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Online Tournament Rules:

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RULES FOR ONLINE COMPEITION:

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How to play

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• Using a desktop, laptop or notebook computer, login to lichess.org at least 30 minutes before the tournament.
  Play on a phone or tablet is not allowed, however a phone or tablet is a good option for running Zoom.

• Use of a physical set/board is not allowed, unless authorized by director for medical reasons.

If you want to be eligible for cash prizes, you must use Zoom, and connect to the provided Zoom room. Make sure you test Zoom and your webcam before the event starts. You can play without Zoom, but will not be eligible for prizes. Zoom links will be provided the day of the event via email and tournament chat. A side/rear Zoom camera angle is required. Players with the wrong angle who are notified of this will usually be given at least one round to correct their angle before there is any penalty.

Rules

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• You must be logged into lichess, and have joined the provided team and within it the tournament in order to be paired for the event. Disconnect after the start of a game, you will not be removed automatically, but you need to return as soon as possible, or the manager will forfeit you.

• A player must not enter the tournament on more than one username, or risk being forfeited on both usernames. We ask that during the tournament players put their real name in their lichess.org profile to make it easier to identify them for the correct section.

• Use of computer chess engines, databases, chess books, magazines, written notes and any other form of external assistance while playing is strictly prohibited. Assistance from other players is also prohibited and will result in disqualification as well as further sanctions via USCF.

• By entering this tournament, I agree to the following.
  I will not give my password to anyone.
  I will not share my account.
  I am the only person allowed to use my account.
  Specifically, I will not allow other people to use my account.
  I will not use any account which does not belong to me.
  
  I will not use chess database software, analysis software, chess engines or any outside assistance of any kind to assist one’s game while playing US CHESS rated games. I acknowledge and agree that lichess.org, FCA, Palm Beach Chess and US CHESS has the right to monitor such activity and further agree to indemnify, defend and hold the named organizations harmless from and against any and all liabilities, claims, causes of action or damages (including attorney's fees) arising from the Company's exercise of its rights herein.
  
  I will behave decently toward other players, and follow the understanding if there is nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.
  
  Players are prohibited from giving takebacks or adding time during the tournament.
  
  All participants are expected to be familiar with the rules of chess used on lichess.org.  In particular, participants should be aware of lichess rules for draws and how to claim a draw if such a claim is necessary to invoke a particular draw rule.  To that end, each participant is encouraged to review the rules. Pairings will follow lichess.org and rules on checkmate, stalemate and game end will follow lichess.org standards and will be upheld for tournament results.
   
  The tournament director may, at his or her discretion, refuse to allow a player to enter the tournament or eject a player from the tournament, for any reason, including, but not limited to: connection problems, excessive lag, failure to start tournament games promptly, failure to resume tournament games promptly, disruptive behavior in the tournament room, suspicion that the player is receiving outside assistance, suspicion that the player is using computer assistance, or discovery that the account or player has a previous history of violating rules. The manager is not obligated to disclose the reason for his or her decision, and his or her decision is final. There is no process for appeal.

The lichess tournament directors may, at their discretion, rule that all games of a player in a tournament are forfeited due to a fair play violation. The scores of the forfeited players' opponents shall be adjusted as follows:
 

• A) If the tournament has been concluded, or there is one round remaining, opponents who lost to the forfeited player shall receive a half point bye, and opponents who drew with the forfeited player shall receive an unplayed win.

• B) If there are two or more rounds remaining, all opponents who faced the forfeited player shall receive an unplayed win.

• C) For rating purposes the player violating fair play policy will be forfeited in all games.

• "FAIR PLAY" ANALYSIS
  Games played and suspected of fair play violation will be analyzed using anti-cheating tools. Such analysis will include, but not be limited to, comparing moves played to the recommendations of various engines. Players suspected of violating the Fair Play rules may: 1) have their results and any prize eligibility canceled, 2) be banned from future tournaments, 3) be banned from future FCA  tournaments both online and over the board, and 4) be reported to the USCF Ethics Committee, leading to possible suspension of USCF membership.

• After each tournament, results will not be final for up to three weeks while fair play analysis of games takes place.
  
  Successfully playing US CHESS online rated games are at the mercy to an individual’s connectivity and one’s ability to use the various interfaces to connect and play on our site. We cannot be responsible for games lost due to an entrant’s difficulty remaining connected or inability to use site used to play. Completed games cannot and will not be re-started, resumed or ratings adjusted for any reason.
  
  Neither Lichess.org, Palm Beach Chess, FCA, nor US CHESS can be responsible for things that can happen with internet play. Examples of this can be: slips or dropped pieces; returning a piece back to its original place and accidentally setting it on the wrong square; game boards disappearing; etc. This list is not all-inclusive, as there may be other issues that we cannot control as well. 

• Half point byes are available as breaks in lichess.org. Players need to familiarize themselves with how byes work in lichess.org in tournament play.

• Intentional rating abuse (lowering rating to enter lower class) is prohibited and may lead to disqualification as well as further sanctions.

• Palm Beach Chess and Florida Chess Association reserve the right to use image and name of winner(s) from their online events for publicity purposes.

• As real names will be made public, all players are required to use their public handles in this tournament, as opposed to anonymous accounts.

• The tournament directors may at their discretion make a ruling on a particular game, eject a player from a tournament, or refuse to allow a player to join a tournament for any reason including but not limited to: failure to show up on time or to start a game on time, concern that the player's internet connection is not reliable enough for the game to finish in a timely manner, suspicion of chess computer use, suspicion that a player is receiving assistance, suspicion that a player has used multiple accounts during the tournament, or the fact that this player has been caught violating rules in the past.

• Participants are expected to use the same computer during the whole tournament. Play must be on desktops, laptops and notebooks only, mobiles and tablets are not allowed. 

• Bathroom break: For Online Regular rated play (G/25+10 & slower), one (1) is allowed per round, but not if the remaining time on both clocks totals under 30 minutes. For Online Quick or Online Blitz rated play, such a break may be penalized at the director's discretion and may be a factor considered in "fair play" enforcement.

• The bathroom break limit applies to players whether using Zoom or not. Before going on a bathroom break, players must click the "raise your hand" button and type "bathroom" in the Zoom chat.

• Zoom must be set so that it displays the player and the area near the player. It does not need to display the position as the Director knows this even if you don’t use Zoom.

• The Director may on occasion require that Zoom be temporarily adjusted to reveal parts of the room not otherwise displayed.

• Audio as well as video must be enabled on Zoom.

• Noise such as music that may be loud enough to mask possible illegal discussion is not permitted.

• The best location for the Zoom camera is on a separate device, clearly showing the player and making him/her easily identifiable. The camera angle should be behind the user, possibly using a cell phone, that allows a view of the entire chess board and monitor. Fixed laptop, desktop or Mac cameras are allowable. Hint: Having Zoom running separate from your internet connection reduces the possibility of lag affecting your connectivity due to bandwidth issues for some, i.e. gameboard possibly freezing.
  
  A player may not leave for a bathroom break while on move.

• Players are warned that improvement of play slightly after a bathroom break is considered highly suspicious and, depending on other factors, could lead to a player being forfeited or banned.

• No player may win more than one prize.