🎓♟️ Calling All Secondary Schools!
The Trinidad & Tobago Chess Association (TTCA) proudly invites secondary school students from across the nation to compete in the National Individual Secondary School Chess Tournament 2025. This prestigious event is sponsored by Genesis Insurance Brokers & Benefits Consultants Ltd.
Registration Form Below ↓↓↓
📅 Date: October 11th and 12th 2025*
📍 Venue: Presentation College Chaguanas
⏱ Time Control: 10 minutes + 3 seconds increment | Rounds: 7**
🕘 Roll Call: 9:00 AM (If not present by 9:30am, will not be paired for round 1)
⭐ FIDE Rated
* – The tournament will be held over 2 days in the event there is 130 + registered players at the start of round 1.
** – The tournament will be a 9 round Swiss in the event there is 130 + registered players at the start of round 1.
💰 Registration:
- Deadline: Thursday, Oct 9th @ 8:00PM
- $80.00 (before Oct 11th); $100.00 (on Oct 11th)
- 💳 Payment Info:
First Citizens Bank – Account #: 2016302
Name: Trinidad & Tobago Chess Association
Branch: 1 Woodbrook Place
🏆 Prizes:
- Top 3 Male & Female players – Trophies
- Top 3 Schools – Trophies
- Winning school – Challenge Trophy
Team Scoring:
Top 4 players’ scores from each school will be combined. Highest total = National Champion
Tournament Regulations:
PARTICIPATION
- This tournament is opened to all Secondary School Students in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Definition by the Education Act: A “secondary school” is defined as a school for the provision of secondary education within the meaning of section 6 of the Education Act.
- Secondary education is “full-time education suitable to the requirements of senior pupils who are under the age of twenty years.”
- Entry fee for the tournament – $80.00, $100.00 on the day of the tournament.
PLAYING SESSIONS AND TIME CONTROL
- This tournament shall be a seven (7) round Swiss, with participation of under 130 players, if 130 player and above, it will be a nine (9) round Swiss.
- The rules of FIDE Tournament Regulations are in force at all times. The Chief Arbiter may advise of additional rules before the start of Round 1.
- The control of the tournament, including changes to fixtures shall be the responsibility of the Chief Arbiter (CA). The Chief Arbiter may consult with the Chief Organizer (CO) and Tournament Director (TD) as required.
- The Arbiter shall resolve all disputes during the course of play.
- All games will be played at the venue and at the times indicated unless stated otherwise by the Arbiter.
- Each session of play shall be governed by the following time control: ten (10) minutes for all the moves with an incremental time of three (3) seconds per move from move one (1).
- Default Time: 10 minutes.
- If a player’s flag falls before the time control is reached, he/she automatically loses. However, the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot checkmate the player by any possible series of legal moves, even against the most unskilled counter play.
CONDUCT OF PLAYERS & SPECTATORS
9 All participants are bound by the Laws of Chess and should behave at all times during the tournament in accordance with FIDE statutes and the highest principles of sportsmanship, settling all controversial issues by agreement and in the spirit of FIDE. Players who flaunt the established rules of play or norms of good conduct may be penalized by the Arbiter.
10 Cell phones and other electronic communication devices must be turned off and left at the designated station during play. A player loses the game when a cell phone or electronic device is found under his/her control in the playing venue during play.
11 No player may leave the area designated for players during the session without the knowledge of the Arbiter. The player having the move cannot leave the chessboard without permission of the Arbiter.
12 A player may wish to be absent for a round. If so, the player must inform the Chief Arbiter before the pairing of the round so he or she will not be paired for that round.
13 A player who has not played two (2) rounds whether due to defaults, absence or a combination of the two shall be considered to have withdrawn from the tournament unless otherwise determined by the Chief Arbiter.
14 It is unsportsmanlike to pre-arrange game results. The Arbiter can impose penalties in a case of clear contravention.
15 A player who does not wish to continue a lost game and leaves without resigning or notifying the Arbiter is discourteous and may be penalized at the discretion of the Arbiter for poor sportsmanship.
16 Players must observe a proper dress code that will not distract other players or have the potential to bring the tournament into disrepute.
17 No smoking or consumption of alcoholic beverages will be allowed in the playing area for the duration of the tournament. This applies to everyone present –players, officials, media representatives and spectators.
