Dates: Victoria Day Weekend (Saturday May 18 through Monday May 20, 2024)

Location: St. Casimir's Parish Hall, 156 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto.

Format: Six-round Swiss tournament, rounds daily at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (final round Monday at 3:00 p.m.)

Sections: Open, U2200, U1800, U1400

Prize Fund: Guaranteed $1500 for tournament winner, prize fund estimated at $7000 based on 250 entrants.

Michael Schleifer Brilliance Prize: We are grateful for the Schleifer family for establishing this $500 prize. The 2024 Ontario Open will be the first tournament to offer this prize. Players may submit PGNs to info@annexchessclub.com for consideration for this prize.

Playing Up: Any player within 100 points of the next section may play up after paying a $20 fee. Play-up eligibility for U1800 determined by CFC ratings only. Play-up eligibility for U2200 determined by best of CFC and FIDE ratings.

Time Control: 90 min + 30 sec increment from move 1.

Forfeit time: Thirty minutes from the start of the published round time.

Rating: All sections CFC-rated; Crown, U2200, and U1800 sections FIDE-rated. CFC ratings to be used for starting rank and pairings.

Byes: Two half-point byes may be awarded in the first four rounds if requested before May 15 2024. Bye requests during the tournament must be received prior to the end of the previous round (i.e. a request for a bye in round three must be received by the end of round two). Byes in the final two rounds are zero-point byes.

Fair Play Policy

Cellphones, smart watches, tablets, and other devices that can connect to the internet must be off and stored in the player’s backpack or bag, or are kept face down at the player's board. Smart watches may not be worn. If a player’s device sounds, vibrates or otherwise causes a disturbance during a game, said player loses their game. A second infraction will result in ejection from the tournament.

Any player found with an active device on their person while a game is in progress will lose their current game, unless an explicit allowance has been made by the Chief Arbiter. A second infraction will result in ejection from the tournament.

Spectators whose devices cause disturbance will be asked to leave the playing hall. Players whose games are finished are spectators.

Spectators may not use cellphones, smart watches, tablets and other devices that can connect to the internet in the playing hall, with the following exception: photography is permitted in the first ten minutes of any round.

Photography

Spectators may take photos in the first ten minutes of any round. Official event photographers and accredited media are excepted.

Media Disclaimer

ACC (the organizer) reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at the tournament, without the permission of those included within the photograph/video. Organizers may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted by the organizers including but not limited to: websites, social media, publications, etc.

To ensure individual  privacy, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the person, parent, or legal guardian.

Participation in the tournament is an agreement to release, defend, hold harmless and indemnify the organizers from any and all claims involving the use of your picture or likeness.

Any person or organization not affiliated with the organizers may not use, copy, alter or modify the photographs, graphics, videography or other, similar reproductions or recordings without the advance written permission of an authorized designee from organizers.

Please notify the tournament organizers if you have concerns or don’t permit the usage of your pictures. The organizers will remove your pictures upon a written request.

Appeals

If a player disputes an arbiter’s ruling, they may appeal to the tournament’s Appeals Committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing within one (1) hour of the completion of the game in question, and must be accompanied by a deposit of $100. Appeals should be sent to info@annexchessclub.com.

Deposits will be returned if the appeal is successful or is deemed reasonable.

Entry Fee

Early bird (prior to May 1): $90

Regular (May 5 to 14): $110

Late: (After May 14): $130

$10 discount for juniors (under 18) and seniors (60 and over)

$20 discount for ACC members

Free entry for GM/WGM IM/WIM before May 1. Email info@annexchessclub.com for entry.

Cancellation Policy

A $20 processing fee will be applied for any cancellation prior to May 1.

After May 1, a 50% refund will be issued.

After May 16 no refunds will be given.