Dear Kossacks:
This is the first reminder that the first ever DKos Chess Tournament will begin THIS weekend. Barring any setbacks, the first round match-ups will be released, by e-mail and via my diary, on Friday, June 12.
Please find your name in the two Roll Call lists after the jump. The first Roll Call list shows who has signed up for the tournament and has an available e-mail address. The second list shows who does NOT have an available e-mail address.
To be fully entered into the tournament, I need your e-mail address. That way, I can send you updates on your specific matches for each round.
The users on the second list have until 3 pm ET on Friday, June 12 to send me their e-mail address. If I do not receive them by then, they will be removed from the tournament and replaced with alternate players.
I am capping the number of players in the tournament to 150. If you do not see your name on the Roll Call, you may sign up for this tournament as an alternate player. Please see the updated Rules & Regulations of the tournament after the Roll Call for more information.
MUSIC: "Hey!" by Chess Club
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DKOS CHESS TOURNAMENT 2009 ROLL CALL
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The following users (listed in alphabetical order) are signed up for the tournament and are ready to go.
aaraujo
Abelian
ActivistGuy
Adept2u
AfroPonix
ajsuited
Albanius
Anderson Republican
Andrew Lazarus
AndrewMC
BaxKen
ben masel
bgblcklab1
Bill White
black2thefuture
Blue Intrigue
Blue Wind
brainwave
brendanm98
cartwrightdale
cavebird
Celtic Merlin
Chicagoa
cmorrison
Cobbler
Crawdaddy
cschess
cskendrick
Dan Morris
Davis X Machina
DeadB0y
debedb
dissonantharmony
dmet
dnta
DoomsdayShark
dopealope
Doughnutman
dov12348
dpinzow
drache
Dvd Avins
DynamicUno
eddiem86
Elvis Vader
ericledford
evilstorm
eztempo
ferrisbueller
FightingRegistrar
filmgeek83
foodmetaphors
Free Radical
FWIW
Gangster Octopus
GayIthacan
Geenius at Wrok
greeseyparrot
Grey Paladin
Guy Fawkes
hanswall
hekebolos
high5
hurburble
i know
Ignacio Magaloni
JeffLieber
jerseycorn
Jimdotz
Joe Bacon
Joffan
JugOPunch
Jumpin J
Keith Pickering
kentuckydave
Kevin in Long Beach
Kimball
KStreetProjector
kto9
LaughingPlanet
lexington1
liberte
lostboyjim
M31
MakeChessNotWar
Marcion
matador
mattc129
mconvente
Melanchthon
mnguy66
Mo
montrealdan
Morus
mos1133
mquander
MV Kid
nargel
neilliebus
neonineten
papicek
pasadena beggar
Patch Adam
PedsNeuro
PinkFreud
PsiFighter37
Pym
RageKage
rhutcheson
RickMassimo
rmonroe
Robert Naiman
rteeter
Sharkmeister
sharris0512
sjohntucson
snacksandpop
Something the Dog Said
stlbucket
SuperBowlXX
TeacherRyan
TheCid
thereisnospoon
Thutmose V
ThyrsiodB
Twin Planets
Uncle Cosmo
Unlabled
USArmyParatrooper
valislav stein
vescis
vets74
wmorriss
writerkirk
ZaBlanc
zamrzla
The following users have NOT provided me with their e-mail address.
Boxer7
Feanor (listed e-mail address does not work)
jewbulawguy
logsol
Nylawstudent
Obama Amabo
ohcanada
Pierro Sraffa
Remain calm
the fan man
troubador
If I do not receive e-mail addresses from these users by Friday, June 12, they will be removed from the list and replaced with alternate players.
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DKOS CHESS TOURNAMENT 2009 RULES & REGULATIONS
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Registration Guidelines
So, you've already signed up for the tournament. Great! But you still need to register an account with a chess website before you can play. We will be allowing users to use multiple websites for this tournament (see Tournament Host Website below). You may register for any of the following websites for the tourney:
- Chess Cube
- Free Internet Chess Server (FICS)
- Yahoo Games
- Chess.com
Registration for each of these websites is free and easy. Just click on the links above and follow the appropriate instructions. After you have registered, please make sure to verify your account with the website if they send you a confirmation e-mail. Each pair of opponents is expected to agree upon a chess website for their respective matches beforehand.
As the moderator, I will later send out invitation e-mails to register for each of these websites. It is not required that you sign up for all of them, but I strongly recommend that you register for MORE THAN ONE.
