2025 Maritime Open Chess Championship

Two Sections

October 11-13, 2025

Common Information

Prize Fund
Exact prize fund split between two sections and various class prizes will be "finalized" at the Regular Entry Fee Deadline

Check-In/Registration: Sat 9:45 - 11:00am
Refer to main page for how to pay and date deadlines

Format: Two Sections (Championship and Challengers)
6 Round Swiss
Time Control = 90 minutes with 30 second increment
Tournament supplied equipment to be used
SwissSwiss or SwissManager to be used for pairings
Pairings between players from the same province will be avoided where possible for rounds 1 and 2

Schedule : Sat 11:30am & 4:30pm; Sun 10am & 3pm; Mon 10am & 3pm (Championship) / 2:30pm (Challengers)
Default time is 60 minutes after scheduled round time

Special Prizes: There will be two special $100 prizes that will go to the players with the biggest difference in performance rating - original rating, in both the Open Championship and Challengers Section. These will be known as the Alex Relyea Memorial prizes. Alex was an IA from CT who along with his wife Nita Patel attended the very first MCF in 2019, and has been a supporter of the event in recent years.
https://chessmaine.net/chessmaine/2025/08/in-memory-frank-alexander-rely.html

Chess Federation of Canada (CFC):
All players must be (or become) a member of the CFC or pay a CFC Tournament Fee
1) CFC Annual Membership (PEI/NB) - eligibility for any CFC rated events for one year: Adult - $41, Junior (U20) - $28
2) CFC Tournament Fee (PEI/NB) - allows entry to this one CFC tournament: Adult - $16, Junior (U20) - $8
3) CFC Membership Rates and Tournament Fees for other provinces

Electronics Policy
1) While a player's games are ongoing, any electronics they have with them (i.e. cellphones) are to be turned off and placed face down on the table. Phones are not to be removed from the table. A ringing or beeping phone would be considered a phone violation, and in this case a player will receive a single warning. Any subsequent violations during the tournament, will lead to the loss of the game.
2) Alternatively, electronics can be turned off and left in a bag. Because of this no bags are to leave the room, without prior consent of the Tournament Director. Any evidence of a turned on phone in a bag or on a person (i.e., ringing or beeping), will lead to a forfeit in that game.
3) Spectators (which includes players whose games are finished) should also have electronics turned off or in silent mode and stowed away (UNLESS there is a designated seating area) while in the playing room. Violators may be asked to leave the room for the duration of the round.

Arbiters:
NA Fred McKim
FA Daniel Rokhvarger (ON)

Championship Section

FIDE and CFC Rated

REGULAR Prize Fund ($1,820: B/28 players in Championship & 32 players in Challengers):

1st = 750, 2nd = 400, 3rd = 250, 4th = 100
Under 2200 = 100 & 60
Under 2000 = 100 & 60

Winner Takes All Prize ($500 Guaranteed):

An anonymous donor has come forward who wishes to sponsor a separate $500 Prize for clear 1st place in the Maritime Open.
This prize will be known as the Winner Takes All Prize. The provisions are that this guaranteed $500 prize will be awarded to the Tournament winner, in addition to whatever the REGULAR 1st prize or shared 1st prize would have been.
As per terms of the arrangement, this prize can't be divided, so if there is a tie for 1st, there will be a single elimination play-off (Armageddon Game) among all tied players.
This play-off (or series of play-offs) would start 15 minutes after the names of the players involved and the seeding order is known.

If more than two players are involved in the tie, seeding will be by 1) Cumulative, 2) Buccholz Cut-1, 3) Random Draw
So for example. Players A, B, and C all tie for 1st with 5/6. The REGULAR Cash Prizes are for example: 1st - $750, 2nd $400, and $250. The 3 players split these like normal, which works out to $467 each. The tied players are then seeded 1-3, using the tie-break formula. The second and third seeded play, with the winner taking on the top-seeded player in the Final play-off. If there were 4 players, the top seed would meet the 4th seed in a second semi-final.

