Galway Rapidplay 2023

Here are links to the final standings, cross-table and the full list of prize-winners (pictures of prize-winners receiving their prizes will go up shortly).

Saturday 17 June 2023

Venue:  Bridge Centre, St Mary’s Road, Galway

(For directions to the Bridge Centre, see this link)

Start time: 11.00 a.m. (sharp)

Expected finishing time: before 7 p.m.

There will be a break for refreshments after round 4

Rate of play: 15 minutes per player per game, plus a 10 second increment per move.

Number of rounds: 7 (Accelerated pairing may be used if the number of entrants warrants it.)

Tournament Capacity

The capacity of the venue is 80 players, so we cannot accept further entries once that number has been reached, which it now has been [update: May 22nd].  If you have not already entered, you may still submit an entry form to be put on a waiting list.  If you have not entered and yet turn up at the venue on the day, your entry will be accepted only to replace any no-shows, and to start playing in round 2.

Please note that there is some space at the venue for parents and spectators, but we cannot accommodate non-playing children.

Number of entries (22 May): 82. The list of entries so far is here

Entry Procedure

UPDATE MAY 22nd: WE HAVE 80 PARTICIPANTS REGISTERED, SO ENTRIES HAVE CLOSED. If you wish to be put on a waiting list and notified if/when anyone withdraws, please submit an entry form and we will get back to you. We will notify you about how to pay the entry fee if/when we are able to accept your entry.

Fill in and send the Entry Form, and then pay the entry fee of €15 when your entry has been accepted.

Entries will close when 80 entries have been accepted.

If you have not entered and yet turn up at the venue on the day, your entry will be accepted only to replace any no-shows, and to start playing in round 2.

We will return entry fees (less Paypal’s handling charge) if you have paid but then find that you cannot attend the tournament, provided that you inform us at least a week before the start of the tournament – in order to allow us time to find a replacement if the tournament is full.

In accordance with standard international practice, the organizers have the right to refuse any entry without giving a reason.

Prizes

1^st                                                               200

2^nd                                                              125

3^rd                                                                75

Grading Prize                                              50

Best Junior                                                  50

Best Senior                                                  50

Best Female Player                                     50

The prize fund may be decreased if there are fewer than 40 entrants, and will be increased if there are more than 50 entrants [Update 18 May: the prize fund is now guaranteed, and will definitely be increased; exactly how that will be done will depend on the profile of entrants.]

If there is a tie on game points, prize money will be divided equally between the tied players.

The Junior, Senior and Female prizes will only be awarded if there are at least 5 entrants in the category.

A junior is anybody under 18 on the date of the tournament: i.e. born on or after 18 June 2005.

A senior is anybody over 65 on the date of the tournament: i.e. born on or before 17 June 1958.

The Best Junior, Best Senior and Best Female prize can be won in combination with any of the other prizes; the grading prize cannot be won in combination with the prize for first, second or third place.

Any prizewinner can receive an engraved trophy to an equivalent value should they wish.

Timetable

Round 1 will start at 11 a.m. prompt.  If we have reached capacity, the pairings for round 1 will be made at 10.30 a.m.; otherwise at 10.50.  If you have entered and are unable to play, we would appreciate being informed so that you are not included in the pairings for the first round.

Subsequent rounds will start 2 minutes after the pairings for that round have been released; the pairings will be released as soon as possible after the completion of the previous round.  Each player will be allowed at least a 5-minute break between games.

It is each player’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is at their board at the time their game commences.

There will be a break for refreshments after round 4; food and drink will be available for purchase at the venue.

Default

There will be no separate default procedure, but any player who arrives at their board 15 minutes late will have lost on time (unless he is black and his opponent is also late).  In the event that neither player has arrived at the board within 15 minutes, the game will be scored as a loss for both players.

Any player who loses on time without have played a move will be deemed to have withdrawn from the tournament.  Such a player can be reinstated at the discretion of the arbiter, but no player will be reinstated twice.

Mobile Phones

You are strongly advised not to bring a mobile phone with you, nor any other device capable of communicating with others or assisting play.  If you do bring such a thing, it must be switched off whenever your game is in progress.  It must also be switched off at all times that it is in the playing room (this applies to spectators and parents, as well as players).  If your device makes any noise during your game you will automatically lose that game; if your device makes any noise in the venue during play (including if you are a spectator) you may be excluded from the playing area.

Ratings

The primary ratings for determining seeding and eligibility for grading prizes will be FIDE Rapid Ratings if more than half of the entrants (excluding any entrants on the day) have such a rating.  Otherwise (and in any case for all entrants without a FIDE rapid rating) we will use the latest published ICU rating.  For any entrant who does not have a FIDE or ICU rating, we will use our best estimate.

Playing Rules

The FIDE rules for rapid tournaments will apply. (See the FIDE Laws of Chess, Appendix A.  Section A5 will apply.).  These are the normal rules of chess (including touch-move); the main alterations are as follows.

(a)  You do not have to record your moves.  You may do so if you wish, but score sheets will not be provided.

(b)  Illegal moves.  The standard rules apply, except that once the opponent has made his next move, an illegal move cannot be corrected unless this is agreed by the players without intervention of the arbiter. It is allowed for player B to point out to A that A’s move was illegal and invite him/her to try again, without involving the arbiter, subject to complying with the touch-move rule if appropriate.

(c)  Illegal positions.  “If the arbiter observes both kings are in check … he shall wait until the next move is completed. Then, if an illegal position is still on the board, he shall declare the game drawn.”

A note to spectators.  If you are watching a game and see that an illegal move has been made, you must not point this out to the players (or to anybody else); if you see that a player has exceeded the time limit you may point this out to the arbiter, but not the players.

Claiming Draws.

Note that Allegro rules do not apply; that is, you cannot claim a draw because you believe your opponent is not attempting to win.  The circumstances in which you can claim a draw (in addition to the players agreeing a draw, which can be done at any time) are as follows:

(i)   stalemate;

(ii)  by repetition or under the 50-move rule.  However, it is very difficult to establish either of these when the moves of the game are not being recorded;

(iii) if your opponent has insufficient mating material.  However, note that this is interpreted strictly: you can only claim a draw if there is no sequence of legal moves that can lead to you being mated.  Thus you can claim a draw with king v. king and knight, but not with king and knight v. king and knight.  (I would request that players try to be sensible, and, for instance, agree a draw when faced with king and knight v. king and knight, unless their opponent seems to be flirting with one of the mating positions.)

The laws require the arbiter to intervene and declare a game drawn if in his opinion 75 consecutive moves have been completed without a pawn move or a capture.  The arbiter may also intervene and declare a draw if in his opinion neither side is playing for a win, and if the tournament schedule would be disrupted by allowing the game to continue; this will only be done if the game has already lasted at least an hour (i.e., at least 90 moves).

Appeals

Given the restricted time-frame for this tournament, it is not possible to have an appeals procedure; therefore, all decisions of the arbiter will be final.  Please remember that the arbiter is human(ish), and has a lot of things to do simultaneously; it is therefore possible that he will make a mistake (or mistakes).  In such circumstances, please be considerate and accept the error with good grace.

Queries and questions

If you are in doubt about anything to do with the arrangements for this tournament, please do email us at galwaychess[at]gmail[dot]com .