18 Spectators should make every effort to be as unobtrusive as possible. Spectators may be asked to stand in designated areas and areas in close proximity to players may be restricted. Persistent loud noises, noticeable gesticulation or any activity that can interrupt the concentration of the players will not be tolerated. Direct interference with the outcome of a game (e.g. suggesting a move to a player) shall result in the individual being expelled from the event.
19 Spectators must observe a proper dress code that will not distract players or have the potential to bring the tournament into disrepute.
20 Use of flash in the playing area is restricted to the first ten minutes of the first round and the first five minutes of each subsequent round, unless the Chief Arbiter decides otherwise. Photographs without flash may be taken during the rest of the round in the playing area only with the permission of the Chief Arbiter.
PENALTIES
21 When there is a dispute the Arbiter will make every effort to resolve the matter by reconciliation. If such means fail, where penalties are not specifically defined by FIDE Laws or Regulations, the Arbiter has discretionary power to impose penalties. Some of these penalties could include:
a. Issue a formal warning.
b. Advance the time on a player’s clock or give his/her opponent additional time.
c. Cancel a game and rule that a new game be played in its stead.
d. Declare a game lost by a player and won for his/her opponent.
e. Declare a game lost by both players.
f. Expel a player from the competition.
g. Warn a spectator or expel him/her from the tournament room if he/she interferes in the game.
h. Other penalties as the Arbiter sees fit.
DETERMINATION OF WINNER AND TIE BREAK
24. The final ranking of the players is determined by the number of points scored where a Win is 1 point, a Draw ½ (or 0.5) points and a Loss 0 points.
Where players have the same number of points a Tie Break system shall be used in the order given as follows:
- Head to Head
- Buchholz – cut 1
- Buchholz – no cut
- Number of games won
- If still tied Tie-break Games shall be played as described below for determining the top four (4) players only. For other tied places the players shall be declared as tied. If a group of players tie for a number of prizes, the money will be divided equally.
Should players still require additional tie break, then Tie-break Games would be required for determining the top three players of the following nature: after drawing of colors, two (2) tie-break games shall be played to determine the winner with a time control of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move.
Initial colours shall be determined by lot in all cases below.
a. If two players have to play a tie-break match:
They play a two-game mini-match at the rate of all the moves in 3 minutes with 2 seconds added on for each move from move 1. If this match is tied:
b. A new drawing of lots for colours shall take place. The winner shall be the first winner of a game. After each odd-numbered game the colours shall be reversed.
c. If three players have to take part in a play-off:
They play a one-game round robin at the rate as in a. If all three players again tie:
d. A new one-game round robin is played until there is a winner or a two-player tie.
e. If there is a two-player tie the procedure is then as in (a) for the two tied players.
f. If four players have to take part in a play-off:
They play a knockout. The pairings shall be determined by lot. There shall be two-game elimination matches at the rate as in (a).
g. The right is reserved for the Chief Arbiter to make necessary changes to the play-off rules.
h. Where only two players are involved in the play-off, they may play at a slower rate of play, if time permits, by agreement with the Chief Arbiter and Chief Organizer/ Tournament Director.
Between each stage of the tie-break games there shall be a pause of at least 10 minutes, unless the Chief Arbiter decides otherwise.
Tie breaks for the School Awards:
- Total Score of the top three players for the represented school
- Total Score of the top two players for the represented school
- Total Score of the top player for the represented school.
- The placement of the top player for the represented school.
APPEALS
25 An Appeals Committee for the tournament shall be selected to rule on appeals from players concerning a decision of the Arbiter. The Appeals Committee shall consist of three members and two reserve members, chosen by Management.
26 A player may appeal any ruling made by the Arbiter, guided by the provisions of item 26.
27 Appeals must be submitted to the Chief Arbiter for deliberation by the Appeals Committee in writing, not more than 30 minutes after the end of the relevant playing session and accompanied by a one-hundred TT Dollar (TT$100) deposit. The deposit will be returned if the appeal is successful or if the Appeals Committee believes the protest was warranted even though it was unsuccessful.
28 The evidence of an independent third party is required to support any claim by a player that his/her opponent violated a law. An unsubstantiated claim shall be rejected.
29 The Chief Organizer and Tournament Director shall assist in the convening of the Appeals Committee so that the Appeals Committee can reach its decision in a timely manner, if possible before the next playing session. Its decision is final.
PRIZES
- 1st Place – Trophy.
- 2nd Place – Trophy.
- 3rd Place – Trophy
- Best Female Performance – Trophy.
- Top School- Challenge Trophy + Replica
- 2nd Place School – Trophy
- 3rd Place School – Trophy
