2020 Delancey UK School’s Chess Challenge – Rules
* Please note these rules (first published 17/05/2020) supersede all previously published rules and have been brought into effect due to the extraordinary circumstances caused by the covid-19 outbreak.
Overview
The UK Chess Challenge is a chess competition for children resident in the United Kingdom (and Jersey and Guernsey) up to the age of 18 years old. It is a multi-stage event with qualification required at each stage to progress.
1) Schools
2) Megafinals
3) Gigafinals
4) Terafinal
There will be many non-championship events throughout the “summer chess festival” such as the blitz championship, 960 championship and the chess variants championship. Rules for these events will be published separately.
Online Chess
Stages 2-4 of the Challenge will take place online on our partner’s chess playing platform www.lichess.org
Lichess is an extremely popular chess website where it is possible to play many forms of the game as well as learn new ideas and strategies. All of its features are completely free which sets it apart from other similar sites. In our opinion the chess playing experience of lichess.org is the best available online.
All players wanting to take part in the challenge must create a lichess account AND join the ‘UK Chess Challenge 2020’ team. Full instructions will be given on how to do this as part of the ‘on-boarding process’ following registration.
Age Categories
For the purposes of the 2020 competition ages will be calculated as at 31/08/2019.
The challenge is separated into 5 age group categories; under 8, under 10, under 12, under 14 and under 18. The child will play in this age group for the entire competition. The only exception to this is the Terafinal where players may nominate themselves to play in a higher age group if they wish.
Some tournaments may have merged sections age groups where players from two or more year groups compete together.
Dates of birth mapped to age categories can be found at the following link https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/age-categories-2020/
General
As this is the first time the competition has been held online the UKCC reserves the right to make amendments to the rules during the competition to protect the integrity and competitive fairness of the competition.
Fair Play Policy
A condition of entry is that all players should read and adhere to the Online Fair Play Policy. A copy can be read here https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/fair-play-policy-2020/
Megafinals
General
Each player has the opportunity to play in 2 Megafinals across 2 separate weekends – though if a player qualifies from the 1st megafinal they are not permitted to play in the 2nd megafinal. Players must play in their correct age category event (ie U8, U10, U12, U14 or U18). Megafinals will be split into gender groups where numbers permit (ie ‘all boys’ and ‘all girls’ sections).
Tournament details
Megafinal Weekend 1 (20th and 21st June):
6 Round Swiss
Time control: 10 minutes + 5 seconds per move
Megafinal Weekend 1 (4th and 5th July):
6 Round Swiss
Time control: 10 minutes + 5 seconds per move
The qualification criteria for each Megafinal are:
Under 8 Megafinal (boys and girls):
Under 8s – Score 3.5 points or more
Under 7s (and below) – Score 3 points or more
Or finish in the top 5 under 8s or top 5 under 7s.
Under 10 Megafinal:
Under 10s – Score 3.5 points or more
Under 9s – Score 3 points or more
Or finish in the top 5 under 10s or top 5 under 9s.
Under 12 Megafinal:
Under 12s – Score 3.5 points or more
Under 11s – Score 3 points or more
Or finish in the top 5 under 12s or top 5 under 11s.
Under 14 Megafinal:
Boys – Score 3.5 points or more
Girls – Score 3 points or more
Or finish in the top 5 boys who DID NOT achieve the qualifying score
Or finish in the top 5 girls who DID not achieve the qualifying score
Under 18 Megafinal:
Boys – Score 3.5 points or more
Girls – Score 3 points or more
Or finish in the top 5 boys who DID NOT achieve the qualifying score
Or finish in the top 5 girls who DID not achieve the qualifying score
Ties will be split using the UKCC tiebreak rules (see end of document).
The organisers reserve the right to adjust these criteria at any point in the best interests of the competition.
Gigafinals
General
Each player can play on both Gigafinal weekends – though if a player qualifies from the 1st Gigafinal they are not permitted to play in the 2nd Gigafinal. Players must play in their correct age category event (ie U8, U10, U12, U14 or U18) except where the player has sought explicit from the organisers beforehand. Players must not play in more than one event per weekend.
Gigafinals will be split into gender groups where numbers permit (ie ‘all boys’ and ‘all girls’ sections).
Players must have qualified via a Megafinal (or from the Schools Online Chess Challenge). The only exception to this is for those players eligible for a “Fast Track” entry.
