2024 Scholastic Bughouse Tournament

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

Dates & Location -- Tournament Format -- Byes -- Awards

Registration -- Eligibility -- Tournament Rules -- FAQ
 

1. Dates & Location

• Monday, June 3, 2024 at 4:00 pm

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

2. Tournament Format:

• Tournament Format: Swiss System

• Total Rounds: 4 rounds of double games (4DSS)

• Teams will play TWO games in one round: against the same opposing team with alternating colors. 

• Total of 2 points for every round. Maximum score for the tournament is 8.

• First Round: 4:00 pm and consecutive rounds are on a rolling schedule. Estimated end-time: 6:00 pm.

• Time Control: G/5;d0  (Game in 5 minutes with no delay or increment.)

• Sections: One Open section.

• Non-rated event.

• Pairings are based on the average team ratings. Team ratings are calculated from the two players’ June 2024 OTB supplemental regular US Chess rating.

3. Byes

• Maximum number allowed: 1

• Last round to request a bye: before Round 1

• Number of rounds in tourney: 4
 

4. Awards:

• Trophies to Top 3 teams.

5. Registration

• Individual player: $20 Individual players will be paired with other players to form teams.

• Team of two players: $35 per team of two players

• Non-refundable processing fee(s) plus $5 admin fee for all cancellations & refunds.

• ​Register: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2024Tournaments/2024BughouseTournament
 

6. Eligibility

• Players must be in K-Grade12.

7. Tournament Rules

• US Chess Bughouse rules apply.

• Forfeit time is 5 minutes.

8. FAQ

• What do the time controls mean?
Time controls tell you how much time you have for each game.
G5 means game in 5 minutes you get 5 minutes, your opponent gets 5 minutes, and if either player on your team runs out of time your team loses the match. 

• How many games/rounds?
The 4DSS before the time control means it is a Swiss System tournament with four rounds, with two matches in each round. This makes it a total of 8 matches played in this tournament. The tournaments are non-elimination, so win or lose, your team can stay in the tournament. 

• What are the rules of Bughouse?

1. Teams are composed of two players.
2. A match is two games, one for each player against a player from the other team.  One teammate plays white and the other teammate plays Black. The players play in rating order – the highest rated player on each team will play each other in both match games per round.
3. Games are Clock-Move. You can change your move until you press the clock.
4. A team wins when either one of the team members wins their game either by checkmate, resignation by the opponent(s), running out of time, or after making an illegal move that is claimed by their opponents.
5. Illegal moves lose if caught before the opposing team makes a move and presses the clock.
6. When a piece is captured it is passed to the partner after the clock is pressed completing the move.
7. A player can either move a piece normally or place a piece on the board that was received from the partner.
a. A piece can be placed on any open square. Pawns may be placed on any open square except the first and last rank.
b. Pieces may be placed to give check or checkmate.
c. If a player promotes a pawn, the pawn must be left on the board and laid on its side.  The player must clearly indicate what the pawn is being promoted to. When captured, the pawn reverts to a pawn.
8. A player cannot hide what pieces have been captured from the opponents team.
9. Partners can talk during the game and make suggestions to each other. It is illegal to touch any of your partner’s pieces.
10. Games are drawn by agreement during the game or if both players run out of time and it is noticed before a checkmate is on the board.
11. Excessive banging of the pieces or clock will result in a 1 minute loss of time.

 

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.