Chess.com Official 2023 Event Rulebook

In this article, you can find the official rules for all Chess.com events with prize money. Use the table of contents below to jump to a specific event. All prize money events are also subject to the Chess.com Competitive Events Policy and the Fair Play Policy. Players must identify their accounts by adding their full name to their profile page to be eligible to participate in prize tournaments.

• Definitions
• Titled Tuesday
• Bullet Brawl
• Variants Community Series
• Arena Kings
• Arena Kings: Purple Reign
• Champions Chess Tour
• Olympic Esports Series
• Junior Speed Chess Championship
• Bullet Chess Championship
• Previous Events

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Definitions

Arena - Tournament play consisting of continuous matches for a predetermined window of time, during which players will be repeatedly paired against each other based on the results of previous games in the Arena.

Color - White or black pieces in the context of chess.

Computer Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player must share their screen and task manager (PC) or activity monitor (Mac) on a video conference call.

Environment - The physical space that a player is playing from.

Environment Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player may be requested to show tournament officials the layout and contents of the player’s environment using a camera.

FIDE Title - Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), Candidate Master (CM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), Woman FIDE Master (WFM), or Woman Candidate Master (WCM).

Game - A single game of chess played on Chess.com between two players.

Match - Tournament play between two players that may involve multiple games.

National Title - National Master (NM)

Non-Titled Player - A player not recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national title.

Physical Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player may be requested to 1) remove any glasses or eyepieces and show them to tournament officials using a camera; and/or 2) turn their head to one side, brush their fingers over their ear, and then repeat this process for the other side.

Single Elimination Bracket - Tournament play where players compete in matches, advance through a bracket, and will not be eligible to move forward if they lose one match in the bracket.

Swiss - Tournament play which consists of several rounds of games or matches, during which players will be paired against each other based on the results of previous games/matches in the Swiss.

Time Control - The total amount of time allocated to each player to make all of their moves during a game of chess. Time Controls are formatted as X+Y, where X is the initial amount of minutes on each player’s clock, and Y is the number of seconds added to a player’s clock when a move is played by that player.

Titled Player - A player recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national master title.

Tournament Official - Any Chess.com employee, or any other individual otherwise employed or contracted for the purpose of administration or operations of an event.

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Titled Tuesday

Schedule

Titled Tuesday takes place twice every Tuesday, with start times as follows:

Tournament	Los Angeles	New York	Paris	Mumbai
1st Tournament	8 a.m.	11 a.m.	17:00	21:30
2nd Tournament	2 p.m.	5 p.m.	23:00	3:30

Note: Due to Daylight Savings Time, in 2022 the time will be an hour earlier in India from March 16-October 25 and in Europe on March 16 and 23, and an hour later in Europe on November 1.

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a Swiss tournament with 11 rounds with a 3+1 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 8. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (2-way ties only)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with black
7. Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Eligibility

Titled Tuesday is open to all Chess.com members recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or a National Master Title.

Fair Play

Upon request, players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video and audio turned on for one camera which must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection and/or an Environment Inspection.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in Titled Tuesdays. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to $2,500 USD are available in each Titled Tuesday, as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$1,000
2nd	$750
3rd	$350
4th	$200
5th	$100
Top woman player	$100

Only players recognized by Chess.com as appearing in any FIDE Women’s rating list are eligible for the top woman player prize.

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Bullet Brawl

Schedule

Starting on July 1, 2023, Bullet Brawl takes place every Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 19:00 CET. Note that due to Daylight Savings Time, in 2023 the time will be an hour earlier in India through November 4 and an hour later in Europe on November 4.

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a 2-hour Arena with score-based pairings and a 1+0 time control. Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Eligibility

Bullet Brawl is open to all Chess.com members recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or a National Master Title.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in Bullet Brawl. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Fair Play

Players in this event are not required to join a video conference call for monitoring

Prizes

Up to $1,000 USD are available in each Bullet Brawl, as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$400
2nd	$250
3rd	$150
4th	$100
Top woman player	$100

Only players recognized by Chess.com as appearing in any FIDE Women’s rating list are eligible for the top woman player prize.

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Variants Community Series

Schedule

The Variants Community Series (“VCS”) is a recurring two-month cycle of competition. VCS consists of “Community Arenas,” “Streamer Arenas,” and “Championships.” Cycles will commence on the first Thursday of every other month, starting in September 2023. Each cycle’s matches will be played every Thursday until the completion of the competition, with the first cycle beginning on September 7, 2023. Weekly start times for the first cycle are as follows:

Event	Arena Week	Start Time (PT)	Start Time (CEST)
Weekly Arena	Weeks 1, 2, 4, 5	9 a.m.	18:00
Streamer Arena	Weeks 3, 6	9 a.m	18:00
Championship	Week 7	9 a.m	18:00

Future cycle starting dates and times are subject to change. 

