By registering for a TCA online tournament, you agree to the following Fair Play Rules:
Lichess, Internet Chess Club (ICC), Chess.com, and ChessKid (hereafter known as “the host”) will use its own algorithms to pair and monitor games. Tennessee Chess Association will manually analyze select games at its discretion.
You agree that all your moves must be your own. You will not get help from anyone or anything else, including coaches, friends, parents, chess engines, books or any other software/materials of any kind. Nor will you have a phone, tablet, or any other electronic device in the same room while you are playing in this tournament. You are only allowed to have one browser tab open and no other programs running on your computer with the exception of zoom when required. Violating this rule is a “technical forfeiture”. If you are discovered to be in violation of the rule, you will be disqualified.
Do not interfere with the game-play of other members. If you suspect your opponent is using outside help, this is not an excuse for you to do the same. Please report the player to host software or TCA tournament directors. In the event that a player is banned or flagged by the host, the player should decide whether they wish to contest the ban or flagging, and if so they should make an appeal to the host in the first instance as soon as is practical after the allegation has been made or sanction applied. The TCA will have no involvement in this process which is between the player and the host.
You agree that tournament host software and TCA will make the final determination on any fair play issue. TCA will make the final decision on any player penalties, including (but not limited to) removal from the event, loss of prizes and no entry fee refund, and post-event adverse action against your TCA membership privileges. If you violate the hosts Fair Play Policy, then the host will close your account and label it as having violated the Fair Play Policy.
You agree to use your “normal” (most widely used, longtime) host account for the main event and (if held) any associated warm-up events. If players are found to be competing by using anything other than their normal account, they will be disqualified.
By entering this event, you (and your parent or guardian in a scholastic event) acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Fair Play Policies. If either of you does not agree to all of them, then do not register for this event.
If required, players must enable video in a Zoom meeting while playing. Players must agree to Zoom requests by tournament staff, including turning on audio and video, giving a scan of the area around a player, adjusting the camera angle, etc.
Initial results posted will be tentative, pending tournament review for up to three weeks. All fair play adjustments made by tournament staff are final and are not appealable. The tournament directors may, at their discretion, rule that all games of a player in a tournament are forfeited due to a fair play violation. The scores of the forfeited players’ opponents shall be adjusted as follows:
- If there are 2 or more rounds remaining in the tournament, the players will receive a full point, unplayed bye.
- If the tournament has been concluded, or there is one round remaining, opponents who lost to the forfeited player shall receive a half point bye, and opponents who drew with the forfeited player shall receive an unplayed win.
Players are expected to familiarize themselves with the operation of the host platform prior to playing in matches or club events. This includes the circumstances in which a game may be terminated by the platform. For example, timeouts for not making the first move in time or loss of connection. Circumstances vary between platforms.
Eligibility/Section
TCA online tournaments are open to Tennessee players only. Players must play in the section that corresponds to their current US Chess online rating or US Chess regular rating, whichever is higher.
Prizes
Prizes are awarded based on US Chess online rating or US Chess regular rating, whichever is higher. Tiebreaks will be Modified Median, Solkoff, Cumulative, Cumulative of Opposition, Median, Kashdan, Sonnenberger, coin toss.
Be Aware
With online chess tournaments, as with any other online activity, we are at the mercy of the Internet. There is nothing we (TCA) can do to eliminate or fix Internet-related problems. Anyone choosing to enter an online tournament should be aware that there is a risk that their participation might be impaired, interrupted or terminated due to a condition that is completely out of our control.
We recommend that players join the tournament well before the tournament starting time and minimize roaming around the site. In the last ten minutes before the tournament starts players should check their internet connection and make sure that they are still on the player list for their tournament. Please be careful to be in the tournament lobby area at the time pairings are made for any round. To avoid last-minute problems, players are urged to join well before the starting time and in any case no later than ten minutes before the starting time. Players who have not joined by the starting time will not be paired until the next round begins.
By registering for a TCA tournament, you acknowledge and agree to indemnify, defend, and hold the Tennessee Chess Association harmless from and against any and all liabilities, claims, causes of action or damages (including attorney’s fees) arising from the exercise of its rights herein.
COPPA / COPPR Acknowledgement
By entering this tournament, the participant (or the parent/legal guardian of the participant, if the participant is under 13 years of age as of the beginning of the event), understand and consent to the use of the player’s name and applicable chess server handle in reports about the event, including final award distribution. Further, the participant (or the parent/legal guardian of the participant, if the participant is under 13 years of age as of the beginning of the event), understand and consent to the use of the applicable chess server’s fair play algorithm during all games of the event, including the participant’s. Finally, the participant (or the parent/legal guardian of the participant, if the participant is under 13 years of age as of the beginning of the event), understand and consent to the chief tournament director having full and final authority on making determinations about fair play violations, including real-time expulsion from the event if deemed necessary. This is required in compliance with 15 U.S.C. Sections 6501-6405 and 16 CFR Part 312.
