An advanced option. The default is "off".

Can be used when the tournament is closed. For example when the tournament is for a specific Group. Group invitations are easiest. Individual invitations are time consuming and most TDs send only a few or none at all.

Invitations to players who do not qualify

Do Invitations allow players to bypass restrictions and register?

I have not noted this recently so I am unsure. Please advise on your recent experience.

Restrictions: Bypass

Rating: Yes?

Time/move average: No?

Timeout %: No?

Invitations to individuals

The number of invitations allowed depends on the maximum number of players for the tournament.

The formula presented when you send invitations is:

(3 * Max Players) - Number of Registered Players

In practice there is no credit for the Number of Registered Players:

3 * Max Players

http://support.chess.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/115/0/how-do-i-invite-players-to-my-tournament

Who to invite?

Basic members are can register in one tournament if they have no active tournament games.

It is more likely a basic member who participates in member-created tournaments will already be playing in a tournament or already be registered in a tournament.

I send invitations for every tournament I create.

For smaller tournaments I ignore the basic members. There are enough premium members to invite.

For larger tournaments with a ratings range, invitations to basic members are reasonable.

It is a tedious business. Look at game lists to see if they have any active tournament games. You have to gamble they are not registered somewhere already.

Maximum number of member tournaments allowed

Basic members are allowed to register in one member-created tournament at a time.

Either through a bug or design, a basic member can register in another member-created tournament if between rounds of a tournament. Given the possible long periods between completing all their games and the completion of the last game of a round, a basic member might even be in more than two member-created tournaments at the same time.

This is not such a big exploit for Gold members since most people are not able to keep up with more than 10 tournaments. Of course this does not impact Diamond nor Platinum members.

Note: When a premium member does not renew their premium membership, they are allowed to play out all their tournaments. They are not removed.

Open Tournament vs Closed Tournament

Open describes a tournament where anybody can play. For example the U.S Open (tennis or golf) is not limited to U.S players. The British Open is not limited to British players.

Open Tournaments:

Bulgaria open 2011 - http://www.chess.com/tournaments/players.html?id=27417

U.S. Chess Open - http://www.chess.com/tournaments/players.html?id=22628

1600-2000 Open - http://www.chess.com/tournaments/players.html?id=23423

Dutch open 1250-1450 - http://www.chess.com/tournament/dutch-open-1200-1400

Waterland open - http://www.chess.com/tournament/waterland-open

Closed Tournaments:

In a closed tournament a player has to be invited or qualified to participate. A closed tournament can limit players by something other than rating.

On this site it could be:

- people from a certain place - http://www.chess.com/tournament/2nd-romanian-open

- members of a specific group - http://www.chess.com/tournament/4th-learning-group-open or http://www.chess.com/tournament/we-chat-global-open

- users with names beginning with A

- people who work for IBM

...

Some TDs mistakenly use the term open to mean players of all ratings, then limit tournament participants, for instance, to players from a specific place.

- Venusians incorrectly removed from "The Plutonian Open" can become very annoyed.

- There may be fewer problems if the name of the tournament indicated it was closed. For example "The Plutonian Closed for residents of Pluto Only".

Opinion:

Tournaments designed for a certain nation or nations have many problems.

- There are ineligible entrants to be removed. http://www.chess.com/tournament/united-states-closed

- There are "I used to live there." or "My father is from there." registrants. http://www.chess.com/tournament/japan-open-2

Yes it is all for fun so it all depends on your own feeling of how strict you will be and how strict the eligible participants feel you should be.

Invitation-only works better. http://www.chess.com/tournament/british-isles-closed

Members can identify themselves with any flag they choose so there is a possibility ineligible members will be invited and register.

Note: The site provides specific tournament information here http://support.chess.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/115/0/how-do-i-invite-players-to-my-tournament

Note: The site provides general tournament information here: http://www.chess.com/tournaments/help.html and here http://support.chess.com/

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