Level-Up Chess Tournament 2026/05 | 日本チェス連盟

Regulations

Date/Venue/Format

Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026

Venue: Shinagawa Ward General Kumin Hall “Curian”
　5-18-1 Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo (map)
　2 min walk from Oimachi Station on JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, Tokyu Oimachi Line & 　Rinkai-sen

Format: 6-Round Swiss tournament, MMmin+SSsec/move, National Rapid Rated

Eligibility and Sections

Eligibility: Japan Chess Federation annual members, either rated under 1800 in National Rapid Rating or not rated.

If you are not currently a member of the Japan Chess Federation, you must first purchase a ticket via Peatix and promptly complete the membership registration process. Current members must ensure that their membership remains valid through the final day of the tournament. If necessary, please renew your membership in advance.
The rating announced in March 2026 will be used as the basis for the National Rapid Rating. In case a player does not hold a National Rapid Rating, an alternative rating shall be applied in the following order, according to the Rating Regulations.:
1. FIDE Rapid Rating
2. National Standard Rating
3. FIDE Standard Rating

＊Please check the list for the relevant month via the link below. The “RP” column indicates the domestic rapid rating.

https://japanchess.org/rating-lists-2026/

Sections:

Players are divided into four sections (Classes A–D) based on rating and experience. Pairings and prize-giving will be done in each class.

Class A：1600~1799

Class B：1400~1599

Class C：1200~1399

Class D：1000~1199

Players will be categorised to each class based upon the ratings announced in March 2026, and the starting order will be based upon the ratings announced in May 2026. The category will not be changed due to rating fluctuations occurring between the time of categorization and the day of the tournament.

(For example)

If the rating increases from 1350 to 1450, the player stays in Class C

If the rating decreases from 1450 to 1350, the player stays in Class B

Class changes:

Entry into a class higher than one’s own rating is permitted. The deadline for class changes shall be the same as the registration deadline.

Unrated Players:

The unrated players can choose which class to participate in at the purchase of the entry ticket. Guide for which class to participate in is as below (Rapid Rating):

Class A：Chess.com 1800~1999/Lichess 2000~2199

Class B：Chess.com 1600~1799/Lichess 1800~1999

Class C：Chess.com 1400~1599/Lichess 1600~1799

Class D：Chess.com 1200~1399/Lichess 1400~1599

If the unrated players get a rating the tournament date, the players who have entered a class lower than that corresponding to their initial rating will be automatically moved to the appropriate class.

Schedule

Sunday, May 24, 2026
9:40 – 10:10 Check-in

10:10 Opening Ceremony

10:30 R1

12:00 R2
13:30 R3
15:00 R4
16:30 R5
18:00 Prize Giving

Registration

Entry fee: 3,500 yen (tax included)

Registration: Purchase electronic tickets through [peatix] . (Limit: 100 players)

Registration Period: From 12:30 on March 24, 2026 to 23:59 on May 17, 2026

Notes Regarding Registration:

If the membership registration or renewal process is not completed by May 10, 2026 (14 days before the tournament), your entry will be canceled. In such cases, the participation fee will be fully refunded.
The Japan Chess Federation reserves the right to make the final decision regarding eligibility.

Notes After Registration:

After purchasing a ticket, your entry will be reflected on Chess-Results within about one week. Players whose membership registration or renewal has not been completed will not be listed.
On the day of the tournament, you will be required to present the QR code displayed on your Peatix e-ticket. Ensure in advance that the QR code is displayed correctly.

Waiting List ticket:

A “Waiting List Ticket” will be sold at the same price along with the normal “Ticket” on Peatix.
A “Waiting List Ticket” may be purchased only when regular tickets have sold out due to capacity being reached. If a cancellation occurs, participation will be offered to waitlist ticket holders in the order of purchase, and the amount paid will be applied to the entry fee. When participation becomes available, a notification will be sent to the registered email address.
Waitlist arrangements will be handled up to May 18, 2026 (6 days before the tournament).
If the turn on the waiting list does not come up, the full purchase price will be refunded.

Cancellation Policy:

　If you wish to cancel your participation in the tournament, you must notify us via email at japanchess.info@gmail.com.

Cancellations made by 23:59 on May 17, 2026 (7 days before the tournament):
- If the tournament has not reached full capacity – Full refund
- If the tournament has reached full capacity – No refund

Cancellations made on or after May 18, 2026 (6 days before the tournament):
- No refund under any circumstances
- If the tournament is canceled due to natural disasters or organizer-related reasons, alternative measures will be considered.

　* All refunds will be processed according to Peatix’s regulations.

Prizes

The winner of Class A shall be awarded a trophy.

Medals shall be awarded to the other 1st to 3rd place finishers.

Certificates of merit shall be awarded to those placing 4th to 8th.

ChessMood Prizes will be awarded to the 1st – 3rd places of each class.

* Should a player fail to attend the prize giving without prior notification, they shall forfeit their right to receive any prize money or awards.

