5. Set Up and Start:

5.1 Setup

Game Relay

In the past the London Open was a Pandanet Major and as such we were required to relay the top games on boards 1 (and 2 if possible) for every round. Whether Game Relay is provided is dependent on resources (cost and man-power).

Boards 1 and 2 are located near a port in the Portland room and ISH will provide ethernet cables and a hub for connection to recording laptops. There is supposed to be wireless access in the Portland, but if you wish to avoid loss of connection it is best to stick to copper wire! It is essential that the connection to the Internet is checked well before the start of registration and if possible even on the previous day.

Chris Stracey will provide you with a list of login codes that are needed for connecting to the ISH system. Once you have established connection to the web, you will then need to connect to the Pandanet server and instructions for doing that are provided in Appendix C.

Board layout

Playing equipment arrives by several cars during the morning of 28th. Any players hanging around are asked to help move equipment into the Theatre and Portland, which are the main playing areas. The Nash room is used for analysis and professional teaching. Tables and boards are laid out in each of these areas as set out in the layout diagrams referenced in Appendix D. The diagrams indicate the board numbering.

Office and bookshop

The office is set up on three small tables in a corner of the foyer adjoining the Theatre. ISH provide an extension lead to supply power for the computer and printer. The screens forming the office walls are also useable for displaying notices. The bookshop is run from the small desks shown arranged along the wall.

Notices

All the notices and player information are put up on the panelled wall down the right hand side of the Theatre. This collection of published notices (which includes the latest rank list) is called the Information Centre The aim is that the information centre answers as many of the player's questions as possible. In addition, copies of the schedule are placed near every door leading out of the building. The aim is to ensure that players cannot leave the building without seeing a schedule and thereby getting an instant answeer to the question: when does the next round start?

Result sheet holders are placed in each of the playing rooms. The position of these is marked in the room diagrams. A pencil must be attached to each result sheet holder. The draw for the room is placed in the holder and collected when all games in the room are complete.

5.2 Start

Registration

We start registration at Noon on 28th December. Players queue at the registration desk located at the side entrance to the theatre at ground level. Three people are needed:

• Cashier Collects player's payment and checks their details. The cashier is provided with a register stating how much is due, and what concessions are applied, and whether the player is a member of the BGA or local go association. The register is annotated to show how much is actually paid if different to the due amount. The cashier is given a cash box and float.
• Registrar Updates the BGA laptop to show that the player is registered and makes any changes required to player's details.
• Minder The minder manages those people who have not pre-registered, or where clarifications are needed in player's details. They are asked to complete a pink slip giving all their details. The completed slip is given to the Cashier, who then collects the payment, marks the slip with the amount paid and hands it to the Registrar. When the Registrar has entered all the details of the new player, the slip is then ticked to show it has been processed. The slips are kept in the cash box. The minder ensures that players leave the registration area promptly - they are directed downstairs to the Theatre.

Registration closes at 14:00 sharp, allowing 30 minutes to finalise the register, sort out any McMahon bar issues and publish three copies of the draw!

Appoint adjudication committee

This is a committee of three respected stronger players who will be required to judge a dispute should a player disagree with a refereees decision. We choose one from the UK (usually Francis Roads) and two from Europe. This committee should be set up during registration or immediately after its close, and its composition published in the information centre before the start of the round.

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony starts at 14:15 and lasts at most until 14:30. The opening speech must include the following points:

• Warm welcome to all the players attending.
• Point to the information centre and explain its purpose.
• Players above the bar cannot drop rounds. All changes to the register (including dropping rounds for players below the bar) must be written on the pink slips provided, and placed in the box below the register. Explain that these will be processed 15 minutes before the start of the round.
• Results must be written on the result sheets placed in the holders in the Theatre and in Portland for the top 16 boards. Onus is on the winner to report the result.
• Ask players to register for the side events and the meal.
• Identify where players can get refreshments.
• Explain how the bookshop works (if present).
• Introduce players to their professional teacher and emphasise that she will analyse games of every strength no matter what grade. Players must go to the analysis room with a game record to get their game analysed.
• Thank our sponsors - mention Nippon Club and any others.

Draw for Round 1

If any families have entered and if there is a chance that they may be paired then it is best to put them into a group which does not play each other. Otherwise the draw itself should be straightford, but it is necessary to ensure that two players from the same (foreign) country or same UK club do not play each other in round 1. There is no agreed EGF ruling on the subject of whether likely winners should be kept apart in early rounds.

The Drawmaster will produce 3 copies of the draw before the scheduled start of round 1. One copy is placed well spread out in the Theatre near the doors. Another copy is placed in the foyer well spread out next to the Theatre doors. The third copy is separated out into rooms and each sheet placed into its own holder in the relevant room.

The referee will get all clocks started five minutes after the sheet is placed in its holder . Once the tournament is under way, say 5 minutes after the clocks have been started the spare copies if the draw must be taken down. The only place for recording results is on the result sheets placed in their holders.