White receives 4 minutes in the Armageddon game and both players have 2 seconds increment. Prior to each game, both players bid on how much time they would like for Black. The player picking the lower amount takes Black with the time they have bid.
The player taking the Winner Takes All Prize will have their name engraved on the Colpitts Trophy and receive a Keeper Trophy.

Regular Entry Fee:

1) CFC >= 2200 or FIDE >= 2000: $65
2) CFC >= 2000 or FIDE >= 1800: $75
3) CFC < 2000 and FIDE Rated: $90
4) CFC betweeen 1800 and 1999 and Not FIDE Rated: $100
5) CFC < 1800 and Not FIDE Rated: $110

There will be a limited number of spots for players without a FIDE rating - 25% of the total participants

Early Bird = $15 discount (by Sun, Aug 24)
Late Entry = $15 penalty (Mon, Sept 22 - Fri, Oct 10)
On Site = $25 penalty

Changing Section Fee: There is no charge to change from the Championship Section to the Challengers Section PRIOR to the day of the tournament. The difference in the entry fee will be refunded.
On the day of the tournament there is a $10 fee to change sections (no refund).
It is possible to change sections after Round 1 or Round 2. You will receive a 1/2 point bye for any missed games in the Challengers section. There is a $20 charge (no refund)

Misc:

A maximum of two 1/2 point byes are available for rounds 1-4....must be requested by the start of the previous round
Duplicate scoresheets to be used when provided

The top 4 boards of this section are being played on DGT Boards and will be broadcasted live
Enjoy watching the games at: Live Chess Cloud

As of Oct 11

Confirmed (30)
============================================
2874 [2816] GM Hikaru Nakamura (NY) pd
2470 [2353] IM Mark Plotkin (ON) pd
2460 [2301] FM Adam Dorrance (NS) pd
2434 [2324] IM Tangi Migot (QC/FRA) pd
2415 [2381] IM Mike Ivanov (ON) pd
2377 [2089] NM Jerjis Kapra (NS) pd
2331 [2101] FM Calix Marchand (NS) pd
2315 [2154] CM Dzmitry Kalinin (NB) pd
-----------------------------------Under 2200------
2150 [1778] Jorge Moreno pd
2136 [1808] Titan Dunahee (NB) pd
2132 [1850] NM Anthony Howarth pd
2099 [1900] WFM Cindy Qiao (ON) pd
2077 [1924] Richard Douglas (ON) pd
2072 [1874] Juan Ramirez-Orta (NS) pd
2014 [UNR] Anthony Banks pd
2012 [1917] WFM* Michelle Zhang (NS) pd
2002 [1710] Fernando Melgar pd
-----------------------------------Under 2000------
1993 [1830] Chris Felix (NS) pd
1973 [1807] Henry Pollitt (ON) pd
1943 [1758] Louis Fillmore (NS) pd
1938 [1726] Alice Yancey (NS) pd
1929 [1963] Paul Dec (NS) pd
1894 [UNR] Peter MacKean pd [Rds 1-4]
1845 [1419] Harvey (Han) Zhang (NB) pd [Bye:3]
1840 [UNR] Rutvik Reddy Allampati (NB) pd [Bye:3]
1804 [UNR] Goldy Vu pd [Bye:3]
1798 [UNR] Kaven Sharma (NS) pd
1696/10 [UNR] Peter Dec (NS) pd
1668 [UNR] Niko He pd
--1486/24 [UNR] Lucas Pham pd
============================================

[nnnn] - FIDE Rating - For prize and pairing purposes, approximately 125 points will be added to any FIDE rating (if CFC Unrated)
X - Requires CFC Membership
e - estimate
* - Title requirements are completed
us - For prize and pairing purposes, a USCF rating will be taken at par

Waitlist (The following FIDE UNR players are waiting for entry)
======================================
1633 Jean Bergevin
1869 Ruffy Tangoan (NB)
======================================

