Question 1

Do I have to be a member to play?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Events are played in a private club in Chess.com and the only way to be added to the club is to become a paying member through the CPCT website.

Question 2

Who can participate? (Age limits? Rating limits?)

Accepted Answer

Must be 18 years or older and meet the following:Chess.com AccountValid and active chess.com account. Must have a Blitz ranking visible on your account.PayPal AccountValid and active PayPal account. This is required in order to receive payment if you place in an event.Willing to submit a Form W9 (US Citizens) or Form W-8BEN (International Players)In order to receive payment for placing in an event, you must submit a Form W9 or Form W-8BEN (depending on your nationality) through the secure portal on our website. We strive to remain in compliance with applicable tax regulations and we will issue 1099-MISC  (US Citizens) or 1042-S(Non-US Citizens) to all earners for the season. If you do not have a PayPal Account or do not submit a W9/W-8BEN by the end of the calendar year in which you played and won prize money, winnings are forfeited by the player.

Question 3

Are the events open internationally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Must be 18 years of age or older.

Question 4

Do I need an account on a specific platform (e.g., Chess.com or Lichess)?

Accepted Answer

In order to play in events you must be 18 years of age or older, have an active chess.com account, and an active PayPal account. In order to receive payment for placing in an event, you must have a W9 or W-8BEN submitted before the 1pm EST on December 30th of the calendar year in which you placed in an a paying position in an event. If no form is received by the deadline, payouts are forfeited by the player for that year.

Question 5

Is there a rating requirement or division by rating?

Accepted Answer

4 divisions are available for each event and these are broken out by skill level / ranking for your blitz rating on Chess.com.

Question 6

Can titled players participate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Open to any player with chess.com account and 18 years or older. PayPal account required in order to receive any winnings you might earn from an event.

Question 7

What is the entry fee?

Accepted Answer

$25 USD per Month. Recurring charge until the player cancels. Must have an active membership in order to retain membership in the chess.com club and have access to the events played there.

Question 8

Are there early-bird discounts?

Accepted Answer

No.

Question 9

What happens if I register late?

Accepted Answer

No late registrations will be accepted. There is a Registration Cutoff before each monthly event and if you are not an active member as of the cutoff date/time, you may not be eligible to play that current event.

Question 10

Can I withdraw after registering? Can I get a refund upon withdrawing?

Accepted Answer

Refunds are only for when a division has 3 or less players and chess.com auto cancels that event. These players would get a refund of their most recent monthly charge. Withdrawing from an event that a player has already joined does not result in a refund.

Frequent Asked Questions