Tournament Format 

VCS is played in two-month cycles and will consist of the following competitions per variant cycle:

1. Four Community Arenas
2. Two Streamer Arenas
3. One Championship

Community Arenas

Players will compete in a two-hour Arena with a 3+2 time control and a score-based pairing system. Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with a second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied: 

1. Most consecutive games won
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game loses

The winner of each Weekly Arena will qualify for the Championship. If the winner of an Arena has already qualified for the Championship, the next eligible player will qualify.

Streamer Arenas

Players will compete in a two-hour Arena with a 3+2 time control and a score-based pairing system. Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with a second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Streamer Arenas consist of score-based pairings. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied: 

1. Most consecutive games won
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game loses

The winner of the Arena and the top-performing streamer will qualify for the Championship. If the winner of an Arena has already qualified for the Championship, the next eligible player will qualify.  

UPDATE on VCS Atomic: From Arena #2 the time control will be 3+0 (instead of 3+2) 

Championship

Qualified players will compete in an eight-player single-elimination bracket, seeded by Chess.com. All matches consist of four games with a 3+2 time control. Draw offers are not permitted. Players will alternate colors between consecutive games of the match. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. A match ends when a player reaches 2.5 points, at which time that player has won the match. If a match is tied after the completion of all games, tiebreaker matches will be played until a player reaches 1.5 points, as follows:

1. Two games with a 3+2 time control are played; then
2. Two games with a  1+2 time control are played; then
3. Repeat the previous step until there is a decisive result

Eligibility

The VCS is open to all Chess.com members. Competing players must have a minimum of five games completed of the corresponding variant. To be eligible for streamer prizing, additional requirements must be met, listed below:

For YouTube:

• Be eligible for and part of the YouTube Partner Program
• Have a US $4.99 membership tier
• Must fill out form here: VCS YouTube Eligibility Form
• This must be done each event to be prize eligible. Forms submitted after 20 minutes into that week's arena will not be accepted.

For Kick and Twitch:

• Streamers must be at least an Affiliate on Twitch and/or Kick to be eligible for prizes.
• Players must be easily identifiable on Twitch and/or Kick by listing their streams in the "Chess" category.
• The streamer must connect their Twitch account to Chess.com

For all platforms, in order to be prize-eligible:

• "!VCS" Must be in the stream title.
• Anonymous players cannot earn prizes. All accounts must be labeled with the player's real name
• All streamers must play using accounts that properly reflect their playing strength as measured by rating. All forms of rating manipulation are against site rules.
• The player must stream their games with their board and themselves visible on stream, and their video and audio must be clear.
• The player must stream at least 100 minutes of the event.
• The player must save their VODs for a minimum of 14 days publicly.
• Verbal commentary and/or chat engagement are required. We are specifically discouraging players from streaming simply to be eligible for prizes while not providing any streaming "value."
• No short or unnatural draws without playing an authentic game of chess are permitted. Our team may review games and remove points gained from such draws when considering the final standings. We expect players to abide by the spirit of the competition and play normally at all times. A draw may be offered before time expires in your final game to "beat the buzzer", but only if this game was played in the authentic manner we expect throughout the whole tournament, and beyond a minimum of 20 moves.

Fair Play

Players in this event are not required to join a video conference call for monitoring during Qualifiers. During the Championship, players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to screen share and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and the immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the VCS. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Streamer Arenas

Up to 325 Gifted Subscriptions are available in each Streamer Arena, as follows:

Standing	Gifted Subscriptions
1st	70
2nd	50
3rd	40
4th	30
5th	20
6th-10th (5 players)	15
Highest ranked U2000	10
Highest ranked U1600	10
Highest ranked U1200	10
Staff Choice Award	10

Approximate Retail Value of the aforementioned prizes may vary by each player’s streaming platform and jurisdiction. Please refer to documentation from Twitch and Kick respectively.

Under-prizes (U2000, U1600, and U1200) are based on Chess.com variant rating immediately at the conclusion of the Arena. The Staff Choice Award is awarded to one player based on Chess.com's sole discretion.

Championship

Up to US $3,750 in prizes are available in each Championship as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$1,000
2nd	$750
3rd - 4th	$500
5th - 8th	$250

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Arena Kings

Schedule

Arena Kings takes place every Wednesday beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 18:00 CET. Note that due to Daylight Savings Time, in 2023 the time will be an hour earlier in India from March 15-November 1 and in Europe on March 15 and 22, and an hour later in Europe on November 1.

