PairChamp Chess tournament pairings & results
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PairChamp Help & User Guide

PairChamp helps organizers run chess tournaments and helps players stay informed with pairings, standings, and tournament details.

Important PairChamp is a tournament assistance platform. The Tournament Director/Organizer is responsible for verifying pairings, results, standings, and any official submissions to external systems (US Chess, FIDE, chess.com, or third-party pairing tools).

1) Quick Start

If you are an Organizer

  1. Create the tournament (name, location, start date, rounds).
  2. Create sections (Open, U1800, Scholastic, etc.).
  3. Add or import players and assign each to a section.
  4. Finalize the player list, then publish Round 1 pairings.
  5. After each round, enter results → review standings → publish next round pairings.
  6. After the event, download exports/reports for external submissions and archiving.

If you are a Player

  1. Open the tournament page link provided by the organizer.
  2. Check your section and details.
  3. View pairings for the current round and your board/opponent.
  4. Track standings after results are posted.
  5. Use Join Links (WhatsApp/Discord/etc.) if provided for announcements.
Best practice Organizers should announce a “final check” before Round 1: verify sections, ratings, and spelling of names.

2) What is PairChamp?

PairChamp is a tournament assistance platform built to make managing chess events easier. It helps:

  • Create and manage tournaments and sections
  • Add and import players
  • Publish pairings and standings to players
  • Record results and manage byes
  • Generate downloadable reports/exports for third-party tools
Not an official authority PairChamp is not a rating authority and does not replace federation-certified pairing software. Official pairing/rating submission responsibilities remain with the Tournament Director/Organizer.

3) Roles

Organizer / Admin

  • Create and edit tournament details
  • Manage sections and rounds
  • Add/import players and assign sections
  • Manage pairings and results
  • Download exports/reports

Player

  • View tournament details, pairings, and standings
  • See opponent/board info for each round
  • Join organizer-provided links (WhatsApp/Discord/Telegram/Website)

4) Organizer Guide (Admin)

4.1 Create a Tournament

From the Admin Console, choose Create Tournament and enter:

  • Name (example: “Winter Open 2026”)
  • Location (venue or city)
  • Start date
  • Number of rounds
  • Description (optional: schedule, time control, contact info)

4.2 Create Sections

Sections separate players into fair groups. Common examples:

Open U1800 U1400 Scholastic Blitz
  • Each player should belong to exactly one section for the tournament.
  • Pairings and standings are typically computed per section.

4.3 Add or Import Players

You can add players manually or import them in bulk. Typical fields include: name, rating, section, and optional IDs (USCF/FIDE).

Organizer checklist before Round 1
  • Every player is in the correct section
  • No duplicates
  • Ratings and names are correct
  • Any required IDs are present (if your event requires them)

4.4 Pairings (Round-by-round)

Publish pairings per section and round. Players typically see board number (if available), colors (white/black), and opponent names.

Verify pairings before publishing PairChamp helps manage and display pairings, but the organizer must ensure pairings comply with the event’s rules.

4.5 Enter Results & Byes

After each round, enter results such as Win/Loss/Draw. Byes may be awarded depending on the event rules (full-point, half-point, or zero-point bye).

Tip: Enter results as soon as a round ends and review standings for anomalies (missing result, wrong section, duplicates).

4.6 Publish Standings

Standings update based on recorded results. Review standings after each round before moving on.

4.7 Add Join Links (WhatsApp/Discord/Telegram/Website)

You can add Join Links so players can access announcements or group communication.

External platforms PairChamp does not control WhatsApp/Discord/Telegram/other services. Group moderation and rules are handled externally.

5) Player Guide

5.1 View Tournament Information

Open the tournament link shared by the organizer to see tournament details like location, sections, and rounds.

5.2 View Pairings

Pairings are displayed by section and round. Look for your name to find your opponent and board number (if provided).

5.3 View Standings

Standings update as results are entered. If something looks incorrect, contact the organizer.

5.4 Join Links

If the organizer provides Join Links (WhatsApp/Discord/etc.), you can use them for announcements and updates.

Need a correction? Contact the organizer if your name, rating, section, or result appears incorrect. Players cannot directly edit tournament data.

6) Reports & Exports

PairChamp can generate downloadable files to help organizers upload to Swiss pairing tools or external platforms (for example, chess.com tools) and to maintain tournament records.

  • Player lists
  • Pairings by round
  • Results
  • Standings
Always review exports Open the file before uploading to another tool and verify names, IDs, sections, and results.

7) Mobile Tips

  • On small screens, tables may scroll horizontally.
  • Rotate to landscape for easier viewing of pairings/standings tables.
  • Organizers should prefer desktop/tablet for live admin operations.

8) FAQ

Is PairChamp an official US Chess/FIDE pairing or rating system?

No. PairChamp is an assistance platform. Official verification and submission remains with the organizer.

Can PairChamp submit results automatically?

No. PairChamp can generate reports/exports that the organizer can upload to official systems.

Can players edit results or standings?

No. Only organizers/admins can edit tournament data.

Why do pairings/standings differ from another software?

Differences can happen due to settings, tie-break rules, or data mismatches (ratings/sections/results). Organizers should review and correct data if needed.

Are WhatsApp/Discord links managed by PairChamp?

No. Those are external platforms. PairChamp only displays the organizer-provided link.

9) Troubleshooting

I don’t see a player in standings

  • Confirm the player is in the correct section
  • Check for duplicates (same person added twice)
  • Verify results were entered for the player’s games

Pairings look incorrect

  • Verify sections and ratings
  • Confirm the player list was finalized before pairing
  • Confirm round settings and pairing method used

Export won’t upload into another tool

  • Ensure you selected the correct export type/format
  • Open the file to verify required columns exist
  • Check for missing IDs or invalid characters

The page looks outdated

  • Refresh the page
  • Try a different browser or clear cache
  • Ask the organizer if updates were made recently

10) Privacy

PairChamp stores tournament-related data needed to operate the event. Player data is used only for tournament administration, display, and reporting.

  • Data is used to manage pairings, results, and standings
  • Data may appear on tournament pages based on organizer settings
  • PairChamp does not sell participant data

Organizers are responsible for ensuring they have permission to collect and use participant data for tournament purposes.

12) Support

If you need help, contact the tournament organizer or PairChamp administrator.

When reporting an issue, include:

  • Tournament name
  • Section and round (if applicable)
  • What you expected vs what you saw
  • Screenshot (optional)

© PairChamp – Tournament Assistance Platform