Williamson Shield 2017 Terms and conditions

1. All participants must be current members of either the UCU or ICU and be of good standing.
2. It is a condition of entry to the Ulster Chess Championships that all players accept these terms and conditions.
3. All entries are taken subject to the approval of the tournament arbiter and these terms and conditions. The arbiters decision is final.
4. All players over 18 years of age are deemed to allow publication of photographs of them taken at the event by the organisers for publicity purposes unless they inform the organisers otherwise.
5. Prizes will be determined at the earliest opportunity following the start of the tournament and are dependent on the number of entries.
6. Any players found to not be paid-up members of the UCU or ICU may have their prizes withheld if they are not a paid-up member.
7. No Player may win more than one prize.
8. If an unrated or estimated rated player wins any section they will only receive 50% of the prize money.
9. Estimated rated players who cannot provide adequate proof of their rating may not qualify to win any cash prize..
10. Prize money will be shared equally amongst tied players.
11. Where there is a tie for first place in any section then a tie-breaking system will be applied for titles. (First tie-break will be Median Buchholz followed, if necessary, by Buchholz, then most wins and then progressive scores.)
12. The title holders of the lower sections from the Williamson Shield 2016 may enter the next higher section irrespective of their current chess rating.  Other entrants wishing to play in the next higher section may do so at discretion of the arbiter and is subject to entrant numbers and their individual rating.
13. The following will be used to decide players seeding (in this order):

a. Their current UCU or ICU Rating*

*For those players who have both a UCU and ICU rating, their recent activity in UCU and ICU games will be scrutinised to help decide which rating is used.  The tournament director's decision is final.

b. Their FIDE Rating

c. Their National Federation Rating (if verified)

d. The decision of the arbiter

1. A tournament committee will be appointed before the start of the tournament.