What is chess? Answering this question, they often say: "It's easy! Chess is a board game." People who are more immersed and more familiar with intellectual entertainment can say that chess is an art. And so it is. Graceful combinations that amaze even laymen; complex positional plans, showing the huge interest of players in victory, etc. - all of the above and implied proves the non-childish depth of chess.
But the Russian Chess Federation can help you find another way to answer the question.
In the 21st century, in the century of industrialization, the need for thinking people has increased. The ability to analyze the situation, predict the consequences of opponents and solve problems in cold blood became the main characteristics of a person who is able to do his job well or even open his own business or business. These qualities can be developed by such a “simple game” as chess. Thanks to this, chess began to develop rapidly and everywhere.
The excitement gained from the game has increased. We started to hold a large number of tournaments. Competitions began to be divided into "elite", "for all" and "for beginners". The prize pool increased several times, and people began to earn by playing and winning. Now, asking a question about what chess is, you can get a new answer: “sport”.
In this article you will learn about the system of chess competitions, and specifically - about the Swiss.
Historical reference
Interesting Facts:
- The first Swiss chess tournament was held in Switzerland, or rather, in Zurich in 1895.
- The Swiss system is usually used in intellectual games. For example, checkers, go, shogi, etc.
Types of systems
Perhaps it’s worth saying at least a few words about the main tournament systems approved by the Russian Chess Federation:
- Circular. The idea is that in a tournament with a relatively small number, in order to identify the strongest chess player, each player must play with each player during the championship.
- Match. The form of this contest is very simple: two players (or two teams) play against each other.
- Knockout system. A playoff option based on the features of chess. Players play several games with a guaranteed no draw result.
- The Swiss system in chess is very common. The tournament is without elimination and, starting from the second round, the pairs are distributed according to the number of points, that is: "Boy Vasya with 3 points after six rounds will not meet the girl Olya, who has 6 points. Vasily can play with the player with the same number points. " Of course, there are exceptions.
Positive sides
Considering the announcements of tournaments in the chess club of your city, you probably often saw a sign like "Chess tournament in 9 rounds in the Swiss system. Come ...". Why? Why is it so rare for the “hornworms” or any other competition in another device system? Let's try to figure it out together. Note the advantages of the Swiss system in chess:
- Experience and emotions. People come to all small-scale tournaments for experience or positive feelings. Just do not be indignant! Yes, if you come to the tournament in a “match” format, you will also gain experience. But it is worth focusing on this knockout system. Suppose you are a beginner chess player or an amateur, you have an opponent stronger than you, you have lost. This tournament has already been lost for you (in terms of results).
- Second chance. Again, a comparison with the knockout system. After losing 2-3 rounds, but winning all the rest, you can even take a prize place (it depends on the composition of the tournament: it’s tight or the strength of the players is quite different).
- The number of tours. Usually in the Swiss system of games 9, maximum 11, for example in a blitz tournament. While in the circular principle of the competition there can be 15, or vice versa, only 5. It all depends on the number of people. But it seems to us that 9 rounds is the best option. And not too tired, and managed to break out.
- Opponents of equal strength (do not forget that rivals are selected by points). An equally important fact for a productive study of chess is: you learn from losers, and winnings do not allow "the desire to study" to cool down.
System flaws
"If this system is so perfect, why then hold other kinds of tournaments?" - you ask. The Russian Federation of chess cannot foresee everything. The rules of the Swiss system in chess have their drawbacks, which we also note now:
- Unexpected turns and excitement. A chess match is not considered a match if there were no unpredictable games in it. The mid-level player has outplayed the strongest, etc. News of this type is always exciting. But due to pairing up on points this is almost impossible. Unless, of course, this "mid-level" does not "mow down" the entire tournament.
- Bue, or pros - a point without a game. In the Swiss system, if there is an odd number of players in the entire competition - the player who takes the last place in any round receives a unit in the table due to lack of an opponent.
- Predictability in the "motley" composition. By "mottling" we mean the strength of the players. If the tournament is half strong and the second half weak, then the first part of the competition results is easy to predict.
The principle of holding a chess tournament in the Swiss system
Do you like to play tournaments? How do they go?
In order to draw a draw in the Swiss system in chess, special computer programs are used. Let's look at the pairing mechanism for tournament games. The only condition for our "theorem" will be the presence of an even number of participants in the competition for easier understanding.
- A starting list by rating is compiled. If the tournament is not so official, then in random order or alphabetically.
- There is a distribution of pairs for the first round. This stage is as follows: the list is divided into two equal parts, and the first of the first half plays with the first of the second. Suppose our tournament includes 30 participants. Then the 1st plays with the 16th, the 2nd with the 17th, etc.
- To draw the draw for the second round, the initial list is updated depending on the outcome of the batch.
- The procedure is repeated at number 2, and this time.
- The cycle goes as many times as there should be tours.
Rules of the game. Basic principles
For a fair fight, the Swiss system has its own limitations in meeting opportunities.
- Opponents cannot play two or more games in one tournament.
- The color of the shapes should alternate. There are times when the color is “broken”, and a player plays, for example, two games in a row with white.
- In the absence of a player, even after the time allocated by the organizers in case of being late, his opponent receives a point.
results
The places in the chess competitions in the Swiss system are allocated according to the points scored. But what to do when sharing (several players have the same number of points)? In such a case, you need to look at the position of the tournament, which describes the importance of factors. Factors we include the result of a personal meeting and the Buchholz coefficient of a player. It is the sum of all the points of the opponents with which the participant played, regardless of the result of the meetings between them.
We hope this article helped you and you found what you wanted. Have a nice game!