These rules are a simplification of the old rules, but with a few fine points intended to ensure the smooth running of tournaments. The additions relate to:
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- Vote Chess
- Defaults for insufficient players
- Defaults for failure to send or accept challenges
- Points adjustment for players closed for fair play violation
- Renaming clubs
- Clubs that default repeatedly
- Tie breaks
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TOURNAMENTS COLOSSEUM MASTER ARENA COMBAT (TCMAC)
TCMAC RULES 2025
These updated rules apply to all tournaments starting in 2025 or later. The older rules can be found below.
TCMAC aims to promote fair and healthy competition between chess clubs with clear and simple rules for everyone. The TCMAC League was created to help grow each club that joins. Here we all have fun together.
TCMAC expects respectful interactions among members. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in muting or expulsion from TCMAC.
Registration of Clubs and Eligibility
To register for TCMAC, a club MUST provide a link to a match from the last 3 months, consistent with the tournament’s chess variant and minimum number of boards.
Clubs must provide their name, club link, responsible admin’s name, and a link to match to confirm eligibility.
It is mandatory for each club's admin to join the TCMAC and actively monitor relevant forums. Having a second admin for shared responsibilities is highly advisable.
Late entries into closed tournaments will be allowed only at the tournament director's discretion, and no new clubs may join once Round 1 has commenced.
Pairings / Match Parameters
Match pairings and parameters will be announced a minimum of 14 days before the matches commence. Matches should be set up as soon as possible to allow time for both teams to build their roster. For vote chess games the challenge period is 4 days.
Minimum Number of Players
The minimum number of players required for each TCMAC tournament is 10, except for the Decanus, Praetorians and Total War 960 Arena Tournaments, which require a minimum of 5 players, and Byzantine Vote Chess, which has no minimum players.
There is no maximum limit on the number of players.
Should any team fail to meet the minimum player requirement by the match start time, the team is assigned a forfeit defeat.
If a club does not reach the minimum number of players two or more times in a tournament, it will forfeit all remaining rounds of that tournament.
Match Challenges and Player Registration
As soon as pairings are announced, either club must initiate a challenge within three days. The challenged team is required to accept within three days after the challenge is sent; failure to do so allows the challenging club to claim a win by providing evidence in the forum.
Player rosters do not need to be locked unless a start date has not been set, in which case they should be locked on the day the match is due to begin.
TCMAC admins will provide necessary guidance to club administrators on managing challenges.
Challenge Forfeits
Admins must accept challenges within three days. If a challenge is not accepted, the match will be lost by forfeit. If neither team has sent a challenge by the match start date, both teams will lose by forfeit.
If a club does not send or accept challenges two or more times in a tournament, it will forfeit all remaining rounds of that tournament.
Match and League Completion, and Fair Play Closures
Match wins are provisionally awarded to the first team to win more points than the number of boards. It's possible this can change if player accounts are later closed for fair play violation.
TCMAC does not use a cut-off date; leagues run until all matches have a provisional result.
But during that time, fair play closures are possible, even in matches that are themselves complete. Points previously awarded to players that are closed for fair play, are deducted from their team's score and awarded to the opposing team.
After all matches in a league have a provisional result or are completed, the results will be announced, and scores will no longer be updated.
Results and Tie-Breaks
Matches will be scored as follows: 1 point for a win, 0 points for a loss, and 0.5 points for a draw. In the event of a tie, the Sonneborn-Berger calculation system will be applied.
If after calculating the Sonneborn-Berger score the clubs are still tied, then the head-to-head result between those clubs is used, and if also a draw, a rematch shall be scheduled.
A “Playoff” phase will feature the top teams from each group, utilizing the tie-breaker for teams with equal scores.
Players whose accounts are closed for Fair Play Violation will lose any points for games recorded as won or drawn.
Renaming Clubs
As renaming a club changes the URL and the links presented in pairings and results tables, any rename of a participating club has an impact on the league admin and other participating members.
If a club is renamed during a tournament season, the admins must notify the TCMAC admins in TCMAC Notes and all admins of competing clubs in each appropriate League forum. Failure to do so will result in the club forfeiting all remaining rounds.
If a club is renamed more than once during a tournament season it will forfeit all remaining rounds.
TCMAC Rules 2023-2024 (Obsolete)
The 2023-2024 rules apply to all tournaments that started in 2024. These rules are unchanged, as the tournaments are in progress, and are only here for reference until those tournaments all complete.
