Tiebreak Regulations 2015
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Where there is a tie for first place in a tournament, the first prize money shall not be divided. Where there is a tie for any other position, including all the losers in any play-off, the prize money shall be divided equally among the tied players. Grand Chess Tour Points shall not be divided, but shall be awarded based on a play-off, if any, for first place and on mathematical tiebreaks for all other ties, except as specified in Regulation 4e below.
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Where there is a tie for first place in a tournament, there shall be a play-off. The play-off shall determine the winner of the tournament and the distribution of the first prize money. The play-off shall also be used to determine the recipients of any special prizes or trophies which cannot be split, or which the organizers of the tournament in question do not wish to split.
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A play-off shall also be held if the winner of any special prize or trophy awarded for a position other than first cannot be determined by the application of the mathematical tiebreaks specified below.
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Mathematical Tiebreaks: In all other cases the positions in the crosstable, and the recipients of any special prizes or trophies shall be determined by the application of mathematical tiebreaks in the order specified below.
a. Number of games won by each of the players in the tie.
b. The results of the games between or amongst the players in the tie.
c. The Sonneborn-Berger System
d. The Extended Koya System, as follows:
i. the number of points scored against players who have scored 50% or more
ii. the inclusion, step by step, of each score group below 50% in turn.
e. If a tie still remains unresolved after the application of Regulation 4 d ii, the Grand Chess Tour Points shall be shared.
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Where a play-off is to be held, the procedures below shall apply. The play-off shall commence only after a break of at least 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last game in the main tournament involving any player in the play-off. The interval between games in the play-off shall be not less than 5 minutes and if possible at least 10 minutes. The Chief Arbiter and the Organizer of the tournament shall be empowered to shorten the time limits for the play-offs where this is necessary to complete the tournament on schedule.
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Two Players: There shall be a two game Rapidplay match at a time limit of Game / 25 mins + 5 secs / move throughout. Lots shall be drawn to decide which player has White in the first game. If the scores are still level, the tie shall be broken by an Armageddon Game (as specified in Regulation 10 below).
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Three Players: The two players placed lowest on tiebreak shall contest a two game Rapidplay match at a time limit of Game / 25 mins + 5 secs / move throughout. Lots shall be drawn to decide which player has White in the first game. If the two game Rapidplay match is drawn the players shall contest an Armageddon Game. The successful player in that game shall then play the player with the highest tiebreak in accordance with the procedure for two players specified in Regulation 6.
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Four Players: The four players shall be ranked in order of tiebreak. Number 1 shall then play Number 4 and Number 2 shall play Number 3.
Each pair of players shall contest a two game Rapidplay match at a time limit of Game / 25 mins + 5 secs / move throughout. Lots shall be drawn to decide which player has White in the first game. If the two game Rapidplay match is drawn the players shall contest an Armageddon Game. The successful players shall then play each other in accordance with the procedure for two players specified in Regulation 6.
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More Than Four Players: With five, six or seven player, the players will be seeded according to tiebreak. The procedure for eight players below shall apply, but the three players, two players and one player respectively who are highest placed on tiebreak shall receive a bye in the first round.
With eight players, the players will be seeded according to tiebreak. A knockout tournament with two game Rapidplay matches shall be contested at a time limit of Game / 15 mins + 5 secs / move throughout. In each round lots shall be drawn to decide which player has White in the first game. If the two game Rapidplay match is drawn the players shall contest an Armageddon Game.
In the first round the pairings will be 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6, 4 v 5. In the second round the winner of 1 v 8 shall play the winner of 4 v 5 and the winner of 2 v 7 shall play the winner of 3 v 6.
Armageddon Game: When an Armageddon Game is to take place in accordance with the foregoing Regulations, the following shall apply:
a. White shall have 6 minutes and Black shall have 5 minutes.
Both players shall receive an increment of 3 seconds per move from move 61.
b. In the event of a draw Black shall be declared the winner.
c. Colors shall be determined by the toss of a coin, conducted by the Chief Arbiter.
The winner of the toss shall have choice of color.