Chess.com Official 2025 Event Rulebook

In this article, you can find the official rules for all Chess.com events with prize money. Use the table of contents below to jump to a specific event. All prize money events are also subject to the Chess.com Competitive Events Policy and the Fair Play Policy. Players must identify their accounts by adding their full name to their profile page to be eligible to participate in prize tournaments.

To receive payment for the prizes you've won, we have different minimum payout thresholds based on the payment method:

• • For PayPal, the minimum payout is $100
  • For ACH & Wire transactions, the minimum payout is $500

Chess.com will automatically accrue your winnings until the required minimum is reached before we can send you your prize payment.

• Definitions
• Titled Tuesday
• Titled Tuesday Grand Prix
• Freestyle Friday
• Bullet Brawl
• Arena Kings
• Chess.com Puzzles Championship
• Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship
• Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship
• Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship
• Freestyle Chess Play-ins
• Champions Chess Tour
• PogChamps 6
• PogChamps en Español
• NextGen Cup
• CoachChamps
• 2024 Rulebook

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Definitions

Arena - Tournament play consisting of continuous matches for a predetermined window of time, during which players will be repeatedly paired against each other based on the results of previous games in the Arena.

Color - White or black pieces in the context of chess.

Computer Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player must share their screen and task manager (PC) or activity monitor (Mac) on a video conference call.

Environment - The physical space that a player is playing from.

Environment Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player may be requested to show tournament officials the layout and contents of the player’s environment using a camera.

FIDE Title - Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), Candidate Master (CM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), Woman FIDE Master (WFM), or Woman Candidate Master (WCM).

Game - A single game of chess played on Chess.com between two players.

Match - Tournament play between two players that may involve multiple games.

National Title - National Master (NM)

Non-Titled Player - A player not recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national title.

Physical Inspection - A fair play measure in which a player may be requested to 1) remove any glasses or eyepieces and show them to tournament officials using a camera; and/or 2) turn their head to one side, brush their fingers over their ear, and then repeat this process for the other side.

Single Elimination Bracket - Tournament play where players compete in matches, advance through a bracket, and will not be eligible to move forward if they lose one match in the bracket.

Swiss - Tournament play which consists of several rounds of games or matches, during which players will be paired against each other based on the results of previous games/matches in the Swiss.

Time Control - The total amount of time allocated to each player to make all of their moves during a game of chess. Time Controls are formatted as X+Y, where X is the initial amount of minutes on each player’s clock, and Y is the number of seconds added to a player’s clock when a move is played by that player.

Titled Player - A player recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national master title.

Tournament Official - Any Chess.com employee, or any other individual otherwise employed or contracted for the purpose of administration or operations of an event.

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Titled Tuesday

Schedule

Titled Tuesday takes place twice every Tuesday, with start times as follows:

Tournament	Los Angeles	New York	Paris	Mumbai
1st Tournament	8 a.m.	11 a.m.	17:00	21:30
2nd Tournament	1 p.m.	4 p.m.	22:00	1:30+1

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a Swiss tournament with 11 rounds with a 3+1 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 8. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not permitted until after move 30. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (2-way ties only)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with black
7. Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Eligibility

Titled Tuesday is open to all Chess.com members recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or a National Master Title.

Fair Play

Upon request, players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video and audio turned on for one camera, which must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection and/or an Environment Inspection.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in Titled Tuesdays with a 10-second delay. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set chat to "emote-only" mode. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. Exceptions to any of the broadcasting requirements may be made upon request AND require approval from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to US $2,500 are available in each Titled Tuesday, as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$1,000
2nd	$750
3rd	$350
4th	$200
5th	$100
Top woman player	$100

The top woman prize will be awarded to the highest placing woman player.

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Titled Tuesday Grand Prix

Overview

The Titled Tuesday Grand Prix is a leaderboard competition in which players have the opportunity to earn prizes and qualification for Speed Chess Championship events based on the sum of their best Titled Tuesday scores, counting only events in 2025.

Format and Leaderboard

Players compete in weekly Titled Tuesday events from January 1, 2025, to May 27, 2025, with their top 10 scores counting toward their final leaderboard placement. Players who finish in the top eight in cumulative points in the Open and Women’s divisions will earn qualification into the 2025 Speed Chess Championship and the 2025 Women’s Speed Chess Championship, respectively. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the following groups:

• Youth 
• All players born in 2009 or later
• Seniors
• All players born in 1975 or earlier
• Girls
• Women born in 2005 or later

Titled Tuesday Grand Prix Leaderboard Tiebreakers

1. Highest score, followed by second highest score, third highest score, etc.
2. Total events played
1. For an event to be considered as a played event, the player must have competed in over half of the rounds of that Titled Tuesday.

Prizes 

$15,000 of monetary prizes are available, as determined by the chart below.

If a player wins multiple prizes, they win only the highest monetary prize and are removed from consideration of the lower-prized leaderboard.

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Freestyle Friday

Schedule

Freestyle Friday is a weekly Chess960 event. Freestyle Friday takes place every Friday, with start times as follows:

Event	PT	ET	CET	IST	China
Freestyle Friday	8 am	11 am	17:00	9:30 pm	00:00 +1

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a Swiss tournament with 11 rounds of Chess960 with a 3+1 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 8. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not permitted until after move 40. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (2-way ties only)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with black
7. Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Eligibility

Freestyle Friday is open to all Chess.com members recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or a National Master title.

