FIDE Sections

The information on this page pertains to the FIDE sections only. If you intend to play in an UNDER (“Uxxxx”) section, go to the UNDER Sections webpage.

USCF Membership: A player must be a current member of the US Chess Federation (USCF) on the tournament dates to play in any FIDE section. A USCF membership may be purchased or renewed on the USCF website.

FIDE Identification Number: In addition to a current USCF membership, players must have a FIDE Identification Number (FIN) to play in any FIDE section. If you do not have a FIN, please obtain one before entering the tournament. Players who qualify for a FIN under the US Federation may obtain one by completing the FIN application form on the USCF website. Please make sure to apply for a FIN early enough to allow processing to be completed before the tournament. We recommend applying at least three weeks prior to the tournament. It does no harm to apply for a FIN even if you later decide not to enter a FIDE section, or do not enter the tournament at all. You could very well want to have a FIN at some future time, so getting a FIN now takes care of that.
Players who do not qualify for FIN under the US Federation must obtain their FIN through their national federation before entering the tournament.

Ratings and Sections: A player must have a USCF Regular rating, or equivalent, of 1401 or higher to play in any FIDE section. The FIDE sections are listed below along with their floor and ceiling USCF Regular ratings:

• FIDE Elite: ratings of 2000 or higher (no ceiling). Experts rated at their floor of 2000 may play in this section.
• FIDE Expert: ratings from 1801 to 2200 inclusive. Masters rated at their floor of 2200 may play in this section.
• FIDE Class: ratings from 1401 to 1800.

Rating used for section eligibility: Official USCF Regular ratings as of April 1, 2026, will be used to determine a player’s section eligibility; however, a player may request that a more recent Regular rating published in his or her tournament history be used instead provided that the more recent rating is higher than his or her official April 1 rating. If a player has no USCF Regular rating as of April 1 but has a FIDE standard rating, we will convert his or her FIDE standard rating to an equivalent USCF rating (using the USCF rating conversion formulae dated March 1, 2024, corrected July 29, 2024) and use the equivalent USCF rating. Note that the calculated equivalent USCF rating must be 1401 or higher for  player to play in a FIDE section.

FIDE Rating considerations: Players do not need a FIDE rating to play in a FIDE section, and they will not automatically earn a FIDE rating by playing in a FIDE section.  Five games against rated opponents at a stipulated time control (over a period of 26 months) are required to get a FIDE rating. The time control for rounds 1 and 2 of the 2-day schedule does not qualify, so these games will not be submitted for FIDE rating. Moreover, FIDE will not include a player on its list of rated players unless his or her FIDE standard rating is at least 1400. (FIDE Handbook, B. Permanent Commissions, 02. FIDE Rating Regulations (Qualification Commission), FIDE Rating Regulations effective from 1 March 2024, section 7.1.4.)

Rating change considerations: A player’s rating can change between the time of entry and the publication of official ratings as of April 1, 2026. When a rating change makes it necessary to move a player to a higher section, we will move the player, with notification, into the nearest section for which he or she is eligible. When a rating change makes it possible for a player to move to a lower section, we will move the player only if he or she so requests by the applicable entry deadline.

Time Control and Schedules: The time control for all rounds is 40/90, SD/30;+30 except rounds 1 and 2 of the 2-day schedule, for which the time control is G/75;d5. Players may choose between a 3-day or a 2-day schedule:

• 3-Day: Fri 7:00, Sat 11:00 & 6:00, Sun 9:30 & 3:00
• 2-Day: Sat 11:00, 2:30 & 6:00, Sun 9:30 & 3:00

The default time (the period of time after a round starts that is allowed to a player to arrive at his or her board before forfeiting) is 60 minutes. Be aware that if both players are absent when a round is started, White’s clock will be started, and all the time that elapses until White’s arrival will reduce White’s time, even if Black also arrives late.

Tournament Rules and Policies: Play in all FIDE sections will be in accordance with the current FIDE Laws of Chess except in some situations where FIDE permits USCF rules to apply. Everyone intending to play in a FIDE section should be familiar with the FIDE rules. We encourage players to review the USCF summary of FIDE Rule differences. Except for the points identified in the summary, FIDE and USCF rules are effectively identical, and USCF rules will apply. We encourage players to review the rule clarifications and policies that will be in effect for the Cincinnati Open, especially our electronic device policy, which covers mobile phones, electronic scoresheets, and similar devices.

