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FICGS.com - Terms and conditions.


01. Preliminaries
02. Services offered
03. Membership
04. Entry fees
05. Prize money
06. Warranties and limitations of liability
07. Money transfer
08. Security and privacy policy
09. Laws
10. Change history

Annexes

11. General rules
12. Tournament rules


01. Preliminaries

This document describes the "Terms and Conditions" of FICGS, detailing services offered by FICGS and usage of these services by the members. FICGS may change these conditions whenever necessary. Members will be notified about these changes on the website.

The members agree to these conditions when :

- they fill in the registration form for new members and send it to FICGS.
- they continue using the services of FICGS after changes are done.

When a member doesn't agree to the conditions (or changes to the conditions) anymore, he's free to cancel membership.


02. Services offered by FICGS

FICGS provides the correspondence chess server (www.ficgs.com) to the members for playing correspondence chess & go tournaments. Members access the server through the internet. A member must provide all equipment, including a computer and modem, necessary to establish a connection to the World Wide Web. Additionnaly he must provide an access to the World Wide Web and pay any telephone service fees associated with such access.

FICGS organizes correspondence chess, chess variants & go server tournaments.

FICGS administers and distributes money prizes for FICGS tournaments with entry fee.

FICGS referees all tournaments played on www.FICGS.com.

FICGS offers technical support for members and answer questions about FICGS on the forum.

FICGS edits, publishes and controls FICGS tournament rules.

FICGS may, whenever it likes, expand, change, or partially discontinue these services. But the correspondence chess server itself must stay operable and all running tournaments must be allowed to terminate normally.

FICGS products and expands the server software. Member may propose new features of the software on the forum, but members couldn't require certain features. The features offered by FICGS are regarded as the optimum considering costs and effects.


03. Membership

FICGS membership is free of charge and for life (except for suspension, cancellation or expulsion). Every member gets a username by FICGS and, in some cases, also a password. The member could change his password whenever he wants.

Every member must register with his real name. Double registrations are not allowed. FICGS will close member accounts, when a member violates FICGS rules badly or acts against FICGS. If the member provides then no reasonable explanation for his behaviour, FICGS will close his account permanently.

When a member cancels his membership or FICGS closes him out, all his ongoing games will be rated as a loss for him. FICGS will not pay back any unused tournament entry fees on his account. FICGS can keep all games played by the member in the database.


04. Entry fees

All members can enter for free FICGS tournaments without entry fee, but tournaments organized on invitation by FICGS and tournaments that require a rating that doesn't fit with member's one.

Any member who wants to enter a tournament with an entry fee must buy tickets for such tournaments.

Only members aged of 18 years and more, and of age in their country, are authorized to buy tickets for tournaments with an entry fee.

Tickets are sold on the website to all members on the page 'My account'. When you buy a ticket or a pack of tickets, a virtual account is created with a limited lifetime of 365 days, meaning the member can use his tickets when he wants before the end of this period. Tickets are not paid back.


05. Prize money

Money prizes in a FICGS tournament are published with the entry fees in the tournament announcement on the 'Waiting lists' page.

Money prizes will be paid to prize winners of a tournament when all games of the tournament are finished.

Before payment, prize winners will be asked if they want money prizes to be added to their accounts, meaning buying new tickets according to the amount and reconducting the account for a new lifetime period.

If there are taxes or social fees in the home countries of the prize winners, they are responsible for these payments.


06. Warranties and limitations of liability

Members agree that using the server and our services is at members sole risk.

FICGS makes no warranty that the service will be uninterrupted or error free. FICGS will repair server damages as fast as possible and server down times will not be recorded for the reflexion time of the players. Members can't make FICGS liable for server downtimes or data losses.

FICGS shall not be liable for what members will do if they don't respect these "Terms and Conditions" or for what members will publish in the FICGS forum or messages to other members.


07. Money transfer

Every member has a virtual account at FICGS. If he doesn't buy tickets, his account is empty : 0 Euro. Tickets for tournaments with an entry fee should be paid on one of our accounts (see below). When you send us money, please remind us your player last name, first name and member number (go to 'Preferences') and send us please a short email to info (at) ficgs.com with these informations and which account you've paid which amount. If there are any bank fees for the transfer, the member has to pay them.

The accounts of FICGS are :

(soon)

receiver :
bank name :
bank address :
bank sort code :
account number :
SWIFT :
IBAN :


08. Security and privacy policy

Every member has to register with his real name at the server. Therefore FICGS will ask for personal data at the registration dialogue and save it. The member agrees with that at saving by saving his data and using the FICGS services. FICGS uses this data for internal use only.

FICGS respects the privacy of the players data saved on the server. FICGS will not disclose member information to other third parties then mentioned above, especially not for advertising purposes.


09. Laws

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of France, and the member agrees to submit to the personal jurisdiction of France for any cause or action arising out of this agreement. In the event that any portion of this agreement is deemed by a court to be invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.