Fair Play

Upon request, players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video and audio turned on for one camera, which must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection and/or an Environment Inspection.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in Freestyle Fridays with a 10-second delay. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set their chat to "emote-only" mode. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference calls, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. Exceptions to any of the broadcasting requirements may be made upon request AND require approval from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to US $1,000 are available in each Freestyle Friday, as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$400
2nd	$250
3rd	$150
4th	$100
Top woman player	$100

The top woman prize will be awarded to the highest-placing woman player.

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Bullet Brawl

Schedule

Starting on February 1, 2024, Bullet Brawl takes place every Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 18:00 CET. 

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a 2-hour Arena with score-based pairings and a 1+0 time control. Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Eligibility

Bullet Brawl is open to all Chess.com members recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE Title or a National Master Title.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in Bullet Brawl. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute any "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Fair Play

Players in this event are not required to join a video conference call for monitoring

Prizes

Up to US $1,000 are available in each Bullet Brawl, as follows:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$400
2nd	$250
3rd	$150
4th	$100
Top woman player	$100

The top woman prize will be awarded to the highest placing woman player.

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Arena Kings 'Effective 8/5/2024' 

Schedule

Arena Kings takes place every Wednesday beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 18:00 CET. Note that due to Daylight Savings Time, in 2023 the time will be an hour earlier in India from March 15-November 1 and in Europe on March 15 and 22, and an hour later in Europe on November 1.

Tournament Format

Players will compete in a 2-hour Arena with a 3+0 time control. Some events may feature chess variants (i.e. Fischer Random) or different time controls, to be communicated prior to the event.  Players will earn 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not permitted until after move 30. Consecutive wins will be worth additional points, with the second win in a row worth 3 points and every consecutive win thereafter worth 4 points. Players will be ranked by total points. If two or more players are tied in total points, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Most consecutive game wins
2. Total game wins
3. Fewest game losses

Eligibility

Arena Kings is open to all Chess.com members. To be prize eligible participants must meet the following criteria:

For YouTube:

• Must fill out the form here: Arena Kings YouTube Eligibility Form
  • This must be done each event to be prize eligible. Forms submitted after 20 minutes into that week's arena will not be accepted.

For Kick and Twitch

• Players must be easily identifiable on Twitch and/or Kick by listing their streams in the "Chess" category.
• The streamer must connect their Twitch account to Chess.com.

For all platforms, in order to be prize-eligible:

• Competing players must have a minimum of fifty games completed on Chess.com
• "!arenakings" Must be in the stream title
• Anonymous players cannot earn prizes. All accounts must be labeled with the player's real name.
• All streamers must play using accounts that properly reflect their playing strength as measured by rating. All forms of rating manipulation are against site rules.
• The player must stream their games with their board and themselves visible on stream, and their video and audio must be clear. 
• The player must stream at least 100 minutes of the event.
• The player must save their VODs for a minimum of 14 days publicly.
• Verbal commentary and/or chat engagement are required. We are specifically discouraging players from streaming simply to be eligible for prizes while not providing any streaming "value."
• No short or unnatural draws without playing an authentic game of chess are permitted. We expect players to abide by the spirit of the competition and play normally at all times. A draw may be offered before time expires in your final game to, 'beat the buzzer' but only if this game was played in the authentic manner we expect throughout the whole of the tournament, and beyond a minimum of 20 moves. 

Fair Play

Players in this event are not required to join a video conference call for monitoring.

Pairing Manipulation: Players are prohibited from intentionally manipulating pairings within Arena Kings. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Delaying gameplay, forfeiting games, or making strategic decisions with the express purpose of affecting who they are paired against.
• Colluding with other players to manipulate pairings for a mutual advantage.

Prizes

Up to $1,500 in prizes are available in each Arena Kings, as follows:

Standing	Prize
1st	$400
2nd	$250
3rd	$200
4th	$150
5th	$100
6th-10th (5 players)	1 month diamond membership
Highest ranked U2000 (x3)	$100
Top Woman Player	$100

Under-prizes (U2000) are based on Chess.com blitz rating immediately at the conclusion of the Arena. 

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Chess.com Puzzles Championship

Schedule

The Chess.com Puzzles Championship (CPC) consists of Puzzle Rush Royale and Puzzle Battle KO as follows:

Tournament Format

Puzzle Rush Royale

During Puzzle Rush Royale, all players will compete in up to five rounds of Puzzle Rush. During each round, all players will have 30 minutes to achieve their highest score in a 3-minute Puzzle Rush. All attempts started within the 30-minute window will be counted. Players may abort attempts at any time. At the end of each round, players will be ranked for that round based on the highest score achieved during that round. If two or more players achieve the same highest score within a round, the following tiebreakers will be applied based on the attempt in which the highest score was achieved:

1. Highest streak; then
2. The highest rating puzzle solved; then
3. Average time per puzzle

After each round, players will either be eliminated from further rounds or advance to the Puzzle Battle KO stage, according to the table below. Eight players in total will advance to Puzzle Battle KO.

