individual Swiss
• Total Round: 6 rounds  ---   2 rounds each night
• Round times: each Tuesday 6:30PM & 8:00PM Pacific Time (GMT+8)
• Time control: G/35+2  (Game in 35 minutes with 2 second increment with each move.)
• Games will be US Chess online regular rated - tournament will be submitted 7-14 days after the tournament to allow all games to be screened for fair play.
• Sections: 1800+ & u1800 (see eligibility for players in the 1800+ section)
• Pairings are based on the April 2021 OTB or ONL supplemental regular US Chess rating. The higher rating will be used for pairing purposes.
• Pairings for each round are posted on a Google Sheet as well as here.

3.A. How to Play?

• Welcome email is sent out before the tournament that explains all the details how to play in the tournament. Be sure to provide a correct email when registering for the event!
• Players must be logged in to chess.com AND stay on chess.com/live at the start of the round and wait for their game to pop up!
• Players must NOT engage in any play (game, challenge, other tournanment).
• Games are MANUALLY STARTED by the Chief TD and will automatically pop up for every player. White's clock will automatically start, and games will NOT be aborted due to no move.
• Tournament Help Desk is available for any player who needs to get in touch with the Chief TD. Zoom link to the Help Desk is shared with every player registered for the event.
• NEW: communication channel for the players to interact with each other is now available through Discord.
  Please connect via: https://discord.gg/mbb2cwzU9w
   

4. Byes

• Byes are available for players in any rounds in case they can't participate but would like to stay in the tournament.
• Max 3 half-point byes can be requested in this tournament.
• Round 1-4 byes must be requested 15 minutes prior to the round start time.
• Round 5-6 byes must be requested before start of Round 1. Round 6 bye is irrevocable to prevent prize fund manipulations.
• Late registrations will receive a 0.5 bye for any missed round, up to total 3 rounds.
   

5. Prize Fund

• NEW Increased Prize Fund: $1000 based on 50 paid entries

• Prizes are paid out after fair play review has been completed, and results are finalized.
• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing prize checks.
• Per IRS rules anyone with a cumulative $600+ prizes in any calendar year will need to fill out a W9 and Mechanics' Institute will be providing a 1099 form. More details coming soon.
   

6. Registration

• MI library member: $30
• Non-MI library member: $50
• Play-up fee: $10 (Only available for players with USCF rating 1600+. Players with rating under 1600 are not eligible.)
• $5 admin fee for all cancellations & refunds.
   

7. Eligibility

• Players must have current US Chess Federation membership. Expiration date of their US Chess membership must be later than the last day of the tournament.
• Not sure if you have a membership? Need to check the expiration date of your members? Visit: https://new.uschess.org/player-search
• Become a member or renew your membership: https://new.uschess.org/player-search
• Players must have a chess.com account in good standing. Any previously closed account must be disclosed to the organizer by sending a confidential email to chessroom@milibrary.org.
• 1800+ section eligibility: players must have a minimum 1600 USCF OTB or ONL supplemental rating in order to be eligible to play in the 1800+ section.
   

8. Tournament rules

• Standard US Chess rules apply, with special focus on the Chapter 10 Online Chess rules.
• Forfeit time is 15 minutes: if player is not logged in by 6:45pm and 8:15pm, respectively, the opponent will be awarded a forfeit win.
   

9. Fair play

• Monitoring requirements:

• Players must abide by US Chess’s Rules of Chess and Code of Ethics, as well as by Chess.com’s Community Policies. Players may not use external chess assistance of any kind: no computer engine, no database, no chess program, no book, no hand-written notes, no other person, etc.
• Fair play screening: all games will be screened by both Chess.com and by Dr. Kenneth W. Regan, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo.
• US Chess online rated tournament - most USCF rules and consequences apply.
• Players should not use any outside assistance: not have other browsers open and not be talking to other people during their games
• Players found or believed to be violating fair play are not eligible for a prize and their account will be removed from Mechanics' group.
• Players who are confirmed to be using outside assistance will be reported to US Chess and restricted from future Mechanics' online and over-the-board events.
• Parents - Please help us educate your child that IT'S SIMPLY NOT WORTH THE RISK!
• Prize distributions and rating submission will take place AFTER all games have been screened.
• If you believe you have circumstances that would necessitate an alternative, please contact us.