“Fast Track”
Players who meet the strict grading requirements may enter a Gigafinal via the “fast track” route. The requirements are based on ECF grades as at 31st January 2020 (players may use the higher of the rapidplay or standard) and are age group related.
To qualify for “Fast Track” players must have a grade of AT LEAST “10 x (Age group + 2)”
For example an under 12 will need a grade of at least 140 (10 x [12+2]) and an under 16 would need a grade of at least 180 (10 x [16+2]).
A list of age categories and corresponding fast track grading requirements can be found https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/age-categories-2020/
Fast track entry will be subject to verification by the UKCC team.
Tournament details
Gigafinal Weekend 1 (11th and 12th July)
Gigafinal Weekend 2 (8th and 9th August)
7 round Swiss
Time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move
To qualify for the Terafinal players must either
a) finish in the top 5 of their year group OR
b) reach the “qualification score”
Qualification scores:
Under 8 Gigafinal:
Under 8s 6
Under 7s 5.5
Under 10 Gigafinal:
Under 10s 6
Under 9s 5.5
Under 12 Gigafinal:
Under 12s 6
Under 11s 5.5
Under 14 Gigafinal:
Boys 5.5
Girls 5
Under 18 Gigafinal:
Boys 5
Girls 4.5
Ties will be split using the UKCC tiebreak rules (see end of document).
Terafinal
General
Players must have qualified for the Terafinal via a Gigafinal. The Terafinal takes place over two days on the weekend of 5th and 6th September (every player plays both days).
Tournament Details
Time control for all games is 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.
Saturday 5th September:
All 5 sections play a 7 round swiss event (boys and girls all play in the same section). The top 4 players from each section will compete in “KO Sunday”. The remaining players will compete in the Challengers event on the Sunday.
Sunday 6th September:
KO Sunday
The semi finals, finals and 3rd/4th playoffs are all 4-game matches with the same time control of 10+5. In the result of a tie the player with the higher seed (ie finished highest in the Swiss) will have “draw odds” and will win the match.
Semi Final 1: 1st v 4th
Semi Final 2: 2nd v 3rd
Final: Winner of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Semi Final 2
3rd / 4th Playoff Match: Loser of Semi Final 1 v Loser of Semi Final 2
Challengers
The remaining players will play a further 6 round Swiss tournament to determine the final prize positions. Prizes run down to 10th place and there will be “spot prizes” as well. The score from the Sunday Swiss is added to the Saturday Swiss to create a 13 round final score.
All ties are split by the prevailing lichess swiss tie-breaker in place (which is a form of “sum of opponent’s scores”).
Prizes
| U18 | U14 | U12 | U10 | U8 | |
| 1st | £300 | £250 | £200 | £150 | £100 |
| 2nd | £150 | £125 | £100 | £75 | £50 |
| 3rd | £75 | £50 | £50 | £40 | £25 |
| 4th | £50 | £25 | £25 | £20 | £10 |
| 5th | £50 | £25 | £25 | £20 | £10 |
| 6th | £25 | £10 | £10 | £10 | £5 |
| 7th | £10 | £10 | £10 | £10 | £5 |
| 8th | £10 | £10 | £10 | £10 | £5 |
| 9th | £10 | £10 | £10 | £10 | £5 |
| 10th | £10 | £10 | £10 | £10 | £5 |
| Top Girl | £150 | £125 | £100 | £75 | £50 |
Total prize fund is subject to entries and may be changed. Other spot prizes may also be granted.
Tiebreak Rules
Swiss tiebreakers will be determined by the prevailing lichess algorithm that is in place during the tournament.
Disclaimer
The UK Chess Challenge reserves the right to change these rules at any time.
Version
10th February 2020 – original
19th February 2020
Clarifications made to Gigafinal qualifying rules (year groups and split sections).
Changes to grading and data section – primarily to include other national governing bodies. Removed section on ECF membership.
18th May 2020
Substantial changes made drafting the rules for the online competition in light of covid-19 outbreak
28th May 2020
Time controls added to Megafinal section
8th July 2020
Clarification to Gigafinal rules and how many events players can play in.
23rd August 2020
Amendment to Terafinal rules. KO Sunday extended to 4 players per section and Sunday Arena format changed to 6 round swiss.