Round	Players Eliminated	Advance to Puzzle Battle KO
1	All players below 20th place	None
2 - 5	Bottom 3	Top 2

Puzzle Battle KO is a double-elimination bracket with the eight players who advanced from the Puzzle Rush Royale, with seeding based on the round they qualified. Players who qualified during the same round will be ranked by score. If tied, the total time needed to achieve the score will be used to break the tie.  All matches will be played in Puzzle Battle, with the Winners Bracket being best-of-eight games and the losers bracket being best-of-four games. Grand Finals will be best-of-eight games, with a second set, if necessary, being best-of-four games. If both players achieve the same score in a Puzzle Battle, the player with fewer strikes will win the game. If both players have the same number of strikes, the game will be a draw. If a match is tied after all games are played, the following tiebreakers will be utilized to determine the winner:

1. Cumulative points scored, calculated by adding players' scores across all games; then
2. Comparison of individual game scores from highest to lowest; then
3. Best-of-one sudden death

Eligibility

• All players must be approved by Chess.com to participate in the event.
• Players may apply to participate in the event by submitting a live-streamed video clip of themselves achieving a 5-minute Puzzle Rush score of at least 50. The score must be achieved and submitted between January 13, 2025, at 12 a.m. CET and January 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CET.
• All players must livestream their participation in all stages of the tournament. Live streams must include gameplay and the player’s face.
• Players who qualify for the Puzzle Battle KO must join a Zoom Meeting with 1 camera, which shows the player's face.

Prizes

Up to $5,000 in prizes are available in the CPC. Payments will be made in United States dollars, according to the table below:

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Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship 2025

Schedule

The Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship consists of eight qualifier events (each, a "Qualifier") and a Knockout stage ("Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals"). The Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship schedule is as follows:

Tournament Format

Qualifiers

Players may participate in up to eight Qualifiers. The winner of each Qualifier will advance to the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals, which is a double-elimination bracket. 

In each Qualifier, players will compete in a 75-minute arena tournament with a 3+0 time control. Players will be ranked by total points. Standard Chess.com arena scoring and tiebreaks will apply.

Players that have already qualified to participate in the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers. 

Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals

The Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals is a double-elimination bracket with the eight qualified players from the Qualifiers. Players are seeded by the Qualifier number in which they advanced. All matches are best of four with a 3+0 time control. The first player to reach 2.5 points or greater wins the match. If tied 2-2, additional sudden death games will be played with a 3+0 time control. Colors alternate throughout each match, with the higher seed starting with White in Game 1.

Eligibility

Qualifiers

• All players with a valid Chess.com account and 10 rated games of 3-Check are eligible to compete in the event.

Fair Play

Upon request, in the Qualifiers players are required to share their screens and join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video turned on for one or two cameras (as requested). One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players may be requested to use a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

In the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Finals, all players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any Match in connection with the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship.

Broadcasting

Players may broadcast their participation in the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship without delay. In the Finals, players must close their stream chat while games are in progress. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. 

Prizes

Up to $2,500 USD in prizes are available in the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship. Payments will be made in United States dollars. 

Placing	Prize Money (USD
1st	$750
2nd	$500
3rd	$350
4th	$250
5th (x2)	$175
7th (x2)	$100
Top Streamer	$100

*The top streamer prizes are awarded to the highest placing streamers who don’t win another prize, based on the best Qualifier placement achieved. The tiebreaker for this prize is the score in the Qualifier that the best placement was achieved. If that’s tied, the prize is split equally among tied players.*

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Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship

Schedule

The Chess.com Atomic Championship consists of eight qualifier events (each, a "Qualifier") and a Knockout stage ("Atomic Championship Finals"). The Atomic Championship schedule is as follows:

Tournament Format

Qualifiers

Players may participate in up to eight Qualifiers. The winner of each Qualifier will advance to the Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship Finals, which is a double-elimination bracket. 

In each Qualifier, players will compete in a 75-minute arena tournament with a 3+0 time control. Players will be ranked by total points. Standard Chess.com arena scoring and tiebreaks will apply.

Players who have already qualified to participate in the Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship Finals are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers. 

Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship Finals

The Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship Finals is a double-elimination bracket with the eight qualified players from the Qualifiers. Players are seeded by Qualifier number. All matches are best-of-4 with a 3+0 time control. The first player to reach 2.5 points or greater wins the match. If tied 2-2, additional sudden death games will be played with a 3+0 time control. Colors alternate throughout each match, with the higher seed starting with White in Game 1.

Eligibility

Qualifiers

• All players with a Chess.com account in good standing are eligible to compete in the event.

Fair Play

Upon request, in the Qualifiers, players may be required to join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. Players may be required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any Match in connection with the Atomic Championship.

In the Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship Finals, all players are required to join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any Match in connection with the Atomic Championship.

Broadcasting

Players may broadcast their participation in the Chess.com Atomic Chess Championship without delay. In the Finals, players must close their stream chat while games are in progress. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. 

Prizes

Up to $2,500 in prizes are available in the Atomic Championship. Payments will be made in United States dollars. 

Placing	Prize Money (USD
1st	$750
2nd	$500
3rd	$350
4th	$250
5th (x2)	$175
7th (x2)	$100
Top Streamer	$100

The top streamer prizes are awarded to the highest placing streamers who don’t win another prize, based on the best Qualifier placement achieved. The tiebreaker for this prize is the score in the Qualifier where the best placement was achieved. If that’s tied, the prize is split equally among tied players.

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Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship

Schedule

The Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship consists of eight qualifier events (each, a "Qualifier") and a Knockout stage ("Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals"). The Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship schedule is as follows:

Tournament Format

Qualifiers

Players may participate in up to eight Qualifiers. The winner of each Qualifier will advance to the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals. 

