Tata Steel Masters Playing Schedule
Saturday 12 January 2019 - Round 1
Sunday 13 January 2019 - Round 2
Monday 14 January 2019 - Round 3
Tuesday 15 January 2019 - Round 4
Wednesday 16 January 2019 - Round 5 - Chess on Tour Alkmaar
Thursday 17 January 2019 - Restday
Friday 18 January 2019 - Round 6
Saturday 19 January 2019 - Round 7
Sunday 20 January 2019 - Round 8
Monday 21 January 2019 - Restday
Tuesday 22 January 2019 - Round 9
Wednesday 23 January 2019 - Round 10 - Chess on Tour Leiden
Thursday 24 January 2019 - Restday
Friday 25 January 2019 - Round 11
Saturday 26 January 2019 - Round 12
Sundag 27 January 2019 - Round 13
The draw will be announced on January 11th, 2019.
Rate of play Masters and Challengers
100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move.
Tiebreak Rules - Tata Steel Masters
In case there are more winners in the Tata Steel Masters, a tiebreak will decide about the player who will win the Trophy. Money prizes will be shared.
If two players tie for first place, they will play a Tie-break Match immediately after the last round of both sections finishes. The Match will consist of 2 Blitz games with a time-control of 5 minutes per player + 3 seconds for every move played. Colours for the first game shall be decided by a draw. In case of tied result after two games– there will be played a „suddendeath“, decisive game with a time control 6 minutes for the whole game for White player and 5 minutes for the whole game for Black player. Also here, the game´s colour shall be decided by a draw. The White player will need a victory in this game to win the Trophy , while the Black player wins the Trophy by just not losing that final decisive game (so a draw or a win).
If more than two players tie for first, only the two first classified players according to the Criteria listed below, shall play the Blitz Match.
There are Criteria, as follows: a) Mutual result (s), b) SB, c) More number of games with Black, d) Drawing of lots.
There shall be a pause of 3-5 minutes between tie-break games, unless the Chief Arbiter decides
otherwise.