I saw in this thread that dmforsythe said G/5-G29 is now considered quick chess. And I vaguely recall seeing more posts about the number of blitz games in the USCF ratings database. But the current Allowable Time Controls document states that G/10 is the fastest game the USCF will rate.
Can someone straighten me out here? Is a G/5 game ratable? And if so where is that documented?
The USCF began rating G/5-G/9 under the quick system during early 2004 after the WBCA folded. I don’t know where the policy change was announced, maybe Joan can find a reference.
Apparently not all of the forms and flyers have been updated yet. I’ll alert the office to this one.
Our club used to hold WBCA G/5 tournaments on a regular basis. Those were a lot of fun, and I found it interesting to compare my blitz, quick, and regular ratings. All of my blitz games were G/5, and all of my quick games were G/15.
Although it’s probably a minor issue with most players, I didn’t like the idea of merging blitz and quick times, when the USCF took over from the WBCA. To me, there’s as much difference between G/5 and G/15 as there is between G/15 and G/30 & over. The same can even be said of G/1 or G/2 (lightning & bullet) vs. G/5. I wish the USCF had created a separate blitz rating category, or simply stayed with G/10 through G/29.
With regard to the rating of blitz (G/5) I am able to state definitively that the first such USCF-rated event took place on November 27, 2003, within a day or two of a posting by Bill Goichberg that blitz was ratable effective immediately.
The tournament number is 200311271150, the name of the event was “Promethean Blitz” and it took place in Montreal, Canada, at the Sinclair Laird Elementary School. The sponsoring affiliate was the Northern Knights CC and I was the tournament director.
The players were eleven freshly minted USCF members in the 5th and 6th grades and the winners were Krishnaa Siva and Shawn Cacheiro, each with scores of 8.0 - 2.0. We had been planning a USCF-rated event for that date in another format, but switched over to the blitz to try to make a little (even if insignificant) bit of chess history.
The Sinclair Laird school is now completing its third year of chess activity. We sent a team down to the recent USATE (A.LEIN PAWNS FROM QUEBEC) where we won the prize for best chess-related gimmick.
We now have 17 USCF members and one 5th-grader has just been certified as a “Club” level TD. During the academic year one third of the school population in 3rd grade and above has participated to some extent in our activities. On April 22nd, two of our players actually got paired against an IM in a small local tournament.
I find it interesting that you’re running USCF rated tournaments in Canada. I actually played in Montreal Open back in 1978, but it was CFC and FQ rated only.
I thought your kids’ chess gimmick at the USATE was very clever. It sounds like you have a nice program going on up there.
I like my blitz the old-fashioned way. Would it be permissible to have blitz tournaments rated if the following announcement were to be made in advance:
“Old-Fashioned Blitz. Game/5. No delays. No draw claims for insufficient losing chances.”
Since the normal rules have been modified for blitz to provide for the capture of kings and illegal move forfeits. Surely, they can also be modified to provide for the optional elimination of the insufficient losing chances claim.
Yep.
Tim Just
5th Edition Rulebook Editor