Official Tournament Rules

1. General Principles

These rules govern all tournaments hosted on the ChessAI platform. By participating in any tournament, you agree to abide by these rules in their entirety. Our core principle is Fair Play. All outcomes must be determined solely by the skill of the participants. Any action that undermines this principle is strictly prohibited.

2. Player Conduct & Fair Play

• One Account Per Player: Each individual is permitted to have only one account on ChessAI. Multiple accounts are grounds for immediate disqualification and a permanent ban.
• No External Assistance: The use of chess engines, databases, books, or any form of assistance from another person or computer program during a game is strictly forbidden. This is cheating.
• Zero Tolerance for Cheating: We employ advanced, proprietary cheat-detection algorithms. Any player found to be violating Fair Play rules will be disqualified from the tournament, forfeit any prizes, and face a permanent ban from the platform. All decisions made by the ChessAI Fair Play team are final.
• Sportsmanship: Harassment, abuse, or disrespectful behavior towards opponents or staff will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification.

3. Registration & Entry Fees

Players must register for tournaments via the official form on our Contacts page. An entry fee may be required, as specified on the Tournaments page. Registration is only confirmed upon successful payment. Entry fees are non-refundable, except in cases where a tournament is cancelled by ChessAI.

4. Tournament Formats

We utilize several standard tournament formats to ensure fair competition:

• Swiss System: Players are paired against opponents with a similar score in each round. You are not eliminated after a loss. This is the most common format for our major events.
• Arena: Players are paired as quickly as possible for a set duration of time (e.g., 2 hours). The goal is to accumulate as many points as possible in the given time.
• Knockout: Win and advance; lose and you are eliminated. This high-stakes format is used for special qualifier events.

5. Disconnections and Technical Issues

A stable internet connection is the responsibility of the player. If a player disconnects, their game clock will continue to run. Depending on the tournament's specific rules, a disconnection may result in a loss if the player does not reconnect within a specified time limit. ChessAI is not responsible for losses resulting from a player's local technical issues.

6. Prize Distribution

Prize structures are clearly defined on the Tournaments page for each event. Prizes are awarded based on final rankings, determined by the tournament's format and tie-break rules. All prize distributions are deterministic and based on performance. There are no random prizes. Physical prizes will be shipped to the address provided by the winner upon confirmation. Cash prizes will be distributed via secure electronic transfer.

7. Rulings and Disputes

All decisions made by the ChessAI tournament administrators and Fair Play team regarding rules interpretation, player conduct, and game outcomes are final and binding. Any disputes or inquiries must be submitted through our official contact form within 24 hours of the tournament's conclusion.