REGISTRATION OF CLUBS
To register in the TOURNAMENTS COLOSSEUM MASTER ARENA COMBAT, a club MUST provide a link to an ongoing match with a large number of players in the relevant rating level:
1] DECANUS TOURNAMENT
2] LEGIONNAIRES TOURNAMENT
3] GLADIATOR TOURNAMENT
4] CENTURION TOURNAMENT
UNDER 1200 (U12) DECANUS UNDER 1400 (U14) LEGIONNAIRES UNDER 1600 (U16) GLADIATOR UNDER 1800 (U18) CENTURION
Other Tournaments organized at TCMAC:
The Battle of Legions OPEN is 3 days to move
The Gaius Iulius Caesar OPEN is 2 days to move
The Ninth Phoenix Tournament OPEN is 1 day to move
Total War 960 Colosseum 25+( Chess960 )
Total War 960 Master 10+ ( Chess 960 )
Total War 960 Arena 5+ ( Chess 960 )
Pretorians 960 Open
Pretorians 960 Under 1700
Pretorians 960 Under 1400
The minimum number of players required for each TCMAC tournament is 10 except Decanus and PraetoriansTournaments and Total War 960 Arena whose minimum number of players to register is 5. There is no maximum number of players.
The club MUST provide: club \ team name, responsible name, club link and match link, which may be sufficient to determine whether or not suitable for the chosen category.
Click --Participating teams and their representatives
An admin of each participating club must join the TCMAC. It is the admins' responsibility to track relevant forums and act on requests involving their club. It's recommended that each club be represented by a second admin to share responsibilities for their club. Clubs are allowed to enter closed tournaments late at the tournament director's discretion. However, no additional Clubs may join once Round 1 games have begun.
PAIRINGS / MATCH PARAMETERS
Tournament pairings and match parameters will be announced in each division’s forum or with specific news at least 15 days before the start of the matches.
MATCH CHALLENGES AND REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS
Once pairings are announced , either club can initiate a challenge within three days, using the defined Match Name provided in the forum. Once the challenge is reported in the division's forum the challenged team will have three days to accept the challenge (or to send its own challenge in the event that the original challenge was incorrect).
A club that has issued a correct challenge that has been declined or not accepted within three days (after having been reported in the forum) can claim a win after providing a link and/or screenshot of its correct challenge in the division’s forum. In each TCMAC tournament it is possible ( if deemed necessary by the various club admins ) to Lock the roster of players registered in the various matches BUT ONLY ONE DAY BEFORE THE START OF THE MATCHES. ANY LOCKING DONE AT ANOTHER TIME WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
TCMAC admins can instruct club administrators how to deal with challenges (e.g. to avoid or reduce interferences or in the event of challenge issues). Administrators who do not act accordingly risk personal limitations and/or the disqualification of their club.
RESULTS AND TIE-BREAKS
A match will be scored as follows: 1 point for a win , 0 for a loss, and 0.5 for a draw.
In the event of two or more teams finishing on equal points, the tie break with the Sonneborn-Berger calculation system will be used to determine the correct final position of each team.
Furthermore, starting from this year the final 'Playoff' phase will be introduced for each TCMAC tournament, a final round reserved for the first-placed teams in each group so as to have a certain podium and with the use of the Sonneborn-Berger Tie breaker if there are two teams with the same score. The hope is that this will encourage all participating teams to give their best in the TCMAC competitions.
The general policy of the TCMAC is to avoid interference in the flow of conversation and discussion between members. Members are expected to interact with each other in respectful and appropriate ways. In cases of inappropriate and disrespectful behavior, TCMAC administrators can take action including „muting“ the participant(s) involved, allowing them to participate in the TCMAC but without comment. If further instances of inappropriate and disrespectful behavior occur, the participant(s) involved can be expelled from the TCMAC.
Any situation not covered by these rules will be decided at the discretion of the TCMAC 's administration.
ATTENTION:
From the launch of the challenges, the admins of the teams or clubs have 3 days to accept them. if the challenge is not accepted within 3 days from the launch, the match will be considered lost by forfeit; if the challenge is accepted and one of the two teams does not reach the minimum number of players required by the regulation, the match will still be considered lost by forfeit; and in the event that both teams fail to reach the minimum number of players required, it will be up to the admins to agree to reach the minimum number of players in the shortest possible time (example: if “chess will” and “team sicilia” do not reach the minimum number of players required, it will be up to the admin of the two teams to agree to reach the minimum number of players required in the shortest possible time and start the match). In case of no agreement, both teams will be assigned the forfeit defeat.
Start dates of our tournaments
See https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/start-dates-of-our-tournaments for the accurate start dates.