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a 2-hour Arena with a 3+0 time control. Some events may feature chess variants (i.e. Fischer Random) or different time controls, to be communicated prior to the event.  Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Eligibility

Arena Kings is open to all Chess.com members. Players must live broadcast their participation on Twitch and meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for prizes:

• The player must stream their games with boards and cameras visible on stream, and their video and audio must be clear.
• Verbal commentary and/or chat engagement are required. We are specifically discouraging players from streaming simply to be eligible for prizes while not providing any streaming "value."
• Anonymous players cannot earn prizes. All accounts must be labeled with the player's real name.
• All players must play using accounts that properly reflect their playing strength as measured by rating.
• All forms of rating manipulation are against site rules.
• "Streaming" accounts must be approved by staff. Note that multi-accounting is against our terms of service so if an account is not approved by our staff, this can constitute grounds for us to close the account and void any results or prizes earned.
• The player must stream at least 100 minutes of the event.
• No short or unnatural draws without playing an authentic game of chess are permitted. Our team may review games and remove points gained from such draws when considering the final standings. We expect players to abide by the spirit of the competition and play normally at all times.
• The streamer must be at least an Affiliate on Twitch and/or Kick to be eligible for prizes.
• Players must be easily identifiable on Twitch and/or Kick by listing their streams in the "Chess" category.
• All streams must have "!arenakings" in the stream title.
• The streamer must save their VODs for a minimum of 14 days so staff can review them after the arena.
• The streamer must connect their Twitch account to Chess.com.

Fair Play

Players in this event are not required to join a video conference call for monitoring

Prizes

Up to 400 Gifted Subscriptions are available in each Arena Kings, as follows:

Under-prizes (U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, and U1200) are based on Chess.com blitz rating immediately at the conclusion of the Arena. The Staff Choice Award is awarded to one player based on Chess.com's sole discretion.

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Arena Kings: Purple Reign

Arena Kings will be replaced by "Arena Kings: Purple Reign" on August 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2023, beginning at 12 a.m. ET/18:00 CEST. Official Rules for Arena Kings: Purple Reign are the same as Arena Kings with the following differences:

Tournament Format

• Certain players will be designated as "Challengers," meaning they:
  • Are a Twitch Affiliate or Partner
  • Have a most-streamed game on Twitch that is not chess (according to TwitchTracker)
• Challengers are eligible for additional prizes, described below, for completing all "Missions," as follows:
  • Win three games in the Arena
  • Win one game with the black pieces in the Arena
  • Achieve a score of at least 20 points in the Arena

Eligibility

• Streamers won't be eligible for prizing unless they stream their entire participation to a Twitch account with Affiliate or Partner status for a minimum of 100 minutes.

Prizes

Up to 700 Gifted Subscriptions are available in each Arena Kings Purple Reign, with 500 Gifted Subscriptions being awarded as follows:

Under-prizes (U2000, U1800, U1600, and U1400) are based on Chess.com blitz rating immediately at the conclusion of the Arena. The Staff Choice Award is awarded to one player based on Chess.com's sole discretion.

Up to 200 Gifted Subscriptions are available in each Arena Kings Purple Reign to Challengers. The first 30 Challengers to complete all Missions will each be awarded five Gifted Subscriptions (A.R.V. $25 USD). Fifty Gifted Subscriptions (A.R.V. $250 USD) will be awarded to the Challenger that achieves the highest standing in the Arena, provided such Challenger has not already won this prize in a previous Arena Kings Purple Reign event. In such a scenario, this prize will be awarded to the next highest placing eligible Challenger.

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Champions Chess Tour

Schedule

The Champions Chess Tour ("CCT") consists of "Qualifiers," 6 "Events," each with a "Play-In Stage" and a "Knockout Stage," and the "CCT Finals." Qualifiers take place every Monday between February 13 and August 21, 2023, except for Mondays that feature an Event Play-In or Knockout. Unless otherwise specified, all play in the CCT always begins at 8 a.m. PT / 17:00 CET.

Event	Dates (2023)
Airthings Masters - Play-In	Feb 3
Airthings Masters - Knockout	Feb 6-10
Chessable Masters - Play-In	Mar 13*
Chessable Masters - Knockout	Apr 3-7
ChessKid Cup - Play-In	May 1
ChessKid Cup - Knockout	May 22-26
Aimchess Rapid - Play-In	Jun 12
Aimchess Rapid - Knockout	Jul 10-14
Julius Baer Generation Cup - Play-In	Jul 24
Julius Baer Generation Cup - Knockout	Aug 30 - Sep 3
Event #6 - Play-In	Sep 11
Event #6 - Knockout	Sep 25-29
Champions Chess Tour Finals	Dec 9-16

* Event #2 Play-In and the March 20 Qualifier begin at 8 a.m. PT / 16:00 CET due to daylight savings time.

