PLOVDIV, BULGARIA

19 MARCH - 1 APRIL 2012

GENERAL REGULATIONS

1. ORGANIZERS

Bulgarian Chess Federation under the auspices of the European Chess Union. 
Bulgarian Chess Federation, 1000-Sofia, Post Box 927, Tel.: +359 2 9300518 
Fax: +359 2 9874522, E-mail: federation@chessbg.com URL: http://www.chessbg.com

2. VENUE, DATE, SCHEDULE

The Championship will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from March 19 (day of arrival) until April 1 (day of departure) 2012. The tournament will be held at Plovdiv (on-line broadcast), Paris and Moscow halls at hotel Novotel Plovdiv 5*.

After consultations with the ECU and the Organizers, the Chief Arbiter can make changes in the above tournament schedule. Such changes will be announced in due time.

3. PARTICIPATION

The European Individual Chess Championship is open to all players representing Chess Federations which comprise the European Chess Union (FIDE zones 1.1 to 1.10) regardless of their title or rating. There is also no limit in the number of participants per federation; howeverapplications have to be sent by the national federations only.

QUALIFIERS

The European Individual Championship 2012 is a qualification event for the next World Cup. According to FIDE regulations and the decision of the ECU Board, 23 players will qualify.

4. SYSTEM AND RATE OF PLAY

The championship will be organized in 11-round Swiss system in accordance with the ECU Tournament Rules and FIDE Laws of Chess.  Pairings will be managed with the help of Swiss Manager pairing software.

The rate of play will be 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one.

Communication between players (the offer of draw) is forbidden until the 40th move has been played.

Zero –tolerance rule will be applied for each round.

5. TIE-BREAK SYSTEM

The order of players that finish with the same number of points shall be determined by application of the following tie-breaking procedures in sequence, proceeding from (a) to (b) to (c) to (d) the extent required: 

(a)     Performance Rating, the highest number wins;

(b)     Buchholz cut-1, the highest number wins;

(c)     Buchholz, the highest number wins;

(d)     Number of wins, the highest number wins.

In the case of unplayed games for the calculation of (a), (b) and (c) the current FIDE Tournament  Rules shall be applied.

In the case there are less than 75% rated players, the following criteria will be applied:

(a)     Buchholz cut-1, the highest number wins;

(b)     Buchholz, the highest number wins;

(c)     Number of wins, the highest number wins.

6. DRESS CODE

The ECU Rule related to dress code – Chapter B Article 13 - will be applied at this competition.

7. CHIEF ARBITER

The Chief Arbiter will be IA Zdravko Nedev (BUL). 

8. APPEALS COMMITTEE

The members of the Appeals Committee will be Almog Burstein (ISR) as Chairman, Jean Claude Moingt (FRA) and Gaguik Oganessian (ARM) as members.

9. APPEALS PROCEDURE 

Protests against the decisions of the Chief Arbiter must be submitted in written form to the Chairman of the appeals committee within one hour after completion of the playing session.

The protest must be accompanied with the sum of 100 €, as a deposit from the signatory. The deposit must be handed to the Chairman of the appeals committee. If the appeal is granted, the sum shall be returned immediately. If the appeal is refused, the deposit is forfeited to the European Chess Union.

The appeal has to be lodged by the player.

The decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.

10. PRIZES

The prize fund is 100 000 EUR

According to Bulgarian law all prizes are taxable (10%).

A player can get one prize only. If a prize-winner is absent during the closing ceremony, than the money prize will be reduced by 20% with a minimum of 100 EUR. The first 3 places will be awarded cups and medals.

11. REGISTRATION

Entry form should be filled at the official website of the championship not later than February 10, by the national federation. This date is the registration deadline. After that, federations will not be able to register or modify any registrations. After this date all the registrations have to be confirmed by the ECU.

12. ECU FEE

In accordance with the ECU regulations, GM, IM, FM (as well as WGM, WIM, WFM) are required to pay a fee in the amount of 65 €/person, while other players are obliged to make the payment of 130 €/person for the fee.

