2026 Norths Chess Club Championships
FIDE and ACF rated
Nine rounds - Tuesdays 3 February to 31 March 2026, 7:30 PM
Join us for the Club Championship Blitz on 14 April
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DRAFT RULES
Format:
Tournament 1, Championship, is a 24 player 9 round Swiss, The title of 2026 Club Champion will be awarded to the winner.
Tournament 2 is a 26 player 9 round Swiss.
Tournament 3 is a 28 player 9 round Swiss.
Tournament 4 is a 9 round Swiss comprising players who are not included in the above groups.
There are two divisions in each tournament based on rating.
Players are assigned to tournaments based on ACF Classic ratings (or where a player does not have an ACF Classic rating, their FIDE Standard rating will be used instead). Selected juniors may be elevated by one division and the Organisers reserve the right to use proxy ratings for unrated players where there is knowledge of playing strength or where ratings are not believed to be current.
Due to final entry numbers organisers may increase or reduce the number of tournaments and/or their players.
Rating Results will be submitted for FIDE Standard and ACF Classic rating.
Prizes:
There are two divisions in each tournament based on rating.
Trophies will be awarded to
- the title of 2026 Club Champion will be awarded to the winner of Tournament 1
- trophies will be presented to
- the winners of each division.
- best junior (under 18) performance
- best female performance
Eligibility and entry:
Current financial members of Norths Chess Club. Entry is in the membership form www.cognitoforms.com/NorthSydneyChessClub/membership
Players who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents must have a FIDE ID. To request one from another national Federation contact details for them are HERE.
Players (or a junior's parent) must be members of our host, Norths Leagues Club.
Entries close on Saturday 31 January 2026.
Time controls:
Tournaments 1 and 2: 75 minutes plus 30 seconds per move.
Tournaments 3 and 4: 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move
Pairings: A provisional draw will be published on Norths Chess Club website and notified by email on the Sunday evening prior to each round. Updated parings may be issued on Monday.
Forfeiture time: 30 minutes after the commencement of the round (at the Arbiter's discretion).
Forfeits: If you won't make it to a round, you must inform the organisers. Your opponents make an effort to come to the club expecting to play a game, some travelling a long way and by public transport. Making them wait for you to not arrive is impolite and against our club ethos. The club email is monitored up to the start of play.
Players who cause clock forfeits or notify after 5 pm will be excluded from the following round. Players doing so twice in a tournament will be removed from the remaining rounds and entry to other events may be refused.
Arbiters: Chief: Rob Watson; Assistant: Mahesh Kulkarni
Appeals panel: TBA
Results: Game results must be entered on the draw sheet at the venue.
Analysis of completed games and social chess: A separate section away from the tournament area is set aside for analysis of completed games and social chess. Players must ensure games still underway are not disturbed.
Games data base: Norths Chess Club reserves the right to publish any games played in any tournament organised by the club.
Tiebreaks:
Ties in Tournaments 1 and 2 will be resolved by applying the following tiebreaks in descending order:
Buchholz Cut 1
Average Rating of Opponents Cut 1 (ARO1)
Direct Encounter
Ties in Tournaments 3 and 4 will be resolved by applying the following tiebreaks in descending order:
Buchholtz Cut 1
Buchholtz Total
Direct Encounter
CLICK HERE for previous years' results