Tournament Format - CCT Events

Match Format

Other than Swiss play, all matches in the CCT will consist of one or more two- or four-game sets. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. If a player reaches a majority of points available in the set (1½ for a two-game set and 2½ for a four-game set), that player will be declared the winner of the set. The higher seeded player will begin with the white pieces, and colors will be swapped after each game. If the set is tied after all games are played, a single game of Armageddon will be played, as described below.

Armageddon

If a game of Armageddon is to be played, each player will communicate to Tournament Officials a “bid” via a private message. The bid is the amount of time that the player is willing to play with having the color of choice. The maximum allowable bid is equal to the specified "base time" of the Armageddon game. The player with a lower bid will have the choice of color and begin the game with an amount of time equivalent to their bid. The other player will begin the game with the base time. If the bids are tied, those bids will be discarded, and players will submit another bid. Armageddon games are played with no increment. The player that wins the Armageddon game wins the set. If the game is drawn, the player with the black pieces will be considered the winner of the set.

Qualifier Stage

Eligible players (see "Eligibility" below) may register to participate in the Qualifier Stage, consisting of 21 Qualifiers. Each Qualifier is a nine-round Swiss with a 10+2 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top three ranked players of each Qualifier will be eligible to participate in the Play-In Stage. Eligible players may participate in any number of Qualifiers. FIDE Grandmasters or players that have already placed third or better in a previous Qualifier are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers.

Play-In Stage

Eligible players may register to participate in the Play-In Stage, consisting of six Play-Ins. Each Play-In comprises a nine-round Swiss and "Match Play." All matches will have a 10+2 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 7. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Top-ranked players will advance to Match Play.

In Match Play, each top-ranked player from the Swiss will be paired with an opponent and play a match consisting of one two-game set. Armageddon will have a 10-minute base time. Players will be sorted into "Divisions," called "Division I," "Division II," and "Division III," for the Knockout Stage based on the results of these matches. Pairings for matches in which the winners will begin in Division I will be determined by player selection, as follows:

• For Event 1, the first-ranked player in the Swiss picks an opponent from players ranked seventh-12th. The second-ranked player then picks from the remaining players ranked seventh-12th, with this process repeated until all pairings have been determined.
• For Events 2-6, the first-ranked player in the Swiss picks an opponent from players ranked fifth-eighth. The second-ranked player then picks from the remaining players ranked fifth-eighth, with this process repeated until all pairings have been determined.

The results of Match Play will determine which players qualify for each Division, as described below.

Division	Event 1	Events 2-6
Division I	Two players directly invited; Match Play between players ranked first-12th; winners get in	Top-three players from previous Division 1 Knockout and winner of previous Division II Knockout are directly invited; Match Play between players ranked 1st-8th; winners get in
Division II	Match Play between players ranked first-12th; losers get in Match Play between players ranked 13th-32nd; winners get in	Match Play between players ranked first-eighth; losers get in Match Play between players ranked ninth-32nd; winners get in
Division III	Match Play between players ranked 13th-32nd; losers get in Match Play between players ranked 33rd-76th; winners get in	Match Play between players ranked ninth-32nd; losers get in Match Play between players ranked 33rd-72nd; winners get in

If a player qualifies for a Division but declines to participate or is otherwise removed from the event, Chess.com may replace such player at its sole discretion. If a vacancy is confirmed prior to the relevant Play-In, the format of the Play-In may be adjusted by adding matches to Match Play to fill the spot.

Swiss Tiebreakers

If two or more players are tied in total points in a Qualifier or Play-In Swiss, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of the scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (only if all tied players played each other an equal amount of times)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with Black
7. Average Rating of Opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com rapid ratings at the start of each round, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com rapid rating at the time of joining the tournament

Knockout Stage

The Knockout Stage comprises three double elimination brackets, one for each of Division I, Division II, and Division III. All matches will consist of either one four-game set or one two-game set, according to the table below. In the Grand Finals, the player that advanced from the losers bracket must win two sets to be awarded first place in the Division, with the first set consisting of four games and the second set, if necessary, consisting of two games.

Division	Players	Winners Bracket Format	Losers Bracket Format
I	8	one four-game set	one two-game set
II	16	one four-game set	one two-game set
III	32	one two-game set	one two-game set

Points & Leaderboard

Each Event will award points that are used to rank players on the CCT Leaderboard. Points are awarded per Event in accordance with the table below:

Placing	Division I	Division II	Division III
1st	150	50	20
2nd	100	30	15
3rd	75	20	10
4th	50	15	8
5th (two players)	30	10	6
7th (two players)	20	8	5
9th (four players)	-	6	4
13th (four players)	-	5	3
17th (eight players)	-	-	2
25th (eight players)	-	-	1

If two or more players achieve the same number of points, ties will be resolved by applying the following tiebreakers. If any step only partially resolves a tie, the tiebreakers will be re-applied from the first step for any players still tied.