Please also note that FICS does not allow you to register with more than one username.
UPDATE: The user MakeChessNotWar, an internationally ranked chess master, strongly recommended that I include Chess.com in the list of websites available for the tournament. I agree, it works very well (and a belated hat tip to Neilliebus for recommending it earlier).
Tournament Schedule
Because of the Swiss format that we'll be using for the tourney, every player in the tournament will be expected to play a total of 8 matches.
The match-ups for Round 1 will be announced via e-mail and in my diary (hopefully) this Friday (June 12). I would like to start the tournament as early as this weekend on Saturday, June 13. However, I am open to delaying the start time if there are multiple scheduling conflicts (or if this is too short notice).
For each successive round, each pair of opponents will be expected to e-mail each other to find an appropriate time to schedule their match. As the tournament moderator, I will send each pair of opponents a reminder to schedule their match together. I also ask that each player e-mail me back their schedule so that I may keep track of when they are playing.
I request that each round last no more than 1 week (7 days). So if Round 1 starts on June 13, we will have until June 20 to finish that round. Basically, all players will have 7 days to complete their match after the match-ups have been announced. We can be flexible with people's schedules since we're all busy with other things in our lives, but we still want to keep the tournament moving. The sooner we all schedule and play each of our matches, the better.
If more than 7 days go by after match-ups have been announced and two players have not completed their match, I will consider it a draw. I figure there should be at least enough time during the week to spend an hour playing a single chess game, especially during weekends.
However, if there are problems with scheduling conflicts that will prevent you from playing during a certain week or time, but you'd still like to participate in the tournament, please e-mail me and I will try to work something out.
Time Limit
Each game will have a time limit of 30 minutes per player. That's 30 minutes per player for the ENTIRE GAME, not for each move. So the whole game should take no more than 1 hour to complete.
Your clock ticks down only when it's your move to make. It freezes when it's your opponent move. If your time runs out before the end of the match, you lose.
NOTE: A lot of online tournaments allow players to have a 5-second delay for each of their moves. That is, your clock will not start until 5 seconds after your opponent makes his or her move. Chess Cube cannot currently do this for a 30-minute game, but I believe the other three websites can (and Chess.com does it automatically). Please keep this in mind when using Chess Cube.
Inviting Players to a Match
On Chess Cube, players will be invited to a group called "Daily Kos Chess Tournament 2009." There, it will be easier to find your respective opponents online and invite them for matches.
In the FICS console, if both players are online, you can type "match [INSERT OPPONENT'S NAME HERE]" into the text box and it will invite that specific user to the game.
On Yahoo Games, you have to be in the same "Social Lounge" at the same time as your opponent to find and play him or her. You also have the option of ignoring all invitations to other chess games while you're playing your tournament match.
On Chess.com, you can register and add players as friends (like on Facebook). Then, when you agree on a set schedule for your match, open up the Live Chess window and find your opponent for the game.
The Tournament and Scoring
The tournament will be run using the Swiss format system. Using the information I've received thus far on the players' skill level, I will match every player into appropriate pairs for Round 1 (and when I lack the information, I will simply randomize it). At the start of Round 2, I will pair winners of Round 1 with other winners, losers with other losers, and those who end in a draw with others who ended in a draw. The pattern of matching players to subsequent rounds will continue until the tournament is complete.
Winners will receive 1 point for the win, losers will receive 0 points. Games that end in a draw will result in 0.5 points given to both players. By the end of 8 matches, the player with the most points will be deemed the winner.
To minimize the chance of bias, every effort will be made to ensure that players will have an equal opportunity to play both as White and Black throughout the tournament.
Tiebreakers
If by the end of the tournament there is a tie for first place, the Modified Median method will be applied as a tiebreaker. The Modified Median adds the total scores of the tied players' opponents with the highest and lowest removed (hat tip to cavebird).
Standings & Statistics
Throughout the tournament, I will post open threads and diaries of chess match highlights and the updated standings. These diaries will ask players to write comments detailing their matches from Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, etc.
At the completion of each match, please post as a comment in my diaries (or e-mail to me) the following information:
- The Move List
- The side you played (White or Black)
- The final result (who won)
- The time remaining on both players' clocks.
NOTE: You can retrieve this information at a later time in Chess Cube, FICS, and Chess.com. You CANNOT retrieve it at a later time in Yahoo Games. So, for all players who use Yahoo Games for their matches, please send me the game information immediately before closing out of it.
