The Etobicoke Sidewinder FIDE Open

I) Info

II) Registration

III) Prizes

IV) Playing up

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I. Info

@ Etobicoke Civic Center, Meeting rooms 1, 2 and 3 downstairs

Board room upstairs for game analysis and non-CFC games

399 The West Mall, Etobicoke (Toronto) ON

TIME CTRL: 40m+30s increment (Regular / classical rating)

March 23rd 2024 : R1 @ 9a

R2@ 1230p

R3@ 330 p

March 24th 2024 : R4 @ 9a

R5 @ 1230p

R6 @ 330p

CFC / FIDE sections: U1100/U1500/U1800

CFC players who are FIDE unrated will be placed in a FIDE section that is approx. 150 points lower than their rating. For example, 1800-rated CFC players will be placed in the U1800 FIDE section. A 1650 CFC player will play U1500.

You need a CFC membership to play in this tournament. To obtain a CFC ID to play in the tournament, visit www.chess.ca.

If you register (by donating as below) but your CFC is expired, we will cancel the e-transfer and send you One notification via e-mail. If it happens again, we will cancel the e-transfer and will not roster you until you register with an active CFC number. It is up to each player to only donate and register when they have an active CFC number. The CFC will show you how to do this, you can check with the website or with info@chess.ca before donating and registering for our tournament.

The maximum FIDE rating allowed at this tournament is 1799. We are unable to accomodate the minimum time control required for 1800+ FIDE players.

Rating sections, round times and time controls are subject to change, but whatever you see above is the most current update on tournament format.

Family members: forbidden pairings are allowed for rounds 1-4. What happens in rounds 5 and 6 depends on the outcome of the tournament. Family members may end up playing each other at some point, and there may not be anything we can do about it in order to protect the integrity of the tournament.

Free Parking at the Civic Center (come early and drive into one of the lots), subway/TTC accessible, for directions check maps.google.com

No Round 5 byes, round 5 missed games are full-point forfeits
Forfeit time is 15 minutes
Registration closes at 11:59 pm on March 21st 2024
Links to pairings and other links for the tournament will be posted on the main ECC page
Players will be seated at 845 AM
The first round will start at the needle drop of 9 AM
40+30 was chosen as a time control because we have the space from 8 am to 6 pm, and we don’t want to rush players between rounds. We want people to have time to breathe, eat, and analyze their games, but we also want them to have quality games, which is achievable at this time control. 60+30 was calculated as too long a time control for our time constraints.
Bring your own water bottles and refill them at the water fountain on the main floor.
We will not supply snacks this time, because we need more tournaments to accumulate funds. We may supply lunch if possible, but be prepared to buy or bring your own.
II. Registration

60 spots, first come first serve.

No confirmations: If your name appears in the list below, it means you have been registered. We update the list once a week on Fridays sometime before midnight. On the week of the tournament, our last update will go in before pairings are entered, assuming we’re not full by then.

This tournament will be FIDE rated as well as CFC rated. FIDE rating and CFC rating will be assigned to all participants.

You must donate some amount of money up front to be registered. We are doing a FIDE-rated tournament this time because we want to create more opportunities for access to chess on an international scale, in Etobicoke. The money for your entry donation will go towards CFC rating, FIDE rating, and the cost of a National Arbiter to be compliant with FIDE tournament regulations.

As this is a non-profit event run on public space, there will be chess activities available for non-CFC non-FIDE players. If you like chess and you just want to show up and check things out and play, we will have something for you to do.

The only way to register for the tournament is to e-transfer us some donated amount of money with your info in the e-transfer link, before registration closes. We do not take cash, we do not register people who have not donated.

i) Registration

e-transfer a donation to etobicokechessclub@gmail.com with description:

(First name) (Last Name) / (rating) / (CFC ID) / (FIDE ID) / (Email) / (Phone number) / (bye requests)

For any questions, please email etobicokechessclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We do NOT accept tournament sign-ups over e-mail without an e-transfered donation. If you send us your details by email but there’s no donation, you will not be registered until you donate. We will not remind you or reply/debate this with you. If you do not register with the above e-transfer donation method, we will not pair you and you will not play. We need to streamline our process so we can hold more tournaments and reduce organizer burden.

Once you donate, your donation cannot be reversed unless we cancel the tournament (which is not likely unless there is another public health crisis). If you have to drop out of the tournament before the start date, we will not be able to return your donation, but we will un-register you as requested.

III) Prizes

– CFC and FIDE rating points

– Bragging rights

– Everlasting Glory

We do not believe in handing out trophies, ribbons, or prize money. Chess is not an easy sport. Our tournaments are particularly difficult, because they our players who are only interested in playing solid chess and winning. At our tournaments, our players don’t make prize money or medals or trophies. Our players make history.

IV) Playing up

There is no fee for playing up a section, but you must be within 100 rating points of that section to play in it. If you’re CFC unrated, you must have previously won a chess championship on some national level in order to be allowed to play up. This is called the Ghaytasvand exception. Look for “Parviz Ghaytasvand” in the “Champions” section of our website to learn why this is allowed.

You may also play up if you are CFC unrated and you win a “Trial by Combat” or “Challenge Game”.

– Come to club night on a Friday

– Challenge a CFC-rated player who plays in your targeted section

– If the rated player agrees, you’d have to play against them at a time control of their choosing, for one game, and they choose colours.

– If you win or draw, you play in their section. If you do not win or draw, you will be placed in the lowest section of the tournament and will have to challenge for the next highest section.

If you initially challenged for one level higher than the lowest section, you do not get another challenge game and you’ll have to play in the lowest section we have to offer, as most unrated players are made to do during any chess tournament. If you are wondering, as an unrated player, why we are allowing you to play up if you draw against a rated player instead of having to beat them, I encourage you to come play a challenge game on a club night, try to achieve a draw against a nationally rated player, and watch what happens.