1. Cumulative head-to-head match result for all matches played in Knockout Stages and Match Play (only for ties between exactly two players)
2. Number of Division I appearances, then number of Division II appearances, etc.
3. Average points earned per Event played, including Play-In and Knockout Stages.

Tournament Format - CCT Finals

The CCT Finals will feature the winner of each Event's Division I Knockout and additional top players from the CCT Leaderboard, for a total of eight players. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible, additional invitations will be extended based on the CCT Leaderboard.

Round Robin

The CCT Finals begins with a round-robin with all eight players. Each player will play two games, one with the white pieces and one with the black pieces, against each other player with a time control of 15+3. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Players will be ranked by their total points.

After the round-robin is played, players ranked first and second will advance to the semifinals, and players ranked seventh and eighth will be eliminated. Players ranked third through sixth will advance to the "Gauntlet."

Round Robin Tiebreakers

If two or more players achieve the same number of points in the round-robin, ties will be resolved by applying the following tiebreakers. If any step only partially resolves a tie, the tiebreakers will be re-applied from the first step for any players still tied.

1. Points earned in games between tied players
2. Total game wins
3. Final standing on the CCT leaderboard

Gauntlet

The Gauntlet is a series of matches to advance two more players to the semifinals. Players ranked third and fourth will play a match, with the winner advancing to the semifinals. Players ranked fifth and sixth will play a match, with the loser being eliminated in sixth place and the winner playing a match vs. the loser of the match between the players ranked third and fourth. The winner of this match advances to the semifinals, and the loser of this match is eliminated in fifth place. All matches consist of one two-game set.

Semifinals & Final

Four players will advance, as described above, to a single elimination bracket with a 15+3 time control and a 15-minute base time for Armageddon. The players ranked first and second in the round-robin will be seeded first and second, respectively. The player that won the match between the third and fourth ranked players will be seeded third, and the remaining player will be seeded fourth. Matches will be best-of-three sets, meaning that when a player wins two sets, that player will be declared the winner of the match. The first two sets will consist of four games and the third set, if necessary, will consist of two games.

Eligibility

• To be eligible for Qualifiers, a player must be recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or National Title. FIDE Grandmasters are not eligible to play in Qualifiers.
• To be eligible for Play-Ins, a player must be recognized by Chess.com as having the FIDE Grandmaster Title or have placed top three of any previous Qualifier.
• All players that participate in the Knockout Stage of any Event will be required to execute a player agreement with Chess.com. Failure to execute such an agreement may result in forfeiture of his/her spot at Chess.com’s sole discretion.

Fair Play

In all Swiss play in the Qualifiers and Play-Ins, players are required to join a video conference call, upon request, for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video turned on for one or two cameras (as requested). One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player, no virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players might be requested a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

In all other play in the CCT, all players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share screen and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player,  no virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with the CCT.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the CCT. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode. Broadcasting of any gameplay must also have a delay of at least 60 seconds. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to $2,010,000 USD in prizes are available in the CCT. Payments will be made in United States dollars. Chess.com will award $235,000 for each Event's Knockout Stage, according to the following table:

Placing	Division I	Division II	Division III
1st	$30,000	$10,000	$5,000
2nd	$25,000	$7,500	$3,600
3rd	$20,000	$6,000	$2,800
4th	$15,000	$5,000	$2,400
5th (two players)	$12,000	$4,500	$2,000
7th (two players)	$10,000	$4,000	$1,800
9th (four players)	-	$3,500	$1,600
13th (four players)	-	$3,000	$1,400
17th (eight players)	-	-	$1,200
25th (eight players)	-	-	$1,000

Chess.com will award $100,000 for the CCT leaderboard after Event 6, according to the following table:

Placing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$25,000
2nd	$20,000
3rd	$16,000
4th	$12,000
5th	$9,000
6th	$7,000
7th	$5,000
8th	$3,000
9th	$2,000
10th	$1,000

Chess.com will award $500,000 for the CCT Finals, according to the following table:

Placing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$200,000
2nd	$100,000
3rd (two players)	$50,000
5th	$25,000
6th	$20,000
7th	$15,000
8th	$12,000

Additionally, Chess.com will award $1,000 USD for each match win a player gets during the round-robin. 

