1st George Koltanowski Memorial Tournament (FIDE-rated)

4-Round Swiss -- Full Weekend, FIDE-Rated Tournament

Open to Everyone!

 

Final Standings -- Prize Winners

Dates & Location -- Tournament Format -- Byes -- Prize Fund

Registration -- Eligibility -- Tournament Rules  -- Change Request Form -- FAQ
 

Masks are optional in the chess room.
Tournament capacity: 80 players

Games on the top 6 boards are broadcasted on Chess.com with a 15-minute delay:
https://www.chess.com/events/2024-1st-koltanowski-memorial

 

 

1. Dates & Location

• Saturday, August 24 - Sunday, August 25

• Location: Mechanics' Institute Chess Room
  57 Post Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104 (click here to map)

2. Tournament Format:

• Tournament Format: Individual Swiss

• Total Rounds: 4

• Round Times: Saturday 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and Sunday 10:00 am, 2:00 pm

• Time Control: G/90+30s inc  (Game in 90 minutes with a 30-second increment after each move.)

• Games will be US Chess regular-rated and FIDE-rated. Tournament results will be submitted immediately after the last round is finished.

• Sections: 2000+, 1600-1999 and under1600.

• Pairings are based on the Aug 2024 supplemental regular US Chess ratings.

• Play-up:Players must have a 1800 USCF regular supplemental or actual rating in order to be eligible to play up to the 2000+ section, and similarly, players must have a 1400 USCF regular supplemental or actual rating in order to be eligible to play up to the 1600-1999 section.

• Unrated players can only play in the u1600 section.

• To request any change, please use the Change Request Form.

 

Two notes that helped in the past to explain some particulars concerning our FIDE-rated weekend events:

1. Pairing restrictions:
As you probably well know, if the tournament is FIDE rated, we can not put in any pairing restrictions.
If however, the tournament is "only" USCF rated, US Chess rules allow us to restrict players from the same family to be paired against each other. As in the past, we will be following this rule in today's tournament.
The pairing restrictions will be in effect for Round 1-2-3.
If you notice any pairings that seemingly are not logical, or out of score group, this rule might be the explanation.
There is a rule that the pairing adjustment can't be more than 2 scoregroups, but usually this does not come to light with a 2-member family in a normal section.
The pairing restrictions for Round 4 will be under consideration:
If the two family members are both in contention for prizes, then the restrictions will be removed, and they might be paired against each other.
if they are not in prize contention AND based on the TD's evaluation the restriction would not be affecting any pairings of the players who are still in prize contention, then the restrictions may be left on. This is TD's discretion and his decision is final.
We have 4 families in this tournament who have members in the same section:
The Gu and the Liu families in the 1600-1999 section, the Munjal family in the 1200-1599 section and the Bhingarkar family in the u1200 section. If we missed any other families, please let us know ASAP!

2. Rating used for pairing and the 200-rating point playup rule:
Another rule that you all are aware by now is our 200-rating point rule. This means that only players eligible to play up who are within 200 rating points to the lower rating limit of the next section. The player can be eligible based on supplemental OR the actual rating.
Until now IF a player's supplemental rating was outside of the 200-rating point, but his actual was within - thus eligible to play up - we have listed and paired the player with the actual rating. All other players who were eligible to play up based on their supplemental, we paired them based on their supplemental rating.
This created an unfair situation when determining who's getting the bye in case of an odd number of players, mainly in the first round, but it can also affect any rounds theoretically.
From now on, we are making the following change:
Every player will have their supplemental rating listed and used for pairing.
Playup eligibility will still be determined based on supplemental or actual.
This will create a look that some players might not be eligible, but rest assured, we are closely monitoring and enforcing the playup rule.

 

3. Byes

• Byes are available for players in any round in case they can't participate but would like to stay in the tournament.

• A maximum of 2 half-point byes can be requested in this tournament.

• Round 1-3 byes must be requested 15 minutes prior to the round start time.

• Round 4 byes must be requested before the start of Round 1. Round 4 bye is irrevocable to prevent prize-fund manipulations.

• Late registrations will receive a half-point bye for any missed round, up to a total of 2 rounds.

• To request a bye after registration, please use the Change Request Form.

4. Prize Fund

• $2600 based on 80 paid entries. ​

	2000+	1600-1999	u1600
1st Place	$425	$325	$250
2nd Place	$325	$225	$150
3rd Place	$225	$125	$100
Best under2200	$100
Best under2000	$100
Best under1800		$75
Best under1600		$75
Best under1400			$50
Best under1200			$50

• Under prizes are based on USCF OTB rating.

• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing prize checks.

• Per IRS rules anyone with a cumulative $600+ prizes in any calendar year will need to fill out a W-9 form and Mechanics' Institute will be providing a 1099 form at the end of the calendar year.
 

5. Registration

• Onsite Registration: Saturday, June 22: 9:30 am-9:45 am

• Mechanics' Institute Member: $70

• Non-Member: $100

• Play-up for member: $15

• Play-up for non-member: $20

• Late fee on the day of the tournament: $20

• $5 admin fee for all cancellations & refunds.

• Free entry for GM/IM/WGM/WIMs by June 15. 

• Click here to register: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2024Tournaments/1stGeorgeKoltanowskiMemorialTournament

• To request any change, please use the Change Request Form.
 

6. Eligibility

• Players must have current US Chess Federation membership. Expiration date of their US Chess membership must be later than the last day of the tournament.

• Not sure if you have a membership? Need to check the expiration date of your members? Visit: https://new.uschess.org/player-search

• Become a member or renew your membership: https://new.uschess.org/player-search
 

7. Tournament Rules

• Standard US Chess and modified FIDE rules apply.

• Forfeit time is 60 minutes. Please be considerate of your opponent, and don't be late! Let us know if you can't make it to one round!

8. FAQ

• What do the time controls mean?
The time controls tell you how much time you have for each game.
For example, G/90+30inc means game in 90 minutes with a 90-second increment with each move. This means you get 90 minutes, your opponent gets 90 minutes, and at each move 30 seconds are added to your clock.

• How many games/rounds?
The 4SS before the time control means there are four rounds or four games a player can play in the tournament. The tournaments are never elimination, so win or lose you can stay in the tournament.

 

Mechanics' Institute Chess Club reserves the right to update any details of this event (including but not limited to sections, time control, round times, prize fund, etc.) as we get closer to the event date to ensure an excellent tournament experience for players.