Several items of interest to TDs came up at the recent U.S. Open Delegates meeting and workshops. Here are the highlights and my impressions:

TDCC

The established rating a TD must have, except at the club level, is only the regular or “classic” rating.

The prize fund requirements referred to in the TD Certification rules are defined as “divisible” prizes, not indivisible prizes such as scholarships, …

It was pointed out on the Tournament Direction forum at uschess.org/forums (you should give this forum a try!) that there are some clever ways to circumvent the meaning of the TD Certification rules. The workshop felt that while those methods were clever they were also insignificant and could be dealt with on an individual basis as they occur. The certification rules, like the entire rulebook, were not designed to deal with “obscure circumstances.”

RULES

When computing based on prizes, players that qualify to win prizes, regardless of their EF status, must also be used in the formula when calculating the amount of prizes to be awarded. So, if the event is advertised as $2000, b/40, those 40 players consist of both the paid and free entries. House players that essay only a few games and cannot win prizes do not count as part of the 40 players. If the organizer/TD wants to count only paid players then that fact must be advertised; i.e., $2000, b/40 paid entries needs to appear in all of the ads for the event.

Starting in January 2005 advertising (flyers, TLAs, and Chess Life ads, …) for based on tournaments ($500 or more) will need to indicate, using the same typeface and size, how much of the prize fund is guaranteed. For example: an ad with a $2000, b/40 prize fund would also have to indicate that $1000 (50% of the $2000) in prizes is guaranteed. That is what the based on rule currently says for events with $500 or more in prizes anyhow. Now, as a player service that 50% guaranteed dollar amount will also appear in the ad. Of course organizers can guarantee more $$$ if that is what they want!

Why the sudden interest in based on prizes? As Rules Committee Chair David Kuhns put it: “As currently stated in the Rulebook, a based on number of players must represent a reasonable expectation of attendance. Artificially increasing the projected prize fund with an unrealistic attendance estimate constitutes false advertising and fraud. Penalties may be assessed as appropriate.”

ON-LINE TOURNAMENT REPORTS

Mike Nolan demonstrated how to submit rating reports on-line and get them instantly rated!!! The authors of WinTD and SwissSys are reportedly working with Mike to coordinate their product with USCFs. This system should be up and running well before the end of 2004. For this system to be effective TDs and organizers will need to jump through some hoops. Below is a partial list of some of the more important hoops—it is not a complete list of all the steps or all the goodies that are available:
1.First things first. To get all this stuff to work right go to http://secure.uschess.org/TD_Affil/TD-login.php. Make sure you register as a TD. Make sure the affiliate you are directing for also registers at the same site and lists you as a TD that is allowed to submit tournaments for them. If the affiliate does not list you as an approved TD you will not be able to submit tournaments either on-line or off-line. You can do this step today—right now on-line!!! Don’t forget to give your e-mail address to USCF when you register so you can receive notifications regarding your submitted event.
2.Every player in the tournament must be a member before the event gets rated. That means each player must have an id number AND an up-to-date USCF membership before the software can rate the tournament. Instant new/renewed memberships are available on line right now https://secure.uschess.org/TD_Affil/TD_login.php. If even one player in the event sent a check via snail mail to USCF to get a new/renewed membership the tournament cannot be rated until USCF receives that check. If just one player does not have an ID the tournament cannot be rated until an ID is available. TDs can check for ID numbers at http://www.uschess.org/msa/. The TD can still submit the event on-line; however, there will be a wait for that check to arrive or that ID to become available in order to rate that tournament.
3.To get an event instantly rated the TD can pay the rating fee on-line with a credit card https://secure.uschess.org/TD_Affil/TD_login.php. If a TD submits the tournament on-line but sends a check for the rating fee, then the event will not get rated until the check arrives at the USCF office.
4.To get the event instantly rated the TD can pay for all the new/renewed memberships on-line with a credit card https://secure.uschess.org/TD_Affil/TD_login.php. If a TD submits the tournament on-line but sends a check for the memberships, then the event will not get rated until the check arrives at the USCF office.

DISK/PAPER TOURNAMENT REPORTS

TDs can still send in their tournament reports on disk or on paper just like they do now; however, those events will get rated later than the instantly rated on-line submitted events. Notifications regarding your disk/paper submitted event will be done via e-mail; see hoop #1 above.

Send your comments and evaluations to: Email: USCFrulebook@yahoo.com or to Tim Just, 37165 Willow, Gurnee, Il. 60031.