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Olympic Esports Series

Schedule

The Olympic Esports Series ("OES") consists of "Qualifiers," "Trials," the "Preliminaries" and the "OES Finals," as follows:

Event	Dates (2023)	Start Time (PT)	Start Time (CET)
Qualifiers	Apr 1-7	5 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m.	14:00, 16:30, 19:00
Trials	Apr 13-16, 20-22	5 a.m. & 10 a.m.	14:00 & 19:00
Preliminaries	May 4-5	8 a.m.	17:00
OES Finals	Jun 22-25	TBD	TBD

Tournament Format

Qualifier Stage

Non-FIDE-Titled Players may register to participate in the Qualifier Stage, consisting of 14 Qualifiers. Each Qualifier is a three-hour Arena with score-based pairings and a 3+2 time control. Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Titled Players or players that have already placed third or better in a previous Qualifier are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers.

Trials Stage

Titled Players and players that placed third or better in any Qualifier may register to participate in the Trials Stage, consisting of 14 Trials. Each Trial begins with an 11-round Swiss with a 3+2 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top four ranked players will advance to a single elimination bracket.

Matches in the bracket will consist of two games with a 3+2 Time Control. The higher-seeded player will begin with the white pieces, and colors will be swapped after each game. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. If Players are tied after both games are played, a single game of “Armageddon” will be played, as described below. The winner of each Trials event will qualify for the Preliminaries Stage.

Swiss Tiebreakers

If two or more players are tied in total points in a Qualifier or Trials Swiss, the following tiebreakers will be applied. For the purposes of calculating any such tiebreakers, forfeits and withdrawals will count as losses.

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of the scores of each opponent minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (two-way ties only)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with Black
7. Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Armageddon

If a game of Armageddon is to be played, each player will communicate to Tournament Officials a “bid” via a private message. The bid is the amount of time that the player is willing to play with having the color of choice. The maximum allowable bid is equal to the specified "base time" of the Armageddon game. The player with a lower bid will have the choice of color and begin the game with an amount of time equivalent to their bid. The other player will begin the game with the base time. If the bids are tied, those bids will be discarded, and players will submit another bid. Armageddon games are played with no increment. The player that wins the Armageddon game wins the set. If the game is drawn, the player with the black pieces will be considered the winner of the set.

Preliminaries Stage

The Preliminaries stage features 2 players that have been directly invited to participate by Chess.com and 14 players that have qualified from the Trials. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible by Chess.com, additional invitations will be extended at the sole discretion of Chess.com. The Preliminaries stage consists of five rounds, as follows:

• Rounds 1-3: A three-round Swiss with initial pairings based on player blitz ratings. Following round three, the two players with three match wins will qualify for the OES Finals, and the two players with three match losses will be eliminated.
• Round 4: A continuation of the Swiss with the remaining players. Following this round, the three players with three match wins will qualify for the OES Finals, and the three players with three match losses will be eliminated.
• Round 5: A continuation of the Swiss with the remaining players. Following this round, the three players with three match wins will qualify for the OES Finals, and the three players with three match losses will be eliminated.

Each match in the Preliminaries stage will consist of four games with a 3+2 Time Control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. If a player reaches 2.5 points, that player will be declared the winner of the match. The higher-seeded player will begin with the white pieces, and colors will be swapped after each game. If the match is tied after all games are played, a single game of Armageddon will be played, as described above.

OES Finals

Eight players will advance to the OES Finals from the Preliminaries Stage. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible by Chess.com, the International Olympic Committee, or FIDE, additional invitations will be extended at the joint discretion of Chess.com and FIDE. The OES Finals will take place live at an in-person location in Singapore. The official regulations are available here.

Eligibility

• All Chess.com members in good standing, other than FIDE Titled Players, are eligible to participate in the Qualifiers provided they have already played at least 20 games on their accounts. Players that have already placed third or better in a previous Qualifier are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers. Qualifier participation may be capped at 2000 per Qualifier.
• To be eligible for the Trials, a player must be recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or have placed top three in any Qualifier. Such Qualifier players must additionally execute a player agreement with Chess.com and personally identify themselves on their Chess.com profile.
• All players that participate in the Preliminaries Stage will be required to execute a player agreement with Chess.com. Failure to execute such an agreement may result in forfeiture of his/her spot at Chess.com’s sole discretion.

