2017 Oceania Zonal in Auckland

[Kevin Bonham]

do you think fide would reconsider that rule?

No, I don't think they will. The Qualifications Commission thinks far too many people are getting CM titles from Oceania Zonals as it is! After all, this is a title that if you got it by rating you would need to get a rating of 2200, yet we have players around 1700-2000 rating getting it in Zonals.

[MichaelBaron]

No, I don't think they will. The Qualifications Commission thinks far too many people are getting CM titles from Oceania Zonals as it is! After all, this is a title that if you got it by rating you would need to get a rating of 2200, yet we have players around 1700-2000 rating getting it in Zonals.

At least we are no longer getting 2000-rated FMs

[junior]

No, I don't think they will. The Qualifications Commission thinks far too many people are getting CM titles from Oceania Zonals as it is! After all, this is a title that if you got it by rating you would need to get a rating of 2200, yet we have players around 1700-2000 rating getting it in Zonals.

ok its just i felt unfortunate for that guy he scores so well and so close but doesnt recieve it due to something that isnt his fault at all ! poor guy!

[Bulldozer]

There is no requirement for the number of "real" games for direct titles. The word "forfeit" appears in 1.4 only, which is for GM, IM, WGM, WIM norms.

[Kevin Bonham]

There is no requirement for the number of "real" games for direct titles. The word "forfeit" appears in 1.4 only, which is for GM, IM, WGM, WIM norms.

It is not clearly spelled out in the Handbook. The table for direct titles does however use the words "min 9 games" rather than "min 9 rounds". That the games have to be over the board is certainly how they apply it, and I queried it in the specific case of the player who missed the CM title after winning on forfeit in the final round last time.

[Bulldozer]

It is not clearly spelled out in the Handbook. The table for direct titles does however use the words "min 9 games" rather than "min 9 rounds".

Interesting point (that a forfeited game is not a game), which seems to be confirmed by

1.41c For a 9 round tournament, if a player has just 8 games because of a forfeit or Bye [...]

However, the Handbook is ambiguous about the term "game". Here, a forfeited game is still a game:
1.

1.42d Games which are decided by forfeit, adjudication or any means other than over the board play.

2.

Other games once started, which are forfeited for whatever reason [...]

So, I wouldn't rely on the meaning of the term "game".

That the games have to be over the board is certainly how they apply it, and I queried it in the specific case of the player who missed the CM title after winning on forfeit in the final round last time.

I believe they shouldn't rule this way until they fix the Handbook.

[Kevin Bonham]

I believe they shouldn't rule this way until they fix the Handbook.

Unfortunately the Handbook is awash with sloppy drafting. The clause 1.42d which you quote is another example of bad drafting, but for a different reason:

1.42d
Games which are decided by forfeit, adjudication or any means other than over the board play. Other games once started, which are forfeited for whatever reason, shall however be included. In the instance of a last round game where the opponent forfeits, the norm shall still count if the player must play in order to have the required number of games, but can afford to lose.

The first sentence says that a forfeited game is excluded, then the second sentence says that a forfeited game is included if the game has started. Really what they are getting at there is that a game won on forfeit because one player doesn't show up doesn't count for a norm, but a game where one player is defaulted mid-game (eg for a mobile phone violation or bad behaviour) does count. They apply the same for direct titles but don't do a good job of spelling it out.

I'd love to see the FIDE Handbook cleaned up to clarify all such problems but it would probably take them 50 years to do it.

[RiverHollow]

Just a quick question, I know it's pretty early to ask, but will the 2019 zonal be in Sydney?

[Brian_Jones]

Just a quick question, I know it's pretty early to ask, but will the 2019 zonal be in Sydney?

The 2019 Zonal could be in Australia, Fiji or Guam.

[Qbert]

Starts today at 2pm NZ time. Live boards and vega links available at http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz/calendar.html.

[Adamski]

I will be following the Zonal with great interest as a number of my friends are playing.

[Keong Ang]

No live transmissions.
All liveboard power supply units have overheated.
I hope they have not burnt out.

You can blame the players for wanting to turn the air conditioning temperature higher.
The smell of hot electrical equipment is awful!!

[Adamski]

No live transmissions.
All liveboard power supply units have overheated.
I hope they have not burnt out.

You can blame the players for wanting to turn the air conditioning temperature higher.
The smell of hot electrical equipment is awful!!

Very sad. Hope it is able to be fixed before too long.

[Adamski]

The results of Round 1 are up from Vega on NZ Chess site. For Open: http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz/Veg...pen/index.html
For Women's Zonal: http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz/Veg...iaZonalWomens/ . Over 100 players in open Zonal.

[GinoTHEstud]

Please get the live boards working.