1. Game Days:
From September 12 to 18, 2025.
2. Venue:
Frontón de Las Llanas
Alameda Las Llanas, 10
48910 Sestao (Bizkaia)
3. Game System and Number of Rounds:
Swiss system, according to the VEGA program, with 9 rounds. No claims will be accepted regarding the computer pairing, except for errors in data entry.
The playing time will be 90 minutes per player, with 30 seconds increment per move.
Draws will not be allowed before move number 30 or before one hour of play has passed, unless authorized by the chief arbiter.
4. Game Schedule:
- 1st round: September 12 at 17:00.
- 2nd round: September 13 at 10:00.
- 3rd round: September 13 at 17:00.
- 4th round: September 14 at 17:00.
- 5th round: September 15 at 10:00.
- 6th round: September 15 at 17:00.
- 7th round: September 16 at 17:00.
- 8th round: September 17 at 17:00.
- 9th round: September 18 at 16:00.
Ceremony and prize giving: September 18 at 20:00.
5. Request for BYE/Rest:
Up to 3 byes will be available for players. They can be requested or canceled before the start of the previous round (e.g., to request a bye for round 5, it must be done before the start of round 4), applicable in the first 7 rounds of the tournament. No byes will be granted for the last two rounds. In the requested round, the player will not be paired and will receive half a point. Byes must be requested exclusively from the chief arbiter.
For all requests, the final decision is made by the chief arbiter based on the proper development of the competition, taking into account the number of points and/or the existence of no-shows.
6. Delays, No-Shows, and Disqualifications:
A maximum delay of 30 minutes is allowed, starting from the official game start time.
The player who does not show up at the beginning of the first round may be replaced by another participant and will be excluded from the tournament. A player’s absence from a round will result in disqualification unless the player requests to continue in writing, before the pairing for the next round is published.
Two no-shows, whether justified or not, will result in permanent disqualification.
7. Registration:
The following registration fees apply:
- General fee: 30€
- C.A.S. (Club Ajedrez Sestao) players fee: Free
- Titleholders (GM, IM, WGM, WIM) and those with over 2,300 FIDE Elo (September list): Free
A 5€ discount will be applied for participants from clubs registering groups of more than 10 participants. The refund will be made in cash to each player once the tournament is over if they have played at least 50% of the games.
Registration fee payment should be made by BANK TRANSFER (cash payment is not allowed) to the bank account: ES34 2095/0087/76/2087006177, clearly stating the player’s name and surname, and the registration data must be sent via email to: sestaoxaketaldea@gmail.com or done through the form that can be found in the website.
To appear in the list of registered players, it is mandatory to have made the payment/transfer to the indicated account.
Players with the ESP flag from FIDE must have a valid federation license in Spain to participate in the tournament, and foreign players must have a FIDE code before the tournament starts.
The tournament organization reserves the right of admission and may expel players who are problematic or do not comply with the decisions of the organization.
8. Electronic Devices:
Unless expressly authorized by the arbiter, the use of any electronic device is prohibited in the playing hall during games. Devices must be completely turned off and disconnected. Violation of this rule will result in the loss of the game.
9. Game Notation:
Players are required to submit the original signed score sheet with the correct result to the arbiter at the end of the game. Moves should be recorded as clearly and legibly as possible. It is important to note that with this time control, notation must be continuous throughout the game.
10. Valid for Elo:
The tournament will be valid for obtaining title norms and FIDE Elo rating according to current regulations.
11. Tiebreaks:
- Corrected Bucholz system, Baku 2023
- Sonnen
- Cumulative
- Head-to-head
- Opponent’s performance average.
12. Participation Conditions:
To participate in the tournament, players must accept the publication of images and personal data (name, surname, year of birth, and sports data) in various media for the necessary dissemination and promotion of the event (result lists, standings, participants, games, etc.).
The tournament will be governed by the current FIDE Chess Laws. Registration for the tournament implies acceptance of these rules and the pairing program used.
Players agree to attend the playing hall with proper attire and maintain correct and sportsmanlike behavior. These rules may be briefly modified before the start of the tournament.
13. Competition Committee and Claims:
The Competition Committee will be composed of the Tournament Director and 4 players, two regular members and two substitutes.
The main arbiter’s decisions may be appealed to the competition committee in writing within 30 minutes after the game in question ends. To submit the claim, a deposit of 50€ is required, which will be refunded if the claim is successful.
14. Prizes:
The full list of prizes can be found in the “Prizes” section on the website.
For prizes based on ELO ranges, the FIDE ELO of the player from the September list will be used. If the player does not have a FIDE ELO, it will be considered as 0 ELO, and other ELOs will not be considered.
All prizes will be paid via bank transfer upon submission of the necessary data through the form provided to the winners at the end of the tournament. The prizes are subject to applicable tax withholding (IRPF withholding).
Winners must be present at the awards ceremony. Otherwise, the prize will be donated to the Club Ajedrez Sestao school.