Fair Play

In all Swiss play in the Qualifiers and Trials, players are required to join a video conference call, upon request, for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must share their screen and/or have video and audio turned on for one or two cameras (as requested). One camera must camera, which must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player, no virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players might be requested a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

In all other play in the OES, all players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screen and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player, no virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with the OES.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the OES. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode.  Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

Prizes

Chess.com will not award prizes for OES. The eight players that qualify for the OES Finals will have travel expenses paid by the International Olympic Committee to attend the OES Finals in Singapore. The International Olympic Committee will award Olympic Esports Trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

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Junior Speed Chess Championship 2023

Schedule

The Junior Speed Chess Championship (JSCC) consists of two qualifier events (each a "Qualifier") and a knockout stage ("JSCC Main Event"). The JSCC schedule is as follows:

Date (2023)	Event	Los Angeles	New York	Paris	Mumbai
May 16	Qualifier 1 - Swiss	6 a.m.	9 a.m.	15:00	6:30 p.m.
May 17	Qualifier 1 - Knockout	6 a.m.	9 a.m.	15:00	6:30 p.m.
May 18	Qualifier 2 - Swiss	10 a.m.	1 p.m.	19:00	10:30 p.m.
May 19	Qualifier 2 - Knockout	10 a.m.	1 p.m.	19:00	10:30 p.m.
Jun 13-20	JSCC Main Event	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies

Tournament Format

Qualifiers

Players may participate in up to two Qualifiers, each consisting of a “Swiss Stage” and a “Knockout Stage.” The top eight players from the Swiss Stage will advance to the Knockout Stage, which is a double-elimination bracket. Players that have been extended invitations to the JSCC Main Event or have already qualified to participate in the JSCC Main Event are ineligible to participate in Qualifiers.

Swiss Stage

In the Swiss Stage, players will compete in a Swiss tournament with 11 rounds with a 3+1 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 8. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top eight Players from the Swiss Stage (based on points scored) will advance to the Knockout Stage. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of the scores of each opponent minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the scores of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with Black
7. Average Rating of Opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the Tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Players' Chess.com ratings immediately after the tournament

Knockout Stage

The Knockout Stage is a double-elimination bracket with the top eight players from the Swiss Stage. The players ranked first-fourth in the Swiss Stage will begin in the Winners Bracket, and the players ranked fifth-eighth in the Swiss Stage will begin in the Losers Bracket. Matches will consist of two games with a 5+1 time control, two games with a 3+1 time control, and two games with a 1+1 time control. Players will alternate colors between consecutive games of the match. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. A match ends when a player reaches 3.5 points, at which time that player has won the match.

The Grand Final match will not be played. Instead, the two players that advance to the Grand Final match will qualify for the JSCC Main Event. 

Knockout Stage Tiebreakers

If neither player reaches 3.5 points, a single game of “Armageddon” will be played, as described in the next section.

Armageddon

If a game of Armageddon is to be played, each player will communicate to Tournament Officials a “bid” via a private message. The bid is the amount of time that the player is willing to play with having the color of choice. The maximum allowable bid is equal to the specified "base time" of the Armageddon game. The player with a lower bid will have the choice of color and begin the game with an amount of time equivalent to their bid. The other player will begin the game with the base time. If the bids are tied, those bids will be discarded, and players will submit another bid. Armageddon games are played with no increment. The player that wins the Armageddon game wins the set. If the game is drawn, the player with the black pieces will be considered the winner of the set.

JSCC Main Event

The JSCC Main Event is a single-elimination bracket with four players that have been directly invited to participate by Chess.com and four players that have qualified from the Qualifiers. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible, additional invitations will be extended at the sole discretion of Chess.com.

Match Format

Each match of the JSCC Main Event consists of three timed “Segments,” each consisting of continuous games and alternating colors at a specified time control.

• Segment 1: 90 minutes of Games (5+1 time control)
• Segment 2: 60 minutes of Games (3+1 time control)
• Segment 3: 30 minutes of Games (1+1 time control)

Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Only games that have already started before the timer expires will count toward players’ scores. The player who has accumulated the most points by the end of the last segment is the winner of the match.

Tiebreakers

If players are tied after all games in all segments have been played, four additional games with a 1+1 time control will be played, with players alternating colors. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The match ends when a player reaches 2.5 points in this tiebreaker, at which time that player has won the match. If neither player reaches 2.5 points, a single game of Armageddon will be played as per the procedure outlined in the section titled "Armageddon" above.

Eligibility

• All players invited by Chess.com to participate in the JSCC Main Event, including players who have won a Qualifier, will be required to execute a participation agreement with Chess.com. Failure to execute such an agreement may result in rescinding of the invitation at Chess.com’s sole discretion.
• All players must be recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or National Title.
• All players must have been born in the year 2005 or later.