According to the ECU regulations (Art. B.9.5.1), the entry fee shall be paid by the federations to the ECU before or at the start of the competition. If the entry fee is not paid until end of round 2, these participants will not be paired in subsequent rounds.

13. ORGANIZATION FEE

The organization fee is 100 EUR per player. Organisation fee includes:

-          transfer from and to Sofia airport (140 km) by bus

-          transfer from and to railway/ bus station Plovdiv by bus

-          free water, coffee and tea for players in the playing hall during the rounds

All organization fees have to be paid before the deadline for registration - February 10, 2012 at the following bank account:

Bulgarian Chess Federation

P.O. Box 927, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria, 
First Investment Bank - Sofia

SWIFT: FINVBGSF
IBAN: BG05FINV915010EUR01EGA

Str. Stefan Karadja 10

14. ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation will be provided on half board basis (breakfast and lunch or dinner) per person for the period 19.03-01.04 as follows:

Upon request, the organizer is ready to provide accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels.

Reservations for accommodation will be confirmed only after all costs are paid to the bank account of Bulgarian Chess Federation.

15. TRANSFER

If accompanying persons request transfer the organizer will provide transfer from Sofia airport (140 km) - 80 € return ticket per person by bus.

These transport services will be available on March 19 (arrival) and on April 01 (departure). If it is necessary the organizer can accept special request from Federations for other dates.

Players and accompanying persons who make private transport arrangements should clearly indicate this in writing at the time of registration. They will be fully responsible for any problems experienced during their arrival or departure and particularly for the possibility of a late start to the Championship.

16. PAYMENT

ECU fees must be paid to the following account:

European Chess Union

Bank: Credit Suisse

Postfach 357

CH-6301 Zug

Account: 1835105-42

Holder: European Chess Union

National Bank Code: 4835

BIC: CRESCHZZXXX

IBAN Code: CH3604835183510542000

Till February 10 the organization fees, accommodation and transfers costs must be transferred to the following account:

Bulgarian Chess Federation

P.O. Box 927, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria, 
First Investment Bank - Sofia

SWIFT: FINVBGSF
IBAN: BG05FINV915010EUR01EGA

Str. Stefan Karadja 10

Please, indicate the number of the Proforma Invoice at the payment order.

All bank commissions must be paid by sender, if it is not paid, the organizers will produce an invoice which must be paid before the start of the second round.

17. VISAS

The Federations or players who need assistance with their visas are asked to register at the online registration form and attach scanned copy of the passport, before February 10, 2012 in order that the organizers can help. NO visa invitations will be made until scanned copy of the passport is sent and payments are done. Visa invitations will be sent to accompanying persons only if they are accommodated in the official hotels.

Impportant: The Schengen visa is valid for Bulgaria.

18. ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS

Analyzing is not allowed in the playing hall.

During the game the players are not allowed to go to the analyzing room or to the press room.

Flashes may be used only in the first ten minutes of each round. Only players and arbiters shall be allowed to enter the actual playing area, except with the expressed permission of the Chief Arbiter.

Players are not allowed to enter the closed area of the top boards if they don’t play there themselves.

As long as the game is in progress a player may talk only to an arbiter or with his opponent as permitted by the Laws of Chess.

In case of pre-arranged results the chief arbiter can decide that the result of the respective game is 0 - 0.

We assume that all the players have read the Tournament Regulations and are obliged to obey them.

The English text of these Tournament Regulations is the authentic version.

19. CURRENCY & EXCHANGE

The local currency is the Bulgarian Lev.

1 EUR = 1.95 BGN. The best way to exchange your money is to do it in exchange offices or banks.

20. ELECTRICITY

The standard voltage in Bulgaria is 220 Volts.

21. MEDICAL CARE

During the rounds there will be Medical Services according to the FIDE Tournament Regulations.

22. TOURNAMENT OFFICE

All necessary information participants can get on the official tournament website:www.eicc2012.eu

Tournament Director:

Mr. Nikolay Velchev

BCF Executive Director

tel: +359 2 9300518

fax: +359 2 9874522

e-mail: office@eicc2012.eu