In each Qualifier, players will compete in a 120-minute arena tournament with a 4+0 time control. The mode used will be Free-for-All with the modern setup and random colors. Players will be ranked by total arena points using the 3-1-1-0 scoring system in each game. Standard 4 Player Chess arena tiebreaks apply.

Players who have already qualified to participate in the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals are ineligible to participate in additional Qualifiers. 

Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals

The Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals is a single-elimination bracket with the eight qualified players from the Qualifiers. Players are seeded by Qualifier number. All games in the Finals will be played semi-anonymously. Players finishing tied in a game will split available points equally. Misuse of the game chat may result in disqualification.

Semifinals

All players begin in the Semifinal round, with seeds 1-4-5-8 playing in one group, and seeds 2-3-6-7 playing in another. Players will compete in a series of games for 90 minutes with a 4+0 time control in each game. Any game started within the 90-minute period will count toward a player's final score. Players must rematch immediately. The mode used will be Free-for-All with the modern setup and random colors. Players will be scored by total points using the 3-1-1-0 scoring system in each game. The two players in each Semifinal with the most points after 90 minutes will move on to the Final. The players finishing in third place and fourth place in each semifinal will be ranked and tied for fifth and tied seventh place in the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals.

In the event of a tie, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

• • Number of game wins
  • Least number of fourth place finishes
  • Last player to win a game
  • Last player to finish second place within a game
  • Last player to make a move before the last game ended

Final

Players will compete in a series of games with a 4+0 time control in each game. Players must rematch immediately. The mode used will be Free-for-All with the modern setup and random colors. Players will be scored by total points using the 3-1-1-0 scoring system in each game. The first player to win a game after having reached 7 points or more will win the Final. If multiple players reach 7 points or more and tie for first, the match does not end but continues until a player meets the win conditions outright.

Eligibility

Qualifiers

• All players with a valid Chess.com account are eligible to compete in the event.

Fair Play

Upon request, in the Qualifiers, players are required to share their screens and join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. To abide by this request, players must have video turned on for one or two cameras (as requested). One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players may be requested to use a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

In the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals, all players are required to join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event. Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any Match in connection with the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship Finals.

Broadcasting

Players may broadcast their participation in the Chess.com 4 Player Chess Championship without delay. In the Finals, players must close their stream chat while games are in progress. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. 

Prizes

Up to $5,000 USD in prizes are available in the 4 Player Chess Championship. Payments will be made in United States dollars. 

Placing	Prize Money (USD
1st	$1,800
2nd	$800
3rd	$800
4th	$400
5th (x2)	$300
7th (x2)	$200
Top Streamer	$200

*The top streamer prizes are awarded to the highest placing streamers who don't win another prize, based on the best Qualifier placement achieved. The tiebreaker for this prize is the score in the Qualifier where the best placement was achieved. If that's tied, the prize is split equally among tied players.*

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Freestyle Chess Play-Ins

Schedule

The Freestyle Chess Play-Ins consist of five stand-alone events. Each event consists of two online qualifiers for non-titled players ("Open Qualifiers"), an online qualifier for titled players ("Swiss Stage"), and a "Knockout Stage." The winner of each Play-In will qualify for the respective in-person "Freestyle Chess" event.

Tournament Format 

Open Qualifiers

Eligible players (see "Eligibility" below) may register to participate in the Open Qualifiers. Each Open Qualifier is a nine-round Swiss with a 10+2 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 7. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black's 40th move. The top three ranked players of each Open Qualifier will be eligible to participate in the following Swiss Stage. Eligible players may participate in any number of Open Qualifiers. Titled Players are ineligible to participate in the Open Qualifiers.

Swiss Stage

Eligible players (see "Eligibility" below) may register to participate in the Swiss Stage, a nine-round Swiss with a 10+2 time control. There is a planned 6-minute break after Round 4 and Round 7. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black's 40th move. The top four ranked players will advance to the Knockout Stage.

Knockout Stage

The top four ranked players from the Swiss Stage and 12 invited players participate in the Knockout Stage, a single-elimination knockout bracket. Each match in the bracket will consist of two games with a 15+3 time control. All matches within a Round start with the same position, with a new position being drawn for every subsequent game, including tiebreakers. Players will be able to view the next position through a conference call screen share three minutes before the start of their respective game and are allowed to self-analyze without engine use before the game begins. All Chess960 positions are eligible, except for the default starting position. Starting positions will not be repeated in the Knockout Stage. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The higher seed starts with the black pieces. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black's 40th move.

If the match is tied 1-1 after both games, a two-game tiebreak with a 5+2 time control will be played. If the tiebreak is not resolved at the completion of these games, a bidding armageddon game will be played with a base time of 5 minutes. The bid winner receives the black pieces. 

Placement Matches

In addition to the Knockout Stage matches, there will be a 3rd place tiebreaker match and a 5th through 8th place single-elimination tiebreaker bracket. Each match will consist of two games with a 15+3 time control. All matches within a Round start with the same position, with a new position being drawn for every subsequent game, including tiebreakers. Players will be able to view the next position through a conference call screen share three minutes before the start of their respective game and are allowed to self-analyze without engine use before the game begins. All Chess960 positions are eligible, except for the default starting position. Starting positions will not be repeated in the Knockout Stage. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The higher seed starts with the black pieces. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black's 40th move.

