Rating: The New Zealand Chess Federation will submit the tournament to FIDE (the World Chess Federation) for rating.

Registration: Players unable to register in person (between 6 pm and 8 pm on the 14th January at the tournament venue) must make advance contact with the organizers to advise arrival time.

Closing Ceremony: All prizewinners must attend the closing ceremony.

Prizes: No player may win more than one cash prize.

Short Draws on top 10 boards: For games on any of the top 10 boards each day, agreed draws under 30 moves are banned. This ban includes tacit advance agreements to draw (i.e. deliberate repetitions) and pre-arranged draw agreements. The aim of this rule is to encourage a competitive, fighting tournament, and we trust all players will adhere to this in a sportsmanlike manner. Genuine draws by repetition are allowed. Penalties: For infringements of this rule, the following prize money penalties will be applied to both players: 1st offence, a deduction of 50% of any prize money won; 2nd offence, a deduction of 100% of any prize money won.

Appeals: A player may appeal against the decision of an arbiter. An Appeal Committee will be formed, chaired by an arbiter not involved in the dispute, with two other members selected from participants in the tournament. An appeals fee of $80 will apply, to be refunded if the appeal is successful.

Grades: Grades used to determine grading prize eligibility are, in order: FIDE (World Chess Federation) grades, New Zealand grades, Australian grades, and national grades of other countries. Unrated players with past tournament experience must give an indication of playing strength and may be assigned a grade at the discretion of the arbiters. The applicable list in each case will be the most recently published (i.e. FIDE list of 01/01/2012 will apply).

Default time: Players must have arrived in the tournament hall no later than 30 minutes after the start of play.

Prizemoney: overseas visitors who win a prize may elect instead to take the payment as a part reimbursement of travel expenses, subject to the provision of expense receipts.