Other Regulations

Tournament Rules

Pairing:

Pairings for the first round must be made after 18:00 and before 24:00 on the day before the tournament.
Pairings will be conducted using Swiss-Manager and will follow the swiss tournament.
The order of precedence of the criteria for determining starting order shall be National Rapid Rating, Title, and Alphabetical order.
If a player who has not completed on-site registration on the day of the tournament without prior notice fails to inform the organizer of their intention to continue participating by the end of all games in Round 1, that player may be disqualified and removed from the tournament.

Tie-breaks:

　1.Direct Encounter
　2. Buchholz Cut-1
　3. Buchholz
　4. Sonneborn-Berger
　5. Sum of the ratings of the opponents
　6. Drawing of lots.

Byes:

Pre-registered Byes: Bye requests must be submitted via the Bye Request Form by 18:00 on the day before the tournament. A pre-declared bye will be awarded 0.5 points; however, all bye requests for the final two rounds will be scored as 0 points. Bye requests submitted after the deadline will also be scored as 0 points. Players who take byes in two or more rounds will not be eligible for prizes.
Pairing-allocated bye will be one point.
For Bye requests or cancellations after the deadline, please contact japanchess.info@gmail.com. If a player missed the prior round without a Bye report, and does not contact the above address by email before the pairings of the next round is published, he/she will be disqualified and will be excluded from the tournament.
If cancellation, see detail at “Cancellation Policy” above.

Default Time:

If any player is not present within 10 min after the game starts, she/he shall lose the game by default. The game is not rated. If a player loses a game by default without prior notice, the player may be declared to have lost all subsequent games by default.
If a player loses by forfeit without prior notice and fails to inform the organizer of their intention to continue participating by the end of all games in that round, the player may be disqualified and removed from the tournament.

Electronic devices:

All electronic devices including smartphones, tablets or smartwatches must be turned off and stored away. Players are not allowed to keep it on him/her or take it outside of the venue in a bag. When a player breaks these rules, his/her game shall be immediately lost. Since the game is not a forfeit, ratings will be adjusted accordingly.
If a player needs to wear or carry an electronic device during play, the player must consult the arbiter at the time of registration.The arbiter will determine the appropriate action.
Observers and players who have completed their games are prohibited from using any electronic devices within the playing venue, except at designated times.

Notes on Games:

Players must use clocks, chess sets, and score sheets provided by the organizer.
It is not necessary to record the moves. After the game is over, both players must sign each other’s score sheets and report the result to the arbiter. The results must be confirmed before signing.
The tournament will follow FIDE rules unless otherwise stated above. For example, an illegal move will be penalized and the second illegal move will result in the loss of the game. Pressing the clock by mistake or pressing it with the other hand which touched the pieces will also be judged as an illegal move.
During a match, if a parent or coach speaks to or makes eye contact with the player, penalties or a forfeit loss may be imposed. If a parent needs to provide the player with drinks, writing utensils, or similar items, they must first obtain permission from Arbiter and deliver the items via Arbiter. Directly handing items to the player will result in penalties or a forfeit loss.
If a parent or coach notices anything of concern during a match, they should not address it directly but instead call the arbiter.

Notes on Awards:

Prizes or prize money will not be awarded to winners who are absent from the award ceremony, unless prior approval has been obtained from the staff. If the organizer arranges delivery of prizes or prize money to a winner by mail or other means, the associated costs may be charged to the winner.

Media Related Rules

The tournament results will be posted on the Internet (chess-results.com) for reporting purposes. The game record may also be published on the Internet. Participants agree to the publication of their real names, results, and game records.
The organizer will take photos, record videos, and broadcast the event live. These may be published and used in media such as websites, SNS, video sites, and journals managed by Japan Chess Federation, or provided to the mass media in case of interviews. Participants shall agree to the publication and live broadcast of these photos and videos.
Observers are allowed to take photos for the first 10 minutes of each round. No photos are allowed after 10 minutes, except for the case with special permission.

Individuals who wish to use photos or videos of participants (during games, award ceremonies, etc.) must be careful to protect their privacy. In addition to obtaining comprehensive consent in advance, for example, in the case of minors, the permission of their guardians must be obtained, and due consideration must be given to the protection of personal information and portrait rights.

Miscellaneous

The organizer reserves the right for changing the above rules with adequate reason before and during the tournament. Due to the spread of infectious diseases or other unforeseeable circumstances, the organizer may be compelled to make unavoidable changes to the time control or cancel the tournament.
Please ensure that you can receive emails from the Japan Chess Federation (japanchess.info@gmail.com). Inquiries regarding eligibility and other matters sent from this address must be answered promptly. Failure to respond may result in cancellation of participation.

If a player has a high temperature or is feeling sick, the player must tell the staff and get out of the venue immediately. If the organizer determines that the player is sick, the organizer may order the player to get out.

Players may put on their masks at their own disposal. Even in cases where the player does not have a bad physical condition,the participants may be asked to wear a new mask if they have symptoms such as coughing or sneezing due to hay fever or other allergies.