Tournament FAQ
- Does your club offer OTB tournaments?
Yes we do. Take a look at our upcoming tournaments. - Can non-PCC members play in PCC tournaments?
The majority of our club tournaments are open to the public. You do not need to be a PCC member to enter, but there is a lower entry fee if you're a member. - Are PCC tournaments rated?
The majority of our tournaments are rated by the U.S. Chess. As such, players are required to have an active US Chess Membership through last date of the tournament. These can be purchased online or during on-site registration. - I don't have an official U.S. Chess rating, can I still enter a tournament?
Unrated players can enter PCC tournaments, but there could be section and/or prize restrictions. See the tournament event page/flyer for details. - After I submit an advance entry, do I need to call or email the PCC to find out whether my entry was received?
If you enter online, you will receive an email confirmation letter. For a second confirmation, you can also visit the tournament event page where there will be a list of advanced registered players, and your name should appear there. - Do advance entries need to check in at the site?
The majority of our tournaments do not require check-in for advanced entries. If there is a requirement, it will be detailed in the tournament event page. All players who have entered in advance will be paired for round 1. - Do I need to bring chess equipment?
- For tournaments hosted at the club (5869 Forbes Ave), we will have equipment available, but players are welcome to bring their own equipment if it meets tournament standards.
- For offsite tournaments which do not state "Equipment Provided" in the event page, we will try to bring spare equipment as needed. You can still enter with no equipment, but if your opponent is late then you will not be able to get a time advantage, and if your opponent has no equipment either, and neither player can buy or borrow equipment, the game may be ruled a draw without play. In cases where this could be an issue, please contact the tournament director to let them know so we can ensure enough equipment is delivered to the site.
- How many games do I need to play to get a U.S. Chess rating?
You only need 4 rated games to get a rating and be nationally ranked. After 26 games, the rating is called "established", which means it will change more slowly. - If I forfeit without notice, can I show up for the next round and play?
Players who forfeit without notice are removed from the tournament. To get back in you must tell the Director that you are back, and you may be asked to pay a fine or put up a deposit to assure that you don't forfeit again. - What happens if my opponent doesn't show up?
In order to maintain the scheduled round times, players must start their clocks when instructed by the Director. This is true regardless of whether or not your opponent has shown up at the start. If your opponent fails to show up before the forfeit time (usually 1-hour or the time control, whichever is less), then your opponent loses by forfeit. When recording the result, you should post "0F" for the loss by forfeit and "1X" for the win by forfeit. Note that if you instead record "0" for the loss and "1" for the win, we won't know that your opponent failed to show and will pair him or her again, probably causing another forfeit. - If I withdraw from a tournament before round one, will I receive a refund?
All refunds must be requested. Due to the inconvenience to the Director and to encourage players to not request refunds, there is a service charge for them listed in the tournament event page (ie. $10-$15). You can avoid this charge by keeping the funds on deposit to use for entry in future tournaments. Especially if you are considering entering another PCC tournament in the near future, it may not be advantageous for you to request a refund.