Spares
===================================
1869 [UNR] Ruffy Tangoan (NB)
1802/12 [UNR] Ethan Borden
1759 [1834] Aris Marghetis (ON) pd
1721 [UNR] George Hensel (NB)
1680 [UNR] Ron Belczewski (NB)
1633 [UNR] Jean Bergevin
===================================

The following foreign players have applied for Visas (or are firming up travel arrangements) to attend this tournament
==================================================================
UNR [2157] X FM Haruna Nsubuga (UGA)
UNR [1655] X Chandan Kapahi (IND)
UNR [1611] X John Denis Mwesigye (UGA)
==================================================================

Challengers Section

Open to players with a CFC Rating Under 2000
CFC Rated only

Prize Fund ($1030: B/32 players in Challengers):

1st = 250, 2nd = 150, 3rd = 100
Under 1800 = 100 & 60
Under 1600 = 100 & 60
Under 1400 = 100 & 60
Top Junior = 50
1st Place Winner (using TB if necessary) will receive a keeper trophy and free entry to the 2026 event

Tie-Break
1) Average Opposition Rating (Drop Low) with a couple of tweaks to be announced
2) Average Performance Opposition

Regular Entry Fee:

1) Adults $65
2) Juniors (born on or after Jan 1, 2005) $55

Early Bird = $15 discount (by Sun, Aug 24)
Late Entry = $15 penalty (Mon, Sept 22 - Fri, Oct 10)
On Site = $25 penalty

Changing Section Fee: There is no charge to change from the Challengers Section to the Championship Section PRIOR to the day of the tournament. The difference in the entry fee will be charged.
On the day of the tournament there is an additional $10 fee to change sections.
It is possible to change sections after Round 1 or Round 2. You will receive a 1/2 point bye for any rounds missed in the Championship section. There is a $20 charge in addition to the difference in entry fees

Misc:

A maximum of two 1/2 point byes available for rounds 1-5....must be requested before the end of the previous round.
Class pairings will be used where possible for class leaders in the final round

In case of an odd number of players in the Championship Section in any given round, a player from this section will be added to the Championship Section

As of Oct 10

Confirmed (28)
=========================================
1869 Ruffy Tangoan (NB) pd
1802/12 Ethan Borden
---------------------------------Under 1800--------
1799 Reg Milne pd
1759 Aris Marghetis (ON) pd
1755/4 Aidan Arsenault pd [Bye:1,2]
1727 Craig Carson (NB) pd
1721 George Hensel (NB)
1708 Agamnoor Singh (NS) pd
1700e Pranav Ratra (ON) pd
1692 Raphael Tangoan (NB) pd [Bye:1,3]
1680 Ron Belczewski (NB) pd
1633 *Jean Bergevin pd
1629 Johann Tangoan (NB) pd [Bye:1,3]
1608 Iain Crowell (NB) pd
1604 Addie Todd (ON) pd
---------------------------------Under 1600 -------
1592/20 Ish Sethi pd
1590 Jeremy Sztuka (ON) pd
1567 Allan Li pd
1565 Marcus Lai pd
1475e Michael Lacombe (NB) pd [Bye:1]
1463 Andrew Mayo (NS) pd [Bye:1]
1453 Edrick Belczewski (NB) pd
1412 Justin Nguyen pd
1407 Ondrej Pacin (MB) pd
1401/14 X Andy MacDougall pd [Bye:2]
---------------------------------Under 1400--------
1335/12 Thomas O'Brien (NL) pd [Bye:1,3]
1277 Axel Aubin (NB) pd [Bye:1,3]
1189/18 Austin McKinnon (NB) pd [Bye:1,3]
=========================================

X - Requires CFC Membership
e - estimate
* - On wait list for Championship Section

Spares
===================================
1592/11 Olin Nguyen [1..6]
996/4 Alex Davies [2,4,5,6]
===================================

Player Split per Round:

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