XXXI CITY OF SAN SEBASTIAN'
INTERNATIONAL CHESS OPEN
TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS
• The tournament will be held from March 16 th to March 23 rd 2008. It will be played in 9 rounds according to the Swiss system based on rating. Pairings will be made using the computer program Swiss Manager, although its results will be checked by the arbiters.
• All games will be played at Plenary Hall of San Sebastian City Hall (entrance from Alderdi Eder gardens) with the following schedule:
Round 1: 17:00h April 16 th (Sunday).
Round 2: 17:00h April 17 th (Monday).
Round 3: 17:00h April 18 th (Tuesday).
Round 4: 17:00h April 19 th (Wednesday).
Round 5: 10:00h April 20 th (Thursday).
Round 6: 17:00h April 20 th (Thursday).
Round 7: 17:00h April 21 st (Friday).
Round 8: 17:00h April 22 nd (Saturday).
Round 9: 9:30h April 23 rd (Sunday).
• Players will have 90 minutes for each game, with 30 additional seconds per move.
• Any player who arrives at the chessboard more than one hour after the scheduled start of the round will lose the game.
• Any player who does not appear to a round without notifying an arbiter will be considered to have withdrawn from the tournament.
• Players may elect to take up to two half-point byes in the first seven rounds of the tournament. Anyone taking a half-point bye must advise the arbiters before the pairings of the relevant round are published. Players invited by the organisation cannot take these byes.
• Before the end of the first round an Appeals Committee will be elected. It will consist of three members and two reserve members. They will be chosen by the players from themselves. The members of the Committee must represent at least three different nationalities. No member of the Committee is entitled to make a decision in cases affecting his own games.
• Any claim to an arbiter's decision must be submitted to the Appeals Committee giving it to the Chief Arbiter in writing, not more than one hour after the end of the relevant round. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final.
• The pairings of the first round will be announced at the Opening Ceremony. In the following rounds they will be announced as soon as possible.
• It is forbidden to analyse games in the playing area while rounds are in progress. Players who have finished their game can analyse it in the Analysis Room. It is forbidden to use clocks and chess sets from the playing area in the Analysis Room.
• It is strictly forbidden to use mobile phones or other electronic means of communication, not authorised by the arbiters, in the playing venue. If a player's mobile phone rings in the playing venue during play, that player will lose the game. This includes any alarm or message sound, even in vibration mode. The score of the opponent will be determined by the arbiters.
• According to FIDE Laws of Chess players must keep score during the whole game, even when short of time.
• Everyone must leave the playing area when required by an arbiter.
• If a player must leave the playing area during his game he should inform an arbiter. Players cannot enter the Analysis Room when their game is in progress.
• To determine the final standings the following tie-break criteria apply (in descending priority):
• ARPO(-1, 1) System: average recursive performance of opponents without the best and the worst. Complete mathematical definition and the program to make the calculations can be downloaded from http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/gonzalezdiaz/Desempate/
• Cumulative: the sum of progressive scores. If still tied, deduct the first round score, and if necessary the second round and so on.
• Adjusted Brazilian Buchholz: the sum of opponents' scores, ignoring the score of the lowest scoring opponent. (*)
• Drawing of lots.
(*) The scores are adjusted for unplayed games, which count a half point each.
• Prizes will be indivisible. No player will receive more than one prize.
• The Chief Arbiter of the tournament will be Mikel Larreategi Arana (FIDE International Arbiter) and the Deputy Arbiter Ramon Etxeberria Iriondo (FVA Arbiter). The Chief Arbiter will be able to appoint as many auxiliary arbiters as necessary.
• Participation in the tournament implies the acceptance of these regulations.
In case of discrepancy, the rules written up in Spanish will be considered the valid ones