Organiser’s Details

Position	Name
Chief Organiser	Winston Zhao Chen
Chief Arbiter	IA Charles Zworestine
Deputy Chief Arbiter	IA Peter Tsai
Arbiter	NA Bevan Clouston
Arbiter	FA Winston Zhao Chen

Time Control

Tournament	Time Control
Sydney Open Chess Championship	90 minutes + 30 seconds per move
Sydney Classic Chess Championships	90 minutes + 30 seconds per move
Sydney Blitz Chess Championships	3 minutes + 2 seconds per move

Byes

Only two half-point byes are permitted in the Sydney Open and Classic Chess Championships. No half-point byes are permitted in Rounds 8 and 9. Half-point byes must be requested before the start of the previous round. (e.g. For a half-point bye in Round 4, it must be requested at the latest before the start of Round 3)

No half-point byes are permitted in the Sydney Open Blitz Chess Championships.

Forfeits

For the Sydney Open and Classic Chess Championships, the forfeit time is 30 minutes from the start of the round.

For the Sydney Open Blitz Chess Championships, the forfeit time occurs after flagfall has occurred on the clock.

Players who are forfeited will be withdrawn from the tournament automatically unless a valid reason, at the Chief Arbiter and Chief Organiser’s discretion, is provided for the absence. Players without a valid reason for the absence must pay a $50 fee to re-enter the tournament. The fee is $20 for the Blitz.

Rules

All games played are under the FIDE Laws of Chess.

Please familiarise yourself with the FIDE Laws of Chess before the start of the tournament.

Any players caught with a phone or other digital device in their possession (regardless if it is on or off) will immediately lose the game.

No draws under 20 moves will be accepted by the arbiter unless by three-fold repetition (i.e. Both players must have played 20 moves before a draw is allowed unless the draw occurred by three-fold repetition). As this is a Championship, players are expected to play “normally” at all times. Pre-arranged or absurd games will not be accepted, and both players will receive a double forfeit.

Juniors under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent at all times, except during their game.

All phones in the playing area must be switched off. No phones may be taken out of the playing area without the permission of the Chief Arbiter and Chief Organiser, with the exception of the first 10 minutes of a Round, when photos and videos may be taken.

Players who have completed their games are considered to be spectators. Spectators are not to disturb the players in the playing area.

Spectators or players who disturb the playing environment will receive only one warning. The second violation will result in expulsion from the event.

Players are to provide the organisers with the original copy of their scoresheet. Players can keep the carbonless copy page of their scoresheet.

Pairing Rules

Pairings will follow the FIDE Dutch Swiss System. This means no players are knocked out of the tournament, and everyone will get a game!

Pairings in the Open and the Blitz will be done via the FIDE Approved Baku Acceleration Method.

Pairings in the Classic will follow the regular FIDE Dutch Swiss System.

The results are to be written down on the result slip and signed by both players. Even if the result entered on the slip is incorrect, once submitted, it shall stand.

Full results of each Round will be published immediately after the end of the last game on the website, followed by the draw for the next round.

The Direct Encounter, Bucholtz Total, Bucholtz Cut 1, and Bucholtz Cut 2 will be used as tie-breakers in the final standings in that order.

Photography and Videography

Spectators are permitted to take photos and videos of the playing area following the first 10 minutes after the start of the round. Afterwards, only photographers and videographers authorised by the Chief Organiser and Chief Arbiter of the event are allowed to use cameras within the playing area. No flash photography is permitted under any circumstances.

Appeals

In the Open and Classic sections, if players disagree with the arbiter’s decision, they are entitled to appeal to the Deputy Chief Arbiter, followed by the Chief Arbiter. If the player wishes to appeal the decision of the Chief Arbiter further, an appeal must be made to the Appeals Committee. A $100 bond is to be lodged with the appeal, which may be refunded, depending on the decision of the Appeals Committee.

No appeals are permitted following the Chief Arbiter’s decision in the Blitz. (Article 11.10 of the FIDE Laws of Chess)

The appeals committee is still to be finalised, with details updated here when available.