10. Change history

2006, april 19


11. General rules


11. 1. Netiquette

Computer assistance is authorized, as any other kind of help.

No player may send an opponent any voluntary message that contains abusive, insulting, advertising, vulgar, foul, racist, sexist or other discriminatory or politically sensitive content.

11. 2. Regulations

All chess play shall be in accordance with The Official Rules Of Chess as defined by the Federation International Des Echecs (FIDE). The latest version can be found on the FIDE Homepage. If there is a conflict between those rules and these, the FICGS rules and regulations shall take precedence.

All go play shall be in accordance with The Official Rules Of Go as defined by the International Go Federation (IGF). If there is a conflict between those rules and these, the FICGS rules and regulations shall take precedence. Please note that players can't pass on FICGS. Both players must play until one of them resign or call referee.

The rules assume that FICGS referees have the necessary competence, sound judgement and absolute objectivity. Too detailed a rule might deprive the arbiter of his freedom of judgement and thus prevent him from finding the solution to a problem dictated by fairness, logic and special factors. FICGS appeals to all its members to accept this view.

11. 3. Playing rules

All moves and other communications shall be transmitted through the server. Graphical interfaces are only used as assistance to write the moves, but it's up to the player to send a valid move, using correct notation. If you send a wrong move, your opponent can claim the point calling referee.

a. Chess (and chess 960) moves require the use of English algebraic notation using PGN (Portable Game Notation). It is advised to let the graphical interface generate the move. Repetition rule and 50 moves rule are not implemented, please call referee if an obvious draw is not accepted by your opponent. Please note that forced checkmates in more than 50 moves won't be considered as draws. Here is an example of a game :

[Event "FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_B__000001"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.3.8"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Rambo,John"]
[Black "Balboa,Rocky"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 exf4 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Nf3 Bxb5 1/2-1/2

b. 'Big chess' games are played on a 16 x 16 chessboard. Moves are given by 'origin square'-'destination square' with coordinates a1 to q16 (e.g. : m15-m13). Please note that i letter doesn't exist on the graphical interface, so any move with letter i won't be understood, consequently the move is false and the game lost. You just have to let the graphical interface generate the move. Here's a game :

[Event "FICGS__BIG_CHESS__MATCH__000001"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.3.8"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Rambo,John"]
[Black "Balboa,Rocky"]
[Result "*"]

1. k2-k4 m15-m13 2.*

c. Go games are played on a 19 x 19 goban. Go moves are given by coordinates a1 to t19 (e.g. : s13), as showed on the go viewer. Please note that i letter doesn't exist on the viewer, so any move with letter i (e.g. : i5) won't be understood by the viewer, consequently the move is false and the game lost. Please let the graphical interface generate the move. A player can't pass on FICGS, it's up to the players to count the points and discuss about it. The game ends when a player resigns. The repetition rule is not implemented, if a player repeats a position several times, the game will be adjudicated. Usually, komi is half a point. Please call referee if there's a disagreement. Here's a game :

[Event "FICGS__GO__TOURNAMENT__000001"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.3.8"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Rambo,John"]
[Black "Balboa,Rocky"]
[Result "*"]

1.k13 c8 2.j3 c16 3.g10 h12 4.*

A move is legal if it fulfils the international federation laws of the game. An illegal or ambiguous move provokes the loss of the game. It's strictly forbidden to play simultaneously the same game with black on a board and white on the other, against two players or the same one, playing black moves like the opponent in the game with white and playing white moves like the opponent in the game with black.

11. 4. Time rules

Any move in any game shall be played in a maximum period of 60 days, otherwise the game will be adjudicated on time. Time accumulated in a game can't exceed 100 days. It is possible to take a maximum of 30 days leave per year.

11. 5. Adjudication

In some cases, the game continues but the result is obvious. If a player doesn't want to resign or accept draw, his opponent may call referee. An analysis submitted by a player should contain sufficient information so that a proper analysis is possible. This may include a sequence of moves, but in some circumstances it may be sufficient to claim a win or a draw on the basis of material or positional advantage. Final decision belongs to referee.

There are no time limit for games else but the clocks, but it may be announced that certain multi-stages tournaments will have one. At the end of this time limit, the referee will adjudicate games.

11. 6. Withdrawals

There is no withdrawal. All games are played until a player resign, accept draw, or loose on time. If a player forfeits without giving an explanation to the referee (or cases of obvious cheating), games are not rated for the winner.

11. 7. Rating rules

The FICGS rating scheme is a numerical scheme, in which percentage results can be exchanged into rating differences, and rating differences into percentage performance probabilities. It is mainly based on the principles of rating calculations of prof. Arpad Elo.

The rating formula : New Elo = ((16 x Elo) + (Games x Perf)) / (16 + Games)

The rating period is 2 months. The first period of a year starts on January 1st. For ratings calculations, the opponents' Tournament Entry Rating (TER), which are valid on the day of the rating run, are used.