If the match is tied 1-1 after both games, a two-game tiebreak with a 5+2 time control will be played. If the tiebreak is not resolved at the completion of these games, a bidding armageddon game will be played with a base time of 5 minutes. The bid winner receives the black pieces. 

Armageddon

If two players are tied after playing all their games in a match, the armageddon game will decide the winner of the match. If a game of Armageddon is to be played, each player will communicate a "bid" to Tournament Officials via a private message. The bid is the amount of time that the player is willing to play with the black pieces. The maximum allowed bid is equal to the specified "base time" of the armageddon game. All Armageddon games will have a 5-minute base time. The player with a lower bid will receive the black pieces and begin the game with an amount of time equivalent to their bid. The other player will begin the game with the base time. If the bids are tied, those bids will be discarded, and players will submit another bid. Armageddon games are played with no increment. The player that wins the Armageddon game wins the match. If the game is drawn, the player with the black pieces will be the winner of the match. 

Swiss Tiebreakers

If two or more players are tied in total points in an Open Qualifier or the Swiss Stage, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

1. Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of the scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
2. Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
3. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
4. Points earned in games between tied players (2-way ties only)
5. Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
6. Number of game wins with black
7. Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
8. Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Eligibility

• To be eligible for the Open Qualifiers, players must complete a registration form and meet the following requirements:
• Their account must be at least three months old
• Have a minimum of 50 rated rapid games played on Chess.com
• Must not be a Titled Player
• Players must be recognized by Chess.com as meeting the following requirements to be eligible for the Swiss Stage:
• Hold at least one FIDE title or national title
• Be one of the top three players from each preceding Open Qualifier

Players who have been invited to the corresponding Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour may not compete in the Play-In. 

Fair Play

In the Open Qualifiers, players must complete a registration form and must be approved by Chess.com prior to the event. In both the Open Qualifiers and the Swiss Stage, players must be available to join a video conference call with screen share upon request for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video turned on for one or two cameras (as requested). One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players may be requested to use a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player's desk and monitor(s) clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

In the Knockout Stage, all players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitor(s) clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with the Freestyle Chess Play-Ins.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the Freestyle Chess Play-Ins. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set their chat to "emote-only" mode. Broadcasting of any gameplay must also have a delay of at least 60 seconds. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to USD $50,000 in prizes are available in each Play-In. Payments will be made in United States dollars. Payments will be made by the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, as follows:

Placing	Prize
1st	$10,000
2nd	$9,000
3rd	$8,000
4th	$7,000
5th	$5,000
6th	$3,500
7th	$2,000
8th	$1,500
9th-16th	$500

The winner of each of the Freestyle Chess Play-Ins receives an invitation to compete at the respective Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour event. If any players decline or are deemed ineligible by Chess.com or Freestyle Chess OpCo, additional invitations will be extended at the joint discretion of Chess.com and Freestyle Chess OpCo. Each Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour event will take place live at an in-person location. The official regulations are available here.

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Champions Chess Tour

Schedule

The Champions Chess Tour ("CCT") consists of two online events, each with a qualifier for non-grandmaster titled players (“Qualifier”), a "Play-In Stage" (Play-In), and a "Playoffs Stage” (Playoffs). Based on event performance, players can qualify for the in-person "Esports World Cup” (EWC), owned and operated by the Esports World Cup Foundation (“Organizing Partner”). CCT events consist of six consecutive days of competition and take place on the dates below.

Event	Dates (2025)
Chessable Masters	Feb 16 - 21
Champions Chess Tour Leg 2	May 18 - 23
Esports World Cup	July 29 - Aug 1

Unless otherwise specified, all play in the CCT begins at 11:00 a.m. ET / 17:00 CET.

Tournament Format - CCT Events

Match Format

Other than Qualifiers and Play-Ins, all matches in the CCT will consist of two or four games, plus tiebreakers if applicable. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black’s 40th move. If a player reaches a majority of points available in the match (1.5 for a two-game match and 2.5 for a four-game match), that player will be declared the winner of the match. The higher-seeded player will begin with the white pieces, and colors will be swapped after each game. If the match is tied after all games are played, an Armageddon game will be played, as described below.

Qualifiers
Eligible players (see “Eligibility” below) may register to participate in the Qualifier. Each Qualifier is a nine-round Swiss with a 10+0 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black’s 40th move. The top three ranked players of the Qualifier will be eligible to participate in the Play-In. Grandmasters are ineligible to participate in Qualifiers.

Play-In Stage

Eligible players (see “Eligibility” below) and the top three ranked players from the Qualifier may register to participate in the Play-In. Each Play-In consists of a nine-round Swiss and Match Play. All games in the Play-In Stage will have a 10+0 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black’s 40th move. There will be 6-minute breaks after round four and round seven. The top 15 ranked players will progress in the tournament according to the following table:

Swiss Result	Advancing Location
1st	Advances to Playoff Stage and drafts bracket position
2nd - 8th	Advances to Match Play and draft their opponents
9th - 15th	Advances to Match Play

In Match Play, the top 15 players from the Swiss will be paired with an opponent and play two-game matches. The winner of each match will advance to the Playoffs, while the losing player will be eliminated. If a match is tied after all games are played, an Armageddon game will be played, as described below.

