While the coronavirus is disrupting local face-to-face chess, Ringwood Chess Club is offering members and other local players the chance to play internet chess together on the free https://lichess.org/ internet chess server.
Events are run on Saturdays at 2pm and Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30pm. These are mainly individual events, but with team events roughly every other Monday. Wednesdays are themed events, mainly with specified openings but occasionally chess variants.
The schedule will be notified on the Ringwood home page, and the Dorset home page, so check back regularly if you want to know what is going on. Please join us and have fun!
How to play in our team lichess events
This is a four step process. The first three steps must be completed only once and are best done at least a day or two before your first online event. Step 4 is entering a specific event, so must be done for each event you wish to play in. More detailed instructions with screen shots are here
Step 1: Set up your free lichess account. If you don't already have a lichess account set one up here.
Step 2: If you are an adult, please put your real name on your account profile. You don't have to do this, but it is really helpful if you add your real name to your account, so people can see who is who. We recommend younger juniors to remain anonymous.
Step 3: Join the team your captain has set up for you on Lichess. Click on the appropriate team below to join a team.
Ringwood Arena Team (RAT)
Highcliffe Castles
New Milton CC
Poole Chess Club
Southbourne Psychos
West Dorset Jedi
Winborne Wombats
You have to be accepted into the team by your captain so please allow them some time (say a day) to do this.
Step 4: Join an Event. You can always see available events by going to https://lichess.org/team/me and clicking on the appropriate team. Links to imminent team battles our always on our home page and the Dorset Chess home page.
How to play in our individual lichess events
This is a four step process. The first three steps must be completed only once and are best done at least a day or two before your first online event. Step 4 is entering a specific event, so must be done for each event you wish to play in. More detailed instructions with screen shots are here
Step 1: Set up your free lichess account. If you don't already have a lichess account set one up here.
Step 2: If you are an adult, please put your real name on your account profile. You don't have to do this, but it is really helpful if you add your real name to your account, so people can see who is who. We recommend younger juniors to remain anonymous.
Step 3: Join the Ringwood Chess Tournaments "Team" on lichess. lichess calls them teams but for our purposes they are just groups that allow us to play together.
Go to https://lichess.org/team/ringwood-chess-tournaments and request to join the Ringwood Chess Tournaments "team", filling in your real name and club. This group is administered by Martin Clancy (username Wingwood) and he will add you to the group. Please allow Martin a day or so to do this. Ringwood Chess Club reserves the right to refuse or rescind entry without explanation.
Step 4: Join an Event. You will need to do this for each event you want to enter. As soon as Martin has set an event up you can join it, or you can join it a minute before it starts, or even after it has started! You can always see available events by going to https://lichess.org/team/me and clicking on the appropriate teams.
New Lichess Teams - Notes For Team Captains
You will need to create a team so that your team members can join it and ask Martin Clancy can add your team to the team competitions.
Step 1: Set up your free lichess account. If you don't already have a lichess account set one up here.
Step 2: Put your real name on your account profile. You don't have to do this, but it is really helpful if you add your real name to your account, so people can see who is who.
Step 3: Set up team. In the top Lichess menu pick Community and from the drop-down pick Teams. Once you are on the teams page, look at the left-hand side of the page and you will see 4 options, the bottom one of which is New team. Click that and then fill in your team details and save it.
Step 4: Tell Martin Clancy. Let Martin know that you want your team to join the team battles and he will add you to the events. Preferably give him a day's notice to do that. You can contact Martin directly via email mjclancy999@gmail.com or by sending him a message through Lichess where his user name is Wingwood.
Your members will be able to join your team directly through Lichess, but we will also add your team to the list of teams below.
Information on Arena Events
How are scores calculated?
A win has a base score of 2 points, a draw 1 point, and a loss is worth no points.
If you win two games consecutively you will start a double point streak, represented by a flame icon.
The following games will continue to be worth double points until you fail to win a game.
That is, a win will be worth 4 points, a draw 2 points, and a loss will still not award any points.
For example, two wins followed by a draw will be worth 6 points: 2 + 2 + (2 x 1)
Arena Berserk
When a player clicks the Berserk button at the beginning of the game, they lose half of their clock time, but the win is worth one extra tournament point.
Going Berserk in time controls with an increment also cancels the increment. (1+2 is an exception, it gives 1+0)
Berserk is not available for games with zero initial time (0+1, 0+2).
Berserk only grants an extra point if you play at least 7 moves in the game.
How is the winner decided?
The player(s) with the most points at the conclusion of the tournament's set time limit will be announced winner(s).
When two or more players have the same number of points, the tournament performance is the tie break.
How does the pairing work?
At the beginning of the tournament, players are paired based on their rating.
As soon as you finish a game, return to the tournament lobby: you will then be paired with a player close to your ranking. This ensures minimum wait time, however you may not face all other players in the tournament.
Play fast and return to the lobby to play more games and win more points.
How does it end?
The tournament has a countdown clock. When it reaches zero, the tournament rankings are frozen, and the winner is announced. Games in progress must be finished, however they don't count for the tournament.
Other important rules.
There is a countdown for your first move. Failing to make a move within this time will forfeit the game to your opponent.
Drawing the game within the first 10 moves will earn neither player any points.