Skill Level
I had previously considered splitting the tournament pool into two groups: Beginners/Novices, and Intermediates/Experts. Creating two chess groups would allow for two champions when all is said and done. However, I have decided to keep the entire pool into one group for a couple of reasons:
I have limited information on the players' skill levels. Lots of players have provided me their estimated USCF ratings, but unfortunately, most players here don't know them, and it's hard to estimate another person's skill level without the appropriate information. I also want every entrant to have a chance to win the same set of prizes that have been generously donated to the tournament by Mig Greengard.
However, based on the information that I have received, I will do my best to "rank" the players in the tournament as appropriate. Remember, when I first suggested this tournament, I didn't expect that there would be any more than 16-20 people signing up. I got at least 140 to express an interest. In a pool this big and with spotty info on player skill levels, there is a chance that I will make unfair pairings in Round 1 and subsequent rounds. Such are the pitfalls of running a tournament for which there was little advanced advertising, a tournament for which I didn't expect there to be such a huge response, and a tournament in which not all of the competitors are professional chess players who play on a regular basis.
Tournament Host Website
Rather than force everyone to use the same website, I will allow players to use Chess Cube, FICS, Yahoo Games, or Chess.com on a per match basis. Each pair of opponents is expected to agree on a host website before their respective matches. It ultimately doesn't matter to me which website you use. The important thing is for everyone to have a satisfying experience and the ability to play a fair chess match with no bugs or issues. However, no matter which host website you choose for your matches, please adhere to the following conditions:
- Your match MUST have a 30-minute time limit for each player.
- You MUST have a registered account with that website. Registering for each of them is free and easy, but it is necessary before you can play chess (see Registration Guidelines above).
- You MUST be able to keep and save the results of your match for your records. That means you need to be able to save the Move List, the side you played on (White or Black), the final result, and the time remaining on your clock by the end of the match (see Standings & Statistics).
Alternate Players
For those who don't make the initial 150-player cut, you still have the option of signing up for the tournament as an alternate player. Alternates will have the chance to replace players who:
a) Do not provide me with their e-mail address (see the Roll Call list for players with missing e-mail addresses).
b) Quit or leave the tournament for any reason.
Prizes
The following prizes will be awarded to the winner of the tournament:
- A chess book from the "Great Predecessors" series, written and signed by former world champion Garry Kasparov.
- A series of chess-training HTML newsletters authored by Mig Greengard, an assistant to Kasparov. There are two sets of newsletters: A White Belt category (for beginners/novices), and a Black Belt category (for intermediates/experts). The entire set of newsletters have an approximate $250 value.
Technical Problems
If there are any serious technical or troubleshooting issues that are making your life difficult in the tournament -- for example, if you are unable to log in, or if your operating system isn't compatible with the chess website, or if you're getting repeatedly disconnected from the server -- please e-mail me and I will try to help resolve the issue. Send me screenshots of the problem if you think that would be helpful.
I would highly recommend that you find access to a high-speed connection for your games. It isn't absolutely required, but it might make your life easier.
Good Sportsmanship
Players are expected to act with good behavior and sportsmanship in this tournament. Show some class when you win, accept it graciously when you lose. Trash talk is fine, but keep it in good fun. That's what this tournament is all about.
Quitting the Tournament
If you need to withdraw from the tournament for any reason, please post a comment in my diary or e-mail me to let me know. An alternate player will take the place of anyone who needs to withdraw.
Cheating
A lot of players have asked me to address the possibility of cheating in the tournament. So, please read this section VERY carefully.
In any online chess tournament, there is an inherent risk that players might cheat. Some might use chess guides or run software programs in the background to help them out during a match. Some websites actually can monitor whether or not you're using a guide or software program to cheat. This is another reason we're imposing a firm time limit for the chess matches: It decreases the chance of cheating.
I cannot police people to act with perfect behavior in this tournament or guarantee with 100% certainty that cheating will not occur. But I will say this: I go by the Honor System. I believe very strongly in the Honor System. I created this tournament so that people could have fun and play chess in a good and fair way. You shouldn't cheat because it ruins the fun and experience for everyone involved.
If it is found that you have been cheating in any match, you will be banned from this tournament and any future Daily Kos chess tournaments. I will not police everyone, but I AM very serious when I say that cheating is unacceptable and prohibited in this tournament.
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Thanks for your support, and happy chessing.