Byes: Players may take one or two optional half-point byes for any round(s), except that a player who requests a bye after receiving a full point, as a result of being paired out or having a forfeit win, will be given a zero-point bye instead of a half-point bye. Players may request, change or cancel a bye for a future round until 5:00 pm on Saturday, April 11, at which time they are committed irrevocably to their selected bye rounds. Players may select byes on their entry form or, until the advance entry deadline, by email to info@chesscincinnati.com. After the advance entry deadline, players must submit onsite a completed Bye Request Form to request, change or cancel a bye.

Verifying byes: Initial wall charts will be posted at the tournament showing all byes for advance entries. Updated wall charts will be posted during the tournament as feasible, and also published on the SwissSys Events website. Players are responsible for verifying the byes shown for them on the wall chart and for notifying the section arbiter of any necessary corrections. A player who does not play a round for which he or she does not have a bye will be forfeited and may be readmitted to the tournament at the sole discretion of the chief arbiter.

Entry Information: The advance entry fee is $120 through Friday, April 3, and $135 thereafter until 8:00 am on Friday, April 10. Enter online through King Registration paying by credit card or PayPal account, or enter by mail using the mail-in entry form and paying by check. For GMs, IMs, WGMs, WIMs no entry fee is required to play in the tournament, but any prize won will be reduced by $120.

Onsite entry: The onsite entry fee is $150. Players entering onsite may pay with cash or credit card. Onsite entries will be accepted during the following periods:

• Friday, April 10, 5:00–6:00 pm to enter any section and either schedule.
• Saturday, April 11, 8:00–10:00 am:
  — To enter any section for the 2-day schedule.
  — To enter any section for the 3-day schedule with a half-point bye for round 1.
  — To re-enter a FIDE section after playing round 1 on Friday evening.

Re-Entry: The fee to re-enter is $65; each re-entry counts as ½ paid entry for prize purposes. Only players who play round 1 of the 3-day schedule (the Friday night round) are eligible to re-enter. Anyone wishing to re-enter must do so before 10:00 am on Saturday, April 11, and must re-enter a FIDE section. (Players may not withdraw from a FIDE section and re-enter an UNDER section even if their rating qualifies them for the UNDER section.) Re-entering players may re-enter the 3-day schedule, taking a half-point bye for round 1, or change to the 2-day schedule. Re-entering players may re-enter the same section or change to a different FIDE section, provided that they satisfy the rating requirements for the section into which they wish to move. Players who re-enter will abandon their original entry; only the re-entry will be carried forward into later rounds regardless of the first-round score related to either entry.

Entry fee refunds: If a player withdraws from the tournament, we will refund the entry fee paid only if we receive notice of the player’s withdrawal by email or text prior to 6:00 pm on Friday, April 10. The amount refunded will be the entry fee paid less a $6.00 processing fee.

Prizes: The total tournament prize pool is $18,000, based on 280 paid entries. If fewer than 280 paid entries are received, prizes will be paid in proportion, with a minimum payment of 50% of the advertised amounts. Prizes will be split among tied players. Prizes in the FIDE sections are as follows:

Venue: Embassy Suites, 4554 Lake Forest Drive, Blue Ash, OH 45242. Click here to see a map. Room rates are $119/night for a single king suite, and $129/night for a double queen suite, plus applicable taxes. All rooms also have a sofa bed. Free made-to-order hot breakfast for up to two room occupants. To reserve a room at the Embassy Suites, you may book a room through our booking link or call the hotel at 513-733-8900 and ask for the Cincinnati Open Chess Tournament rate.

Equipment and Reporting Results: The organizer will provide all pieces, boards, clocks and scoresheets. Players are required to use the scoresheets provided by the organizer. At the conclusion of each game, the players are required to submit to the arbiter (tournament director) one copy of their completed scoresheets, signed by both players and correctly indicating the game result. At the time when pairings must be generated for the next round, any missing result will be treated as a double forfeit.

Posting Pairings Online: We will publish tournament files on the SwissSys Events website. This will enable players to view current wall charts, standings and pairings online. When the tournament has been uploaded to the SwissSys Events website, we will publish instructions here for accessing it.

Other: No smoking, no computers.

Email questions to info@chesscincinnati.com, or text/call Alan at 513-600-9915.
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