Playoffs

Playoffs follow a double elimination bracket with 16 players: eight players from the Play-In and eight invited players. Seeding of the invited players is determined by a Chess.com panel taking into account FIDE ratings, Chess.com ratings, and/or previous tournament performances. The player which finishes first in the Play-In Swiss will select the position in the bracket in which they want to be seeded. The remaining qualified players will be seeded based on their final standing in the Swiss, with the second seed from the Swiss playing the lowest remaining pre-seeded player. This process repeats until all remaining players have been seeded. All Winners Bracket matches will consist of four-games, and all Losers Bracket matches will consist of two-games. All games in the Playoffs will have a 10+0 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black’s 40th move. In the Grand Final, the player that advanced from the Losers Bracket must win two matches to be awarded first place, with the first match consisting of four games and the second match, if necessary, consisting of two games. If a match is tied after all games are played, an Armageddon game will be played, as described below. 

Armageddon

If two players are tied after playing all their games in a match, the Armageddon game will decide the winner of the match. If a game of Armageddon is to be played, each player will communicate to Tournament Officials a "bid" via private message. The bid is the amount of time that the player is willing to play with the black pieces. The maximum allowed bid is equal to the specified "base time" of the Armageddon game. All Armageddon games will have a 10-minute base time. The player with a lower bid will have the black pieces and will begin the game with an amount of time equivalent to their bid. The other player will begin the game with the base time. If the bids are tied, those bids will be discarded, and players will submit another bid. Armageddon games are played with no increment. The player that wins the Armageddon game wins the match. If the game is drawn, the player with the black pieces will be the winner of the match.

Swiss Tiebreakers

If two or more players are tied in total points in a Qualifier or in the Swiss during the Play-In, the following tiebreakers will be applied:

• Buchholz System (Cut 1), defined as the sum of scores of each opponent, minus the lowest opponent score
• Buchholz System, defined as the sum of scores of each opponent
• Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
• Points earned in games between tied players (2-way ties only)
• Number of game wins (including forfeits by opponents)
• Number of game wins with black
• Average rating of opponents (Cut 1), defined as the average rating of opponents, based on Chess.com blitz ratings immediately after the tournament, with the lowest rating removed
• Player Chess.com ratings immediately after the Tournament

Points & Leaderboard

Each Event will award points that are used to rank players on the CCT Leaderboard. Players will be ranked on the CCT Leaderboard based on their total points earned. Points are awarded per Event in accordance with the table below:

If two or more players achieve the same number of points, ties will be resolved by applying the following tiebreakers. If any step only partially resolves a tie, the tiebreakers will be re-applied from the first step for any players still tied.

• Highest placement achieved in one of the two CCT legs
• Cumulative head-to-head match record in the 2025 CCT (Playoffs only)
• Cumulative head-to-head game record (excluding Armageddon) in the 2025 CCT (Playoffs only)
• Cumulative head-to-head game record in the 2025 CCT (Play-Ins only)
• Cumulative game win/loss differential (excl. Armageddon) in the 2025 CCT (Playoffs only)
• Cumulative game wins (excl. Armageddon) in the 2025 CCT (Playoffs only)
• Chess.com rapid rating immediately following both players’ final game in the 2025 CCT

Esports World Cup 

Following CCT Leg 2, the top 12 players from the CCT Leaderboard will qualify for the EWC. The EWC is an in-person event with a USD $1,500,000 prize pool. Qualified players may be required to complete a player agreement with the EWC. If a qualified player declines, is unable to travel, or is deemed ineligible to participate according to Organizing Partner’s regulations, the next eligible player, based on CCT Leaderboard standings, will qualify for the EWC. 

Eligibility

• To be eligible for Qualifiers, a player must be recognized by Chess.com as having a FIDE title or national title. Grandmasters are not eligible to play in Qualifiers.
• Eligible Titles include NM, CM, FM, IM, WCM, WFM, WIM, WGM.
• To be eligible for Play-Ins, a player must be recognized by Chess.com as having the grandmaster title or have placed top three in the corresponding Qualifier.
• All players that participate in the Play-In of any Event will be required to execute a player agreement with Chess.com. Failure to execute such an agreement may result in forfeiture of prize money at Chess.com’s sole discretion.
• Players which have already qualified for the Playoffs are ineligible to participate in the Play-In.

Fair Play

In the Qualifiers, players are required to screen share and join a video conference call, upon request, for monitoring by tournament officials. To abide by this request, players must have video turned on for one or more cameras (as requested). One camera must clearly show the player’s full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. Players may be requested to use a second camera, which should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle with the player’s desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

In all other play in the CCT (Play-In and Playoffs), all players are required to join a video conference call for monitoring by tournament officials. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with the CCT.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in the CCT. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set their chat to "emote-only" mode. Broadcasting of any gameplay must also have a delay of at least 60 seconds. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. Exceptions to any of the broadcasting requirements may be made upon request AND require approval from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to USD $300,000 in prizes are available in the CCT. Payments will be made in United States dollars. Chess.com will award $150,000 for each Event's Playoff, according to the following table:

Players Eliminated in Match Play (7 players) will each receive $600

During each online event, special prizes will be awarded to the following groups: 

The top woman and senior prizes will be awarded to the highest-placing woman and senior player(s), respectively. 

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PogChamps 6

Schedule

PogChamps 6 is an invitational online competition consisting of a Round-Robin stage and a single-elimination Knockout stage, taking place between April 29 and May 2. Each day of competition begins at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET / 18:00 CET. 

