Playing Down and Earning Money
Playing down is a chance for you to earn money regardless of your performance in the tournament. When you "play down", you play in the section lower than yours, giving your opponents a chance to test their skills against a higher-rated player.
Players rated 1000-1400 who play down to the U1000 section are awarded $40 (Limit 1 person)
Players rated 1400-1800 who play down to the U1500 section are awarded $50 (Limit 1 person)
Players rated 1800+ who play in the 1400+ section are awarded $60 (unlimited)
Click here to read more about playing down.
Fun, Prizes, & Trivia
Prizes:
U1000 1st Place: $40 2nd Place: $30 3rd Place: $20
U1400 1st Place: $50 2nd Place: $40 3rd Place: $30
1400+ 1st Place: $60 2nd Place: $50 3rd Place: $40
Trivia: We will ask a total of 4 trivia questions during the tournament (two after the first round, and two after the second round). The first person to answer correctly to each of these questions will win prizes :D
General Information
Join us for the first Bright Chess affiliated USCF tournament!
Time Control: G/45; +5
Rounds: 4
Round Times: (PST) 10 am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Sections: U1000, U1400, 1400+ (players 1800+ can join by playing down to the top section, while also earning money!)
Capacity: 49 people
Platform Used: chess.com/live
Half Point Byes: Available for all rounds, limit 1 bye, must be claimed before the last round
Entry Fee (non-refundable): $40 (Early Bird - $25), +$15 for playing up
More info: USCF online ratings at the beginning of April (April 1st) are used for pairings
All players are welcome, so feel free to join regardless of whether you're in Bright Chess or if you even know what it is. Please do invite your friends as well!
We have a chess.com club for announcements. It’s open to everyone, so feel free to join!
Zoom is required for this tournament. Please the meeting join at least 15 minutes early. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87171897729?pwd=S01kN1g0WUJmVHNVbHdYcTdMbURWZz09
For more about the technicalities of the tournament, including fair play rules, withdrawal policies, and more, please take a look at this document.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I choose to play down, which section would I play down to? How much money would I earn? Am I eligible for prizes?
All players over 1000 are allowed to play down. Players rated 1000-1400 would play down to the U1000 section, while players rated 1400-1800 would play down to the U1400 section, and players rated over 1800 would play down to the 1400-1800 section.
Note that players playing down must pay the entry fees like any other player. Earnings will be sent to the player after the tournament based on their rating:
Players rated 1000-1400 who play down to the U1000 section are awarded $40
Players rated 1400-1800 who play down to the U1500 section are awarded $50
Players rated 1800+ who play down to the 1400+ section are awarded $60
Players playing down are not eligible to win prizes on top of the money they earn. If they happen to be one of the top three, their prize is given to the next qualified participant.
Like any other player, they must only take a maximum of one bye. Furthermore, they cannot withdraw or forfeit from any rounds. Otherwise, no earnings will be awarded, either.
Please note that there is a limited capacity to playing down for each section (1-3 players per section). Seats are is first come, first served.
To play down, register to play in the tournament and check the "play down" box when registering. Note that there is a limited amount of people who can play down for each rating range.
What is Playing Up?
Players who are playing up play in the section above what their rating would allow them to play, allowing them to play against stronger players and thus stretch their chess ability.
How Will Prizes be Given?
Prizes will be sent through PayPal to the parent email the registree put on the form as their PayPal email when registering.
I've never played in a rated tournament before. Can I still participate?
Yes! In fact, LiLaoshi encourages you to test out your skills. However, you need to get a USCF membership to participate. To get a membership, read below.
What if I Don't Have a USCF Membership?
If you are unrated or haven't played in a USCF-rated tournament in a couple of years (or haven't ever played in a USCF tournament), you probably fall into this category. If that's you, go to https://new.uschess.org/become-member to become a USCF member and begin or resume your chess journey.
Zoom
Please contact FairPlayChess if you have any questions.