C.04.5.1 Baku Acceleration – FIDE Commission

Premise

The Baku Acceleration Method is applicable in any tournament where the standard scoring point system (one point for a win, half point for a draw) is used.

Initial Groups Division

Before the first round, the list of players to be paired (properly sorted) shall be split in two groups, GA and GB. The first group (GA) shall contain the first half of the players, rounded up to the nearest even number. The second group (GB) shall contain all the remaining players.

Note:

for instance, if there are 161 players in the tournament, the nearest even number that comprises the first half of the players (i.e. 80.5) is 82. The formula 2 * Q (2 times Q), where Q is the number of players divided by 4 and rounded upwards, may be helpful in computing such number – that, besides being the number of GA players, is also the pairing number of the last GA player.

Late entries

If there are entries after the first round, those players shall be accommodated in the pairing list according to C.04.2.B/C (Initial Order/Late Entries).
The last GA-player shall be the same as in the previous round.

Note 1:

In such circumstances, the pairing number of the last GA‑player may be different by the one set accordingly to Rule 2.

Note 2:

After the first round, GA may contain an odd number of players.

Virtual points

The “accelerated rounds” are the ones in the first half (rounded up) of the tournament.
Before pairing the first half (rounded up) of the accelerated rounds, all the players in GA are assigned a number of points (called virtual points) equal to 1.

Such virtual points are reduced to 0.5 before pairing the remaining accelerated rounds.

Note:

Consequently, no virtual points are ever given to players in GB, or to any player after the last accelerated round has been played.

Example:

In a nine-round tournament, the accelerated rounds are five. The players in GA are assigned one virtual point in the first three rounds, and half virtual point in the next two rounds.

Pairing score

The pairing score of a player (i.e. the value used to define the scoregroups and internally sort them) is given by the sum of his standings points and the virtual points assigned to him.