ELIGIBILITY
The right to participate in the tournament and to hold the title of Victorian Open Champion is limited to players who pay the required Entry Fee; and, whose entries are accepted before the maximum number of players is reached; and, who are members of chess clubs affiliated with Chess Victoria Inc. or, whose participation is approved by another ACF-affiliated state chess association (if Australian but not Victorian residents); or, whose normal country of residence is not Australia. Or who being in none of the above categories is prepared to pay the required registration fee.
PAYMENTS
See entry forms for payment details
ENTRY FEES
Early bird entry fee $45 [If paid by May 29]
Full entry fee $60 
Registration fee [if applicable] $10
PAYMENTS
See entry forms for payment details
PRIZE LIST
OUTRIGHT PLACES

CASH PRIZES
Unless otherwise indicated in the prize list, a player may not receive more than one cash prize. Where players are tied for a number of cash prizes, the total value of those prizes is divided equally among the tied players.
The cash prize to be received by a player who would otherwise receive more than one such prize is determined as follows.
Separate conditional prize winners’ lists are made for each prize group showing each amount payable to prize winners after the sharing of prizes among tied players but without regard for the requirement that a player cannot win more than one such prize.
Conditional lists are then considered in turn to determine which prizes are to be paid to players named on more than one conditional list.
The major prize list is considered first, followed by the list for each rating group in descending order. Within each list, each prize is allocated in descending order of value.
A player named in more than one list is deemed to have won or shared the appropriate prize of highest value on one of the lists on which his/her name appears. (Where prizes are of equal value, the player receives the prize considered first in the above sequence.)
Such a player is removed from all other conditional lists, to which next-highest scorers may then be added, and the process continued.
If the removal of a player from a conditional list causes the amount to be received by one or more remaining players to exceed the amount won by the removed player, the prize moneys concerned shall be pooled and shared between tied players in both prize groups.
When no player’s name appears more than once on any list, all prize lists become final. be added, and the process continued.
If the removal of a player from a conditional list causes the amount to be received by one or more remaining players to exceed the amount won by the removed player, the prize moneys concerned shall be pooled and shared between tied players in both prize groups.
When no player’s name appears more than once on any list, all prize lists become final. The cash prize to be received by a player who would otherwise receive more than one such prize is determined as follows.
Separate conditional prize winners’ lists are made for each prize group showing each amount payable to prize winners after the sharing of prizes among tied players but without regard for the requirement that a player cannot win more than one such prize.
Conditional lists are then considered in turn to determine which prizes are to be paid to players named on more than one conditional list.
The major prize list is considered first, followed by the list for each rating group in descending order. Within each list, each prize is allocated in descending order of value.
A player named in more than one list is deemed to have won or shared the appropriate prize of highest value on one of the lists on which his/her name appears. (Where prizes are of equal value, the player receives the prize considered first in the above sequence.)
Such a player is removed from all other conditional lists, to which next-highest scorers may then be added, and the process continued.
If the removal of a player from a conditional list causes the amount to be received by one or more remaining players to exceed the amount won by the removed player, the prize-moneys concerned shall be pooled and shared between tied players in both prize groups.
Note: The best played game prize is awarded  by the judge independently of any cash prizes and is shared by the 2 participating players in case of a drawn game winning the prize.  
TROPHIES
Trophies and medallions that require additional engraving will be engraved free of charge and reissued by the tournament organisers within one week of the completion of the tournament 
TIME CONTROLS
All Rounds 90 minutes for all moves +30 seconds per move from move 1. DGT mode 23.
SWISS SEEDINGS
In this tournament, players shall be seeded according to their rating in the highest-listed of the following rating systems:
ACF Classical (excluding ? and ?? ratings);
FIDE Classical;
ACF Rapid-play (excluding ? and ?? ratings);
ACF Classical (including ? but excluding ?? ratings);
ACF Rapid-play (including ? but excluding ?? ratings).
A player whose ACF rating has a ?? reliability factor shall be considered to have no rating in the rating system concerned.
Players who have no rating in any of the systems listed are asked to obtain an estimated rating for seeding purposes from their local State Association Ratings Officer (listed below) and to include this estimate in the place provided in the entry form. Such players shall be seeded according to the information available when entries close.
PLAYING SCHEDULE

EQUIPMENT
FIDE-approved Digital Game Timers will be used.
Sensory chessboards may be used on boards 1 and 2.
Each player is required to provide his or her own pen and to make a complete, correct and clearly legible record of the game on duplicate scoresheets provided by the organisers. All such scoresheets are the property of the tournament organisers and must be delivered to the Arbiter as soon as possible after the game. The copy may be retained by the player.
FIELD LIMIT
The maximum field size has been set at 150 players
RATINGS
Results will be submitted for inclusion in ACF and FIDE Classical systems.
Ratings systems to be used for seeding and prize-group purposes are the ACF Master files and FIDE ratings lists as accessible at the time advertised for the close of entries.
A player's rating shall be that which appears in the highest-listed of the following systems:
ACF Classical; FIDE Classical; ACF Rapid-play.
Rating prize groups shall be determined as follows after round two:
The number of rated players shall be divided by 9 The result shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number to produce the minimum number of rated players in each group.
Starting with the lowest-rated group and ascending, the minimum number of rated players in a group shall be increased by one until the total number of rated players in all groups equals the number of rated players in the tournament. Should this process when completed cause players with identical ratings to be split into adjacent rating groups, such players shall be placed in the lower rating group without further adjustment.
Players in the highest-rated group shall be ineligible for rating group prizes.
APPEALS.
A player seeking to appeal against an arbiter's ruling must ensure that the person through whom appeals must be directed (hereinafter the Convener) is made aware of the ground(s) of the appeal within what the Convener regards as a reasonable time of the ruling.
If the Convener requires, the appeal must be made in writing.
The appeal must attempt to show that the arbiter's decision was not within the range of reasonable rulings available to the arbiter.
If so directed, the player must continue the game concerned on the understanding that a result so reached will not affect the appeal.
The Convener may dismiss an appeal if it:
- was not lodged within a reasonable time of the arbiter's ruling;
- is not written or is unintelligible;
- does not attempt to show that the ruling was not within the range of reasonable rulings available to the arbiter;
- is vexatious or of no significant consequence.
If the Convener does not dismiss the appeal, the Convener shall:
- determine the quorum and composition of an appeal committee of one or more persons to be chosen by whatever means the Convener considers appropriate in the circumstances; - determine whether the committee's task is to decide the outcome of the appeal and/or to make related recommendations.
Until such time as the Convener declares otherwise, the arbiter's ruling shall stand.
VENUE.
The venue is the Box Hill Chess Club’s premises , The Carrington Centre 79 Carrington Road Box Hill 3128.
PERSONNEL
Box Hill Chess Club.
President: Howard Liston 12 Kingswood Ave Mt Waverley 3141
Telephone [03]9544 8081 
Treasurer: Trevor Stanning 23 Chester St Surrey Hills 3127
Telephone [03] 9898 7547 
Tournament organiser: Gerrit Hartland 6 Andrew Street Forest Hill 3131
Telephone [03] 9 878 3163 
Chess Victoria:
Ratings Officer: Milic Sucevic ph: 9803 4431
Executive Committee:
Gary Wastell - president
Phil O'Connor - vice-president
Chris Potter - secretary
Gerrit Hartland - treasurer
Peter Caissa - executive member and Junior Chess Director
Andrew LeRoy - executive member