Fair Play

All players, for all matches, are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screen and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player, no virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the JSCC. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode.  Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to $50,000 USD in prizes are available in the JSCC. Payments will be made in United States dollars. Chess.com will award $2,500 for each JSCC Qualifier, according to the following table:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st (two players)	$500
3rd	$400
4th	$300
5th (two players)	$250
7th (two players)	$150

Chess.com will award $45,000 for the JSCC Main Event. Prizes will be awarded to participants of each match based on the winner of the match and the win percentage of each player in the match. For prizes split by win percentage, such win percentage is determined by a player’s total points accumulated in the match divided by the number of games played in the match. If a player forfeits within the last 10 minutes of the match, the win percentage will be capped at 35%.

Match	Total Prize Money (USD)	Winner Prize Money (USD)	Prize Money Split by Win Percentage (USD)
Finals	$15,000	$7,500	$7,500
Semifinals (two matches)	$8,000	$4,000	$4,000
Quarterfinals (four matches)	$3,500	$1,750	$1,750

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Bullet Chess Championship 2023

Schedule

The Bullet Chess Championship (BCC) consists of three qualifier events (each, a "Qualifier") and a knockout stage ("BCC Main Event"). The BCC schedule is as follows:

Date (2023)	Event	Los Angeles	New York	Paris	Mumbai
July 6	Qualifier 1	9 a.m.	12 p.m.	18:00	9:30 p.m.
July 7	Qualifier 2	9 a.m.	12 p.m.	18:00	9:30 p.m.
July 7	Qualifier 3	12 p.m.	3 p.m.	21:00	12:30 a.m. (+1)
July 17-21	BCC Main Event	9 a.m.	12 p.m.	18:00	9:30 p.m.

Tournament Format

Qualifiers

Players may participate in up to three Qualifiers, each of which consists of an “Arena Stage” and a “Knockout Stage.” The top eight players from the Arena Stage will advance to the Knockout Stage, which is a double-elimination bracket. Players that have been extended invitations to the BCC Main Event or have already qualified to participate in the BCC Main Event are ineligible to participate in the Knockout Stage of Qualifiers.

Arena Stage

In the Arena Stage, players will compete in a one-hour Arena with score-based pairings and a 1+0 time control. 

Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Knockout Stage

The Knockout Stage is a double-elimination bracket with the top eight players from the Arena Stage. The players ranked first-fourth in the Arena Stage will begin in the Winners Bracket, and the players ranked fifth-eighth in the Arena Stage will begin in the Losers Bracket. Matches will consist of 15 minutes of continuous games with a 1+0 time control and alternating colors. The higher seed will begin with the white pieces. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Only games that have already started before the timer expires will count toward players’ scores. The player that has accumulated the most points by the time the timer expires will be the winner of the match.

If players are tied after all games are played, players will continue to play additional games with a 1+0 time control and alternating colors. The first player to win a game wins the match.

The two players that advance to the Grand Final match will qualify for the BCC Main Event. The Grand Final match will not be played.

BCC Main Event

The BCC Main Event is a double-elimination bracket with ten players that have been directly invited to participate by Chess.com and six players that have qualified from the Qualifiers. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible, additional invitations will be extended at the sole discretion of Chess.com.

Match Format

All matches will consist of 30 minutes of continuous games with a 1+0 time control and alternating colors, except for the Winners Semifinals, Winners Final, and Grand Final (excluding Grand Final Reset) which will be 45 minutes. The higher seed will begin with the white pieces. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Only games that have already started before the timer expires will count toward players’ scores. The player that has accumulated the most points by the time the timer expires will be the winner of the match, provided such player is ahead by at least 2 points.

If neither player is ahead by at least 2 points after all games are played, players will continue to play additional games with a 1+0 time control and alternating colors. The first player to lead by at least 2 points wins the match. If neither player achieves this win condition by the 6th additional game, the player currently in the lead after the 6th additional game will be declared the winner of the match. If the match is tied after the 6th additional game, the next player to win a game will be declared the winner of the match.

Eligibility

• All players invited by Chess.com to participate in the BCC Main Event, including players who have won a Qualifier, will be required to execute a participation agreement with Chess.com. Failure to execute such an agreement may result in rescinding of the invitation at Chess.com’s sole discretion.
• All players must be recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national title.

Fair Play

All players, for all matches in the Qualifier Knockout Stage or Main Event, are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player’s removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the BCC. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to $100,000 USD in prizes are available in the BCC. Payments will be made in United States dollars. Chess.com will award $2,000 for each BCC Qualifier, according to the following table:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st (two players)	$375
3rd	$300
4th	$250
5th (two players)	$200
7th (two players)	$150

Chess.com will award $94,000 for the BCC Main Event, according to the table below:

Placing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$20,000
2nd	$16,000
3rd	$12,000
4th	$8,000
5th (two players)	$6,000
7th (two players)	$4,000
9th (four players)	$2,500
13th (four players)	$2,000