A player has an established rating, if he finished at least 9 games before the last rating calculation, otherwise his rating is called provisional. A new player with an established rating (and title) from ICCF or IECG automatically gets an established equal rating on FICGS (and title). A new player with an established rating (and title) from FIDE gets a provisional equal rating (and title). Titles not from FIDE / ICCF will be renamed as FICGS titles. A new player with a rating > 1700 from another organization get a provisional 1700 rating.

11. 8. Titles

Titles, like ratings are calculated by FICGS. Titles are obtained with 3 title norms. Titles are :

FICGS Grand Master (FGM)
FICGS Senior International Master (FSM)
FICGS International Master (FIM)
FICGS Email Master (FEM)

It is possible to update titles obtained out of FICGS just by sending an email to info (at) ficgs.com


12. Tournament rules

FICGS CHESS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP :

FICGS world chess championship is a 5 stages tournament. The 8 players with the strongest ratings at the start of the tournament play a 3 stages (quarter-final, semi-final, final) knockout tournament. The others play a 3 stages single round-robin tournament. All games during the whole cycle are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Norms are only possible in the round-robin tournaments.

The round-robin tournaments are groups of 9, 11 or 13 players. In case of equality at the end of a tournament, the winner is the player with the strongest tournament entry rating (TER).

The knockout tournament is played into 8 games matches. The special rule (avoiding short draws) is that in case of equality (4-4), the winner is the player with the strongest tournament entry rating if all games are draw, or the player with the lower tournament entry rating if not all games are draw.

The winner of the knockout tournament will play (stage 4) the winner of the round-robin cycle in a 8 games match. In case of equality (4-4), the knockout tournament winner is qualified for stage 5 if all games are draw, the round-robin cycle winner if not all games are draw.

At last, the player qualified is the challenger for world champion title. If current world champion defends his title, they will play a 24 games match. In case of equality (12-12), the winner is the former world champion.


FICGS CHESS CLASS TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS chess class tournaments are rated single round-robin tournaments, involving 7 players. All games are played in 40 days + 40 days / 10 moves. Norms are possible.


FICGS CHESS RAPID TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS chess rapid tournaments are rated single round-robin tournaments, involving 7 players. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Norms are possible.


FICGS CHESS MONEY TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS chess tournaments with entry fee are rated single round-robin tournaments, involving 13 players. All games are played in 40 days + 40 days / 10 moves. In case of equality, the prize is divided. Norms are possible.


FICGS CHESS MONEY MATCHES :

FICGS chess matches with entry fee are rated 8 games matches, involving 2 players. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. In case of equality (4-4) and if all games are draw, the winner is the player who proposed the challenge and entered the waiting list first. This player plays white in the first game of the match. In case of equality (4-4) and if not all games are draw, the winner is the player who accepted the challenge and entered the waiting list second. Norms are not possible.


FICGS GO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP :

FICGS world go championship is a 4 stages tournament.

Players are first involved into a 3 stages single round-robin tournament involving groups of 9, 11 or 13 players. In case of equality, we consider points between the winners. (if 2 players have the same score in a tournament, the winner is the one who beat the other in their game) If this rule doesn't give a unique winner, the winners are all qualified excepted at stage 3, where they will have to play an extra stage single round-robin tournament until it designs a challenger)

At last, the player qualified is the challenger for world champion title. If current world champion defends his title, they will play a 6 games match. In case of equality (3-3), the winner is the former world champion. All games during the whole cycle are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Komi is half a point. Please note that players can't pass. Both players must play until one of them resign or call referee.


FICGS GO TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS go tournaments are single round-robin tournaments, involving 7 players. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Komi is half a point. Please note that players can't pass. Both players must play until one of them resign or call referee.


FICGS GO MONEY TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS go tournaments with entry fee are single round-robin tournaments, involving 13 players. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Komi is half a point. In case of equality, the prize is divided.

FICGS go matches with entry fee are one game matches, involving 2 players. The player who entered first the rating list plays first. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Komi is half a point. Please note that players can't pass. Both players must play until one of them resign or call referee.


FICGS SPECIAL BIG CHESS TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS big chess matches are one game unrated matches with entry fee, involving 2 players. All games are played in 30 days + 1 day / move. Norms are not possible.

Big chess is a FICGS chess variant, on a chessboard 16 x 16. Coordinates are a1 to q16 (no letter i). Please use only 'xy-xy' notation generated by the graphical interface. Special rules are no castling possible, and pawns starting on the 3rd line can only advance one line ahead at their first move.

The player who entered first the waiting list is white.


FICGS SPECIAL THEMATIC CHESS TOURNAMENTS :

FICGS chess thematic tournaments are unrated single round-robin tournaments, involving 7 players. First moves are announced. All games are played in 40 days + 40 days / 10 moves. Norms are not possible.