2021 US Junior Congress Player Instructions

Zoom Links, Pairings & Standing pages for players:

SECTION Zoom Link Entries, Pairings, Results

Age 6 & Click HERE 6U entries, pairings, results Under Meeting ID: 846 9718 3401 Passcode: 376022

Age 8 & Click HERE 8U entries, pairings, results Under Meeting ID: 831 2421 5409 Passcode: 165030

Age 10 & Click HERE 10U entries, pairings, results Under Meeting ID: 886 8150 0404 Passcode: 407638

Age 12 & Click HERE 12U entries, pairings, results Under Meeting ID: 820 2312 2583 Passcode: 041933

Age 14 & Click HERE 14U entries, pairings, results Under Meeting ID: 828 8242 5257 Passcode: 245525

Age 16/18 Click HERE 16/18U entries, pairings, results & Under Meeting ID: 879 8905 0594 Passcode: 582239

Sections, Schedule, Number of Rounds,

Format

# of Time Round Times Section Tournament Date Rounds Control Eastern Time (ET)

Age 6 & under Saturday, April 10 5 G/15+5 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm

Age 8 & under Saturday, April 10 5 G/15+5 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm

Age 10 & under Saturday, April 10 5 G/25+5 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm

Age 12 & under Sunday, April 11 5 G/25+5 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm

Age 14 & under Sunday, April 11 5 G/25+5 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm

Age 16 & 18 & under Sat. – Sun., April 10-11 6 G/60+5 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm each day (continued) Players: before each round: 1. Log in to chess.com with the user name you supplied at registration 2. Go to chess.com/live 10 minutes before the start of the round. (being online is not enough, you must be on chess.com/live) 3. You must log into Zoom min 30 minutes before the start of Round 1 and 10-15 minutes before the start of each round. Zoom links are above. See “Zoom Instructions” below for complete details.

Players: game starts, recording of results: ● Tournament staff will start your game on or shortly after the round time. ● Your game will appear on screen with the correct time control for your section. ● There is no need to join a tournament. Do not issue a challenge, do not accept a challenge and do not start other games. Be online, in live chess, and wait for your game to start. ● It may take up to 10-15 mins for your game to start. Please be patient. Only raise your hand AFTER the TD asks players without an active game to raise their hand. You will be directed to a breakout room where the Game Starter TDs will help you. ● No need to report your result. Tournament directors monitor your game and will record your result. ● Shortly after your game ends, you can your result at the results link listed in the chart at the top of this document.

Byes and Withdrawals: Players may take two (2) half-point byes in any round. Byes in the last two rounds must be selected before round 1 and are irrevocable after round 1 begins. You must request a bye no later than 40 minutes before the start of the round. Players may choose to withdraw from the tournament and not be paired for any more rounds. Use this form to request a bye or withdraw from the tournament.

Slack Channel: Join our text-only Slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/2021usjcc/shared_invite/zt-oxjgwd4g-zGqkGfzBzyN8zts5CEN6NQ This is a text-only space where we will post the latest announcements and instructions, and answer questions. Please note that every section has its own channel for questions. There will also be one channel for socializing. Players: do not use Slack during your game.

Live Stream: WATCH LIVE COVERAGE throughout the weekend at twitch.tv/mechanicschess, with live commentary by GM Nick de Firmian, FM Paul Whitehead, and Chess Director Abel Talamantez, with special guests throughout the day. Stream schedule for both days: 11:15am-2:15pm, 3:30pm-6:00pm, 6:30pm-8:30pm, all times EST.

Fair Play Zoom Monitoring requirements:

● ALL players in all sections must be logged into a tournament-specific Zoom meeting with at least one webcam. Side view showing player, screen and area in front of player is preferred (see photo example below) ● Age 16/18 & Under section - must be logged in with 2 cameras (front and side view). ● Zoom links will be posted at the top of this document, on the google sheets and on the event webpage. . ● Zoom participation is used first and foremost to communicate with players and to guide them. Of course it is also used to monitor all players for fair play. ● Player's setup requirements: ○ The location in which you are playing must have a reliable high-speed internet connection (upload capability of 2+ megabits per second [Mbps]). An unreliable or slow internet connection and/or technical setup errors might result in a loss or forfeit loss. A player’s internet connection and, more broadly, all aspects of the player’s technical setup are the player’s responsibility—not the organizers’. ○ Play in a quiet room with no background noise and with no one else in the room. Parents may enter the room to help solve any internet or other strictly non-chess related computer technical issues. ○ A player may not have in or around the player’s ear a device that can receive and/or transmit data or sound (such as headphones, headsets, earbuds, etc.). Furthermore, a player’s face, ears, and entire head must be fully visible; they may not be covered by a hoodie, hat, or headwear of any kind. While monitoring players, tournament directors need a full, unobstructed view of the player from the neck up. Let TDs see clearly that you have nothing to hide. If you have any special circumstances that would require exception from these rules, please reach out to us. ○ Play only on a device with a large screen (10+ inches) such as a laptop, desktop, or large tablet. Use a web browser, rather than chess.com’s app, because browsers are more reliable (they have fewer bugs and glitches). Playing on a device with a small screen (<10 inches) such as a mobile phone or small tablet is prohibited. ○ Players must abide by US Chess’s and Code of Ethics, as well as by chess.com’s Community Policies. Players may not use external chess assistance of any kind: no computer engine, no database, no chess program, no book, no hand-written notes, no other person, etc. ○ Parents are strongly encouraged to monitor their kids' activity during the tournament to ensure fair play.

Fair Play screening:

● All games will be screened by both chess.com and by Dr. Kenneth W. Regan, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo. ● Parents - Please help us educate your child that IT'S SIMPLY NOT WORTH THE RISK! ● Award distributions and rating submission will take place AFTER all games have been screened. ● Tournament will be rated AFTER all games have been screened. ● Organizers may forfeit the game(s) of any player found to have committed a fair-play violation and expel the player from the tournament. ● Results of the games of a player found to have committed a fair-play violation will be adjusted according to US Chess Official Rules of Chess. ● Players found to have violated fair play are subject to the following: ○ being brought before the US Chess Ethics Committee. ○ having US Chess membership revoked. ○ being banned from competing in future tournaments (both online and over-the-board) rated by US Chess. ○ being banned from competing in future games rated by the online platform providers.

(continued) Prizes, Official Results, and Rating: The tournament will be rated and prizes confirmed within two to three weeks of completion, after fair play checking.

To reach a TD while playing or after your game is finished, do ONE of the following:

1. Chat one of the TDs in Zoom. This is your main communication channel with the TDs. Zoom TDs and Section Chief TDs have the authority to resolve any issues and/or request Chief TD to their zoom. 2. Post questions to your slack channel.

Backroom (pairing/results/withdrawals questions ONLY):

1. Use our Form to report: incorrect game score (result), incorrect username, bye requests, withdrawals. 2. Text only to 224-999-0058 (no voice calls or voicemail messages) 3. Email to: [email protected]

General information page for the tournament: https://www.milibrary.org/juniorchesscongress

Thank you for playing in the 2021 US Junior Chess Congress! Good luck!