If you know that the Sicilian Defence is not Luca Brasi, then you might want to come over for a game of chess, or shatranj. Chess is one of the most cerebral games in the world, in which grandmasters and supercomputers vie with each other for supremacy. Originally a playground for military strategists, a chessboard is a complex web of inter-dependent positions which form the basis for attack and defence. And player psychologies influence matches more than might seem possible -- witness Kasparov's elaborate gamesmanship in his matches against Anand (which didn't, obviously, work when Kasparov played Deep Blue).

Venue: Mess Halls

Teams:

• One-on-one individual play.
• Open to all -- just one category for both men and women.
• Registration is required, but if you turn up at the venue, we'll do our best to accommodate you if we have space.

Rules:

• Time for a game is 30 minutes per player for the first 5 rounds. Later rounds will have more time.
• Points will be: 1 for a win, 0 for a loss, 0.5 for a draw.
• Format will be a swiss league but with cut-offs for each round.
• There will be 12 rounds.
• Ranks will be given based on total points earned
• Ties for positions will be resolved on the basis of progressive score (sum of scores after each round)
• Players will be paired for a round based on the following criteria:
  • Except when not possible, players on same points will be paired.
  • On an average, each player will be given equal white and black games.
  • No two players will play each other more than once.
• Cut-offs for various rounds:
   

  Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
  Cutoff	0.0	1.0	1.5	2.5	3.5	4.0	No cutoff

   
• Players will be notified the time of their game in advance.
• In the first 3 rounds, any player reporting more than 10 minutes late for his/her match will be disqualified. His/her opponent will be paired again.
• Regarding the timed game:
  • The aim of a player is to win by playing and not by time.
  • The clock has to be pressed with the same hand that the player plays with.
  • In a game between A and B, A can make a move even if B has not pressed the clock.
  • If in a game between A and B, A's time gets over, B can claim a win when he/she has time left AND has winning material (defined below).
  • If a player requests, the arbiter can appoint an observer.
• Rules in addition to standard chess rules:
  • If A and B are playing, A can claim a draw in the following ways (this can be done only when A has time on his/her clock: claims after time is over will not be entertained):
    • Stalemate: Either A or B is stalemated.
    • Repetition: A and B have repeated a move three times in succession.
    • Photographic draw: The same position has appeared thrice in a game, though not in successive moves.
    • 50 moves without capture or pawn move: A and B have made 50 moves each without any capture or pawn move.
    • Lack of winning material: B has no winning material where winning material is at least one of the following:
      • a pawn
      • a rook
      • a queen
      • any two pieces among bishops and knights
    • Note - A single bishop or knight is not winning material.
  • People observing a game are to be completely silent. They cannot point out draws, stalemates or checkmates.
  • Arbiters are not to comment on any game until one of the players calls for them.
  • In any further complication, the arbiter's decision is final.