21E The Playing Director

Running Chess Tournaments
1

under 21 E it states. "However, in club events and others that do not involve substantial prizes…
Any definition of Substantial? Many folk feel strongly about various sums that in their definition is substantial.

2

The rule is balancing basically 2 different principles:

  1. “a director, on principle, should not direct and play in the same tournament”; and

  2. It’s better for there to be more USCF rated tournaments than less, and for club nights and smaller tournaments a potential TD may not be willing to go through the effort of directing (and possibly organizing) if they can’t also play.

“Substantial” is going to be undefineable since it’s just a judgment of where policy 1 outweighs policy 2, that is where the tournament would probably happen anyway and be rated even if the TD wasn’t playing.

That having been said, there are a few different thresholds worth considering:

  1. $600 in prize money to a single person (the 1099-MISC threshold);
  2. $1000+ in total prizes (the threshold for ANTD 34.a3 credits); and
  3. $2000? (I’ll have to make a note when I next submit a tournament) in prize money to a single person (the threshold for a separate checkbox during the tournament rating reporting process).
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3

Not an expert, but I often need to play in tournaments for our local club, especially if the number of players is uneven. I personally don’t play in any tournament where there is any prize or even a club trophy. But that’s just my two cents. I feel it is better to err on the side of caution, so you remain blameless as a TD.

4

I would be inclined to think about the motives of the players. If, under the circumstances, it is likely that players are doing it for prizes, rating or a title, then the TD should not play. If, such as in a club event that happens on a regular basis, the players are mostly doing it for fun, then playing as a TD is safe. Of course, erring on the side of caution is always best.

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5

Statistically speaking, of course, the overwhelming majority of players playing for prizes are deluding themselves.

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6

I once discussed this with someone who use to run quads with just enough “profit” to cover expenses - rating fee, affiliate, rule book, supplies, some “free” entries for new to USCF & TDs (we had a free site - tough to get these days). so something like
$2 EF no prizes or $11 with $30 prize per quad (so no prizes a better deal)
He was convinced that the quads with the small prizes brought in at least 25% more players.

One time I ran a single quad with a $1 EF and a player asked me if there were prizes – the player was rated 1100 about 300-900 less than the rest of us. I should have said only 1 prize for u1200 of 100% of EF after rating expenses. Of course I lost money and the next time I made it $3 EF with $5 prize each section so 1 quad was break even - I got 7 players and tripled the section prize to $15 :wink: - One of the players could not stay for the 3rd round so he and I played the first 2 in an 8 player swiss section - The A player who went 3-0 was very happy and I did not mind not playing only 2 games.

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