Tournament Format

Puzzles Challenge - Pre-Event Competition

All invited players are eligible to participate in the Puzzles Challenge. The player who achieves the highest Puzzles rating on Chess.com by April 29 at the start of the PogChamps 6 broadcast earns a $5,000 prize. The full eligibility criteria are:

• Players must have attempted at least 100 rated Puzzles between April 1 and April 29.
• Players must publish at least one piece of content regarding Puzzles, such as:
  • Chess.com must be tagged in eligible posts
  • @chesscom (Twitter) or @wwwchesscom (Instagram)
• A stream of at least 30 minutes in length
• One 'in-feed post' on the creator's Twitter or Instagram
• Only the invited player can solve the Puzzles
• No external help, whether from chat, coaches, or other sources
• Puzzles can be reviewed after an attempt is made
• Only ratings from players' official accounts will be considered

Round-Robin Stage:

Players will be divided into two groups of six, seeded by a Chess.com panel. Each group will compete in a six-player single round-robin. Players will compete in two-game matches with a 10+5 time control and alternating colors against every other player in their group. The higher-seeded player plays Game 1 with White, and colors alternate for Game 2. If a match ends in a tie, additional tiebreaker games will be played in a 3+5 time control. The player with the highest average Chess.com Accuracy score in the match will receive the white pieces in the first tiebreaker game, and colors alternate thereafter. The first player to win a tiebreaker game wins the match. 

Players earn points in the standings based on the results of their matches. Outright wins are worth 3 points, tiebreaker wins are worth 2 points, and tiebreaker losses are worth 1 point. No points are awarded for outright losses. Players will be ranked by their standings points. Ties in the standings will be resolved by the following tiebreaks:

1. Match points earned in matches between tied players
2. Game points earned in games between tied players (regulation only)
3. Game wins in the Round Robin
4. Sudden Death game

Bracket Stage:

Players enter a single-elimination bracket based on the standings from the Group Stage. The top three players from each group will be seeded into the Championship Bracket, while the bottom three players will be seeded into the Consolation Bracket. The top two players in each bracket receive byes according to the following criteria.

• Final Group placement

Players will be seeded so they face the player from the other group who finished in a different position from themselves (A2-B3, B2-A3, etc). Players will compete in two-game matches with a 10+5 time control and alternating colors. If a match ends tied 1-1, additional tiebreaker games will be played in a 3+5 time control. The player with the highest Chess.com average Accuracy score in the match will receive the white pieces in the first tiebreaker game, and colors alternate thereafter. The first player to win a tiebreaker game wins the match. Players who win their matches move to the next round while their opponent is eliminated from the competition. Each bracket proceeds independently, and two winners will be crowned.

Eligibility

Players will be directly invited by Chess.com. 

Fair Play

All games from all matches are subject to review by Chess.com. Players must adhere to the standard Chess.com Fair Play and Competitive Events Policy.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in PogChamps. Players must also join a Zoom call during their matches to communicate with Chess.com staff.

Prizes

Up to $100,000 is available, according to the following table:

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PogChamps en Español Official Rules

Schedule

PogChamps en Español (PogChamps ES) is an invite-only online competition consisting of a Round-Robin stage and a single-elimination Knockout stage. 

Event	Dates
PogChamps ES	Feb 24 - March 7

Tournament Format
Round Robin Stage:

Players will be divided into two groups of four, seeded by a Chess.com panel. Each group will compete in a four-player, single Round-Robin. Players will compete in two-game matches with a 10+5 time control and alternating colors against every other player in their group. The higher seeded player begins with White. If a match ends in a tie, additional tiebreaker games will be played in a 3+5 time control. The player with the highest Chess.com average accuracy score in the match will receive the white pieces in the first tiebreak game. Colors alternate thereafter. The first player to win a tiebreaker game wins the match. Players will earn points in the standings based on the results of their matches. Outright wins are worth 3 points, tiebreaker wins are worth 2 points, while tiebreaker losses are worth 1 point. No points are awarded for outright losses. Players will be ranked by total points. Ties in the standings will be resolved will the following tiebreaks:

1. Match points earned in matches between tied players.
2. Game points earned in games between tied players (regulation only).
3. Game wins in the Round Robin
4. Sudden Death game

Bracket Stage:

Players enter a single-elimination bracket based on the standings from the Group Stage. The top two players of each group will be seeded in the Championship Bracket and the bottom two players will be seeded in the Consolation Bracket. Players will be seeded such that they will face the player from the other group who finished in a different position from themselves (i.e. Group A winner will face Group B 2nd place). All matches in the Bracket stage will be a 2-game match, except for the Championship bracket Final which will play a four-game match. All matches have a 10+5 time control. If a player achieves a score of 2.5 or better, they win the match. If a match ends tied 2-2, additional tiebreaker games will be played in a 3+5 time control. The player with the highest Chess.com average accuracy score in the match will receive the white pieces in the first tiebreak game. Colors alternate thereafter. The first player to win a tiebreaker game wins the match. Players who win their matches move to the next round while their opponent is eliminated from the competition. Each bracket proceeds independently and two winners will be crowned.

Eligibility

Players will be directly invited by Chess.com. 

Fair Play

All games from all matches are subject to review by Chess.com. Players must adhere to the standard Chess.com Fair Play and Competitive Events Policy.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in PogES. Players must also join a Discord call during their matches for communication with Chess.com staff.

