Tournament Rules

Contents:  Tournament Format  ·  Rounds & Absences  ·  Conduct & Devices  ·  Administrative

aRanking system at the start of the tournament: the pairings for the open section are made based on ELO (Swiss on Rating), with the FIDE-ELO taking precedence over the national ELO (likewise for the category classification). The ranking of 1 July 2026 will be used for the open series; the ranking of 1 June 2026 for the expert and women series.
Transmission of results: the results of the open will be submitted for FIDE ELO processing only.

bThe Sofia rules apply, meaning that a game must have a minimum of 20 moves.

cRules of play: the latest version of the FIDE rules applies.

dTime control: the Fischer time control of 40 moves in 1h30, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one.

eTiebreaks in case of equal points: the tiebreaks for the experts and women are as follows: direct encounter – Sonneborn-Berger – Koya – progression; in the open section: direct encounter – Buchholz cut 1 – Buchholz – Sonneborn-Berger – progression.

fAnnounced absence: in the open section, a player may be absent for one or more rounds. That player will not be paired and receives no points. Absences must be reported to an arbiter and recorded and signed on the absence list on the arbiter’s table. This must be done at the latest before the end of the round preceding the one for which the player is absent.

gPairings: the pairings for the experts and ladies sections will be announced in advance. The pairings in the open section are made using the latest version of the pairing program –to be determined–.

hBYE: if a player has a bye, he/she does not need to be present for that round and receives one point. Each player must check for themselves whether they have a bye or not. The organisation will not personally notify players of this.

iForfeit: players who forfeit a round without notifying one of the contact persons before the start of the next round will not be paired again for subsequent rounds. Unjustified forfeits will also be reported to the RBCF, which may impose further sanctions.

jContact person: if a player must forfeit a round due to force majeure or unforeseen circumstances, this must be reported as soon as possible to the tournament director –to be determined–.

kMobile phones/watches/electronic devices: according to the new FIDE rules, it is forbidden to bring a mobile phone or any other electronic communication device into the playing area (i.e., everywhere in the building: the playing hall, the toilets, the bar, the analysis room, the smoking area). However, the RBCF guidelines are more lenient. During their game, a player may not have a mobile phone (or any other electronic communication device) on their person. If it is found that they do have such a device on them, they lose the game and their opponent wins. Players are therefore asked to leave their mobile phone at home, at their accommodation or in their car at their own responsibility, or to place it switched off next to the board or hand it in at the arbiter’s table. It is also permitted for a player entering the playing hall after a round has already started to resolve their phone situation before making their first move. The same applies to the use of all types of watches, including mechanical ones. If it is found that such a device is not switched off in the playing hall, the playing owner receives a 10-minute deduction the first time and loses the game the second time. If this results in a time forfeit, they lose the game.

lBehaviour:

• It is forbidden to disturb the opponent in any way.
• Analysis and blitz chess in the playing hall are not permitted.
• Each player must sign both score sheets at the end of the game. The winner (or in the case of a draw, the player with the white pieces) brings the original score sheets to the arbiter’s table.
• Each player bears shared responsibility for keeping the tournament venue tidy. Waste is deposited in the designated places.
• A no-smoking rule applies throughout the entire tournament venue. The organisation will designate an area where smoking is permitted.

mAppeals committee:

• Before the start of the first round, an appeals committee is formed. Its composition is then posted in the tournament hall.
• If a player disagrees with the decision of the chief arbiter, he/she can lodge a written appeal. This appeal must be submitted to the chief arbiter within half an hour after the end of the relevant game. In addition to this appeal, a deposit of €100 must also be provided.
• If the appeals committee determines that the appeal is wholly or partially justified, the deposit will be refunded in full. Otherwise, the organisation will transfer the deposit to the account of the RBCF.

nPrizes: the prize distribution for the open will be announced at the latest before the third round. The prizes for the experts, the ladies and the ranking prizes in the open section are shared; all other prizes are not shared. Prizes are not cumulative. A player receives the best prize for him/her. If a player has won prizes of the same amount and can only receive one prize, the order of determining which prize he/she has won is: first the ranking prize, then the rating prize, and finally the ladies’ prize.

oPrize ceremony: the prize ceremony on Sunday 12 July is planned for 17:00. Attendance is compulsory in order to be entitled to the prizes. Unless in case of force majeure, at the discretion of the organisers, an absent player may not be represented and thereby forfeits their prize.