ICC Rocks Gibraltar!
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The Internet Chess Club (ICC), in conjunction with the Gibtelecom Chess Festival, are offering ICC members a unique opportunity to win a round trip ticket, hotel room, breakfast & dinner and an automatic invite to the 8th Gibtelecom Chess Festival, running January 26th to February 4th 2010 at the Caleta Hotel, recently voted Gibraltar's best hotel.
You will be joined by many of the world's leading Grandmasters in an exclusive online qualifier - open to ICC members only - to one of the world’s best chess festivals. The winner of this package will be determined in a two-stage tournament event on ICC, the 6 qualifier tournaments running the weekend of November 27th to 29th, and the 16-player knockout final to be held on Saturday, December 5th. The time control throughout the tournament (both qualifiers and knockout stage) will be 3,0.
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You will be joined by many of the world's leading Grandmasters, in what is hailed by many as one of the best chess events in the world! This Blitz Tournament Qualifier is open to all ICC members. For more information, please visit the official event page.
Prizes
The winner of the tournament will receive a round trip ticket, hotel room and breakfast and automatic seat to the exclusive Gibetelecom Chess Festival.
In case the winner cannot travel to Gibraltar, the first prize will be awarded to the runner up. In case also the runner up cannot travel, the first prize will be offered to the player who lost to the later winner in the semifinals, and after that to the other semifinalist. In those cases, the winner will only receive the cash prize which the player who eventually travels to Gibraltar originally won.
Second place will receive USD 400 in cash. Third and fourth place will receive USD 150 in cash each.
In addition, there will be prizes raffled between all participants who finish a qualifier, for EVERY qualifier. Ten 1-month ICC extensions per qualifier, giving a total of 60 months just for playing. Note that in order to be eligible for the raffle, (a) the qualifier must be finished orderly (not forfeited), (b) the player did not qualify for the finals, and (c) the account used is a paid one.
On top of this, there will be prizes for the players who score the most points over ALL qualifiers but who do not win through to the finals:
- 1st: 18 months ICC extension
- 2nd: 12 months ICC extension
- 3rd: 6 months ICC extensions
- 4th-10th: 3 months ICC extensions
- 11th-20th: 1 months ICC extensions
Tournament Times
Friday, 27 November:
Qualifier 1 − 3pm ICC Server Time (3pm ET, 9pm CET)
Qualifier 2 - 6pm ICC Server Time (6pm ET, 12am CET)
Saturday, 28 November:
Qualifier 3 − 2pm ICC Server Time (2pm ET, 8pm CET)
Qualifier 4 - 5pm ICC Server Time (5pm ET, 11pm CET)
Sunday, 29 November:
Qualifier 5 − 2pm ICC Server Time (2pm ET, 8pm CET)
Qualifier 6 - 5pm ICC Server Time (5pm ET, 11pm CET)
Saturday, 05 December:
Knockout Final - 2pm Server Time (2pm ET, 8pm CET)
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USCL Set For Final Finale
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There's going to be a new name on the United States Chess League trophy this year, as the New York Knights get set to take on the Miami Sharks in the finals, to be held at a time and date in early December yet-to-be announced by the league commissioner.
In the semifinals, New York Knights beat the New Jersey Knockouts by 2.5-1.5 to advance to the finals, while the Miami Sharks beat the San Francisco Mechanics, also by 2.5-1.5. In the past, both New York (in 2006) and Miami (in 2005) have reached the finals but lost to San Francisco and Baltimore respectively, so this year one of them will finally see their name on the trophy!
Watch the finals exclusively here on ICC by becoming a member; and also check U.S. Chess League for blog links, games and much, much more. Chess.FM will also have live commentary of the USCL finals in early December with IM Mark Ginsberg and GM Ben Finegold.
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