Prizes

Up to US $10,000 are available, according to the following table:

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NextGen Cup

The NextGen Cup is an invite-only online competition and takes place on the date below. 

Date	Event	PT	ET	CET
6-Feb	NextGen Cup	9 a.m.	12 p.m.	18:00

Tournament Format
Invited players participate in a nine-round Round Robin with a 10+2 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Draw offers are not allowed until after Black’s 40th move. 

If tied, the following tiebreakers will be applied.

• Two-way Tie
  • 10 minute base time bidding Armageddon
• Three-way Tie (or more)
  • Single Elimination bidding Armageddon bracket between tied players 
  • 10 minute base time
  • Bracket seeding is based on the Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.

Fair Play

Players are required to join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Headphones are not allowed for this event. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with the NextGen Cup.

Broadcasting

Players may not live broadcast their participation in the NextGen Cup. 

Prizes

Up to US $20,000 in prizes are available in the NextGen Cup, according to the following table:

Standing	Prize Money (USD)
1st	$8,000
2nd	$4,000
3rd	$2,000
4th - 6th	$1,000
7th - 10th	$750

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CoachChamps

Schedule

CoachChamps consists of a one-month-long competition in which coaches will draft teams of four players to each compete in individual round-robin tournaments. CoachChamps takes place at the times below.

Event	Dates (2025)
Draft Day	Sep 9
Round-robin (Group 1)	Oct 7
Round-robin (Group 2)	Oct 8
Round-robin (Group 3)	Oct 9
Round-robin (Group 4)	Oct 10

Unless otherwise specified, all events begin at 11:00 a.m. ET / 17:00 CET.

Tournament Format 

Participants

• Eight (8) coaches
• Thirty-two (32) improvers split into four (4) groups of eight (8) players based on rating:
• Group 1: Players with rapid rating between 0-799
• Group 2: Players with rapid rating between 800-1199
• Group 3: Players with rapid rating between 1200-1599
• Group 4: Players with rapid rating between 1600-1999

Player Draft

During the Player draft, coaches will draft teams consisting of one player per rating group based on current Chess.com rapid ratings and other data provided by Chess.com. Coaches will not be given player usernames and will not have access to player profiles or identities.

The Coaches' draft position will be randomly selected by Chess.com staff, live, and will follow a snake-draft format. The coach who gets selected to have the first pick in the draft will be last in the second round; this process is mirrored for all additional coaches. Coaches may select their players in any order.

Round-Robin

In the round-robin, players will compete by rating group. Each rating group will contain one player per team. Each group is a single round-robin with a 10+2 time control. Players will earn 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Round-robin pairings will follow the standard eight-player Berger table. Within each group, players will be ranked by their total points. In the event of a tie within a group, players will be given a tiebreak rank according to the following tiebreaks:

1. Points earned in games between tied players.
2. Sonneborn-Berger score, defined as the sum of the score of each defeated opponent and half the score of each drawn opponent.
3. Total game wins.

If players remain tied after all tiebreaks have been exhausted, the total placement points available to the tied players will be shared equally. 

Players earn points for their teams based on their final placements within each group, as follows.

Placing	Points
1st	8
2nd	7
3rd	6
4th	5
5th	4
6th	3
7th	2
8th	1

The team with the most points at the conclusion of the event wins. In the event of a tie, prizes will be split among tied teams. 

Eligibility

• Players selected as improvers of the month.
• Players selected by Chess.com staff based on multiple criteria, including, but not limited to:
• Activity in the improvers club, especially supporting other chess improvers.
• Creation of improvement content, including blogs, videos, social media posts, etc.
• Play activity.

Fair Play

All players are required to join a video conference call for tournament officials to monitor them. Players are required to share their screens and have two cameras. One camera must clearly show the player's full face and immediate surroundings beyond the player. No virtual or blurred backgrounds are allowed. The other camera should be placed behind the player diagonally at approximately a 30-degree angle, with the player's desk and monitors clearly visible. One camera must have audio turned on. Non-compliance may result in a player's removal from the event.

Players may further be requested to submit to a Computer Inspection, an Environment Inspection, and/or a Physical Inspection at any time in any match in connection with CoachChamps.

Broadcasting

Players may live broadcast their participation in CoachChamps. Players that choose to live broadcast must either disable any live chat functionality or set their chat to "emote-only" mode. Broadcasting of any gameplay must also have a delay of at least 60 seconds. Players are not permitted to broadcast or distribute the "Fair Play" video conference call, including player cameras and video, in whole or in part, without permission from Chess.com. Exceptions to any of the broadcasting requirements may be made upon request AND require approval from Chess.com.

Prizes

Up to USD $25,000 in prizes are available to the coaches in CoachChamps based on their respective teams' placings. Payments will be made in United States dollars, according to the following table:

Placing	Prize (USD)
1st	$7,500
2nd	$5,000
3rd	$2,500
4th - 8th	$1,500
Improvers Choice	$2,500

Improvers' Choice award is a live, fan-voted award which will take place on October 10. In addition, all improvers receive a one-year diamond membership and USD $100 of Chessable credit. Additionally, the top-ranked player in each group will receive an exclusive piece of signed Chess.com merchandise.

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2024 Rulebook

Click here to access Chess.com's official rulebook for 2024 events.