tournaments Tutorial



1.
[{F:W}{B:64}{L:tourney1.bmp}After you've played Chess for awhile you may be interested in expanding your selection of human opponents. One place to start is CM LIVE, Chessmaster's Internet Play component. You might also want to check out the Chess Clubs in your area. And if you're feeling more confident in your skills, you might want to enter tournament play.
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2.
[{T:0}{L:tourney2.bmp}{D:23000}{L:tourney3.bmp}There are two organizations that govern the world of Chess. In the United States, tournament play and ratings are certified by the United States Chess Federation (or USCF). Internationally, ratings are governed by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs, which is abbreviated FIDE (pronounced fee-day).There are three types of tournaments: Match Competition, Round Robin, and the Swiss System. Match Competition is when two players compete head-to-head, as in matches for the world championship.{W:TRL_002}]

3.
[{L:0}{B:64}{T:0}{H1:e7g5e3c5}{T:e7A}{T:g5B}{T:e3C}{T:c5D}In a Round Robin Tournament, {A:Re7g5}{D:200}{A:Rg5e3}{D:200}{A:Re3c5}{D:200}{A:Rc5e7}{D:200}{A:Re7e3}{D:200}{A:Rc5g5}{D:200}{A:Re3e7}{D:200}{A:Rg5c5}every player plays against every other player. These tournaments are used in international competition and to determine most national championships.{W:TRL_003}]

4.
[{T:0}{B:64}{H1:a8a7a6a5a4a3a2a1}{T:a81}{T:a72}{T:a63}{T:a54}{T:a45}{T:a36}{T:a27}{T:a18}In the Swiss System, all players are ranked by rating, or alphabetically if unranked.{D:8000} The ranked list is then split in half,{T:0}{C}{H1:a8a7a6a5h4h3h2h1}{T:a81}{T:a72}{T:a63}{T:a54}{T:h45}{T:h36}{T:h27}{T:h18} and the best player in the top half {D:3200}{A:Ra8h4}{D:4000}{A:Ra7h3}{D:2000}{A:Ra6h2}{D:1000}{A:Ra5h1}is matched against the best player in the bottom half, the second best player in the top half plays the second best player in the bottom half, etc. Winners receive one point, losers get no points, and with a draw each player receives one-half point. In the continuing rounds, the winners play winners and losers play losers.{W:TRL_004}]

5.
[{T:0}{B:64}Chess ratings are earned in USCF or FIDE tournament play against other rated players. In general, the USCF rating scale is a bit higher than the FIDE scale. In Chessmaster, you can enter into tournaments with either human or computer players. You can also approximate your rating, which is similar to the USCF rating system, by playing rated games against computer players.{W:TRL_005}]

6.
[{B:64}{L:tourney4.bmp}USCF Ranked Players are divided by the classifications shown at left.{W:TRL_006}]

7.
[{B:64}{L:tourney5.bmp}You may have heard the term "Grandmaster" used when talking about a highly ranked player. The Grandmaster title is awarded by FIDE and is earned by achieving a certain number of norms, or good performances, against existing Grandmasters. Next lower, FIDE awards the title of "International Master" to players who earn enough norms against Grandmasters and International Masters in tournament play. And last, FIDE gives the title of FIDE Master to players who maintain a rating of 2300 or above in FIDE tournaments.{W:TRL_007}]

8.
[{L:chessclock.BMP}And now, a word about Chess Clocks. In general, when you play a casual game of Chess against a friend, no Chess Clocks are used. Both players will study a position for a reasonable amount of time, and play will go forward. When playing against a computer, however, time limits are necessary. The computer has infinite patience and will continue searching until it finds a checkmate solution for any given position. Keep in mind that the computer thinks much faster than a human can, so when you select your time controls during game set-up, you'll probably want to make the computer's time controls shorter than yours. In general, the longer you give the computer to think, the stronger it will play.{W:TRL_008}]

9.
[{L:tourney7.bmp}In chess tournaments, Chess Clocks are always used. The most common time controls are gradual, with each player required to make 40 moves within the first two hours, then 30 moves within the next 30 minutes, and fifteen moves within the next 15 minutes. Failure to make the required number of moves within the specified timeframe will lose you the game.{W:TRL_009}]

10.
[{L:tourney8.bmp}{B:rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/32/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR}
There's a special form of timed Chess called Blitz, or Speed Chess. In Speed Chess, each player must make all of their moves within 15 minutes. If Checkmate is not achieved, the first player to run out of time loses.{W:TRL_010}{L:0}]