Prize tournaments on platform iqpi.io are online competitions with a prize pool in IQPIC: Chess, Capital Chess, Tetris, and Tetris: Attack. A participant plays in a bracket (Olympic / knockout) or under the Swiss system, and the prize for place arrives on the balance. Separate from esports “prize tournaments” in other games, here we mean Chess prize tournaments and other iqpi.io disciplines — including ones with an entry fee and tournaments for money in platform tokens.

Below — how to find a prize tournament, how it differs from a rated duel, how the entry fee and prize pool work, and where to see payouts and withdrawals on the balance.

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What a prize tournament is

A prize tournament is a tournament with a prize pool in IQPIC. The pool is shown on the card and on the tournament page (“Prize pool” block) and is split among winners by that tournament’s rules.

Separately, the organizer can enable a fee tournament: then registration requires paying an entry fee from the personal-account balance.

Do not confuse:

Catalog filters: “Prize” / “Non-prize” / “All”.

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How it differs from rated games

• Rated games — a separate duel (or Swedish match) with a Buy-in fee: tokens move between table participants right after the game.
• A prize tournament — a multi-round bracket or Swiss: you pay (if set) a tournament entry fee, play a series of games, and the prize comes for place from the shared pool after the tournament ends.

Tournament games in rated-win reward streaks do not count — see Rewards.

Creating and configuring tournaments — in Organizing tournaments and Creating a tournament. Here — the view of a participant who wants to earn a prize.

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Which games have tournaments

In the iqpi.io tournament catalog:

• Chess;
• Capital Chess;
• Tetris;
• Tetris: Attack.

Swedish (Bughouse) is not held in this tournament catalog: earning in Swedish is via a rated match with Buy-in — see Rated games and Swedish.

The discipline is shown on the card and tournament page. In the catalog you can filter by games.

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How to find an online Chess prize tournament

1. Open the tournament catalog: /tournaments.
2. Choose a period (for example, upcoming).
3. Enable the “Prize” filter.
4. Filter by game — for Chess events choose Chess (or Capital Chess / Tetris as needed).
5. Open the tournament card — check prize pool, entry fee (if any), system (Olympic / Swiss), requirements, and registration status.

This is how the catalog is used to find online Chess tournaments with a prize pool and fee events. Tournament page: /tournaments/{slug} (the exact name in the URL comes from tournament settings).

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What you need to take part

1. An account on iqpi.io and sign-in (without sign-in, registration is unavailable — the system asks you to authenticate).
2. An active balance and enough IQPIC if the tournament has an entry fee.
3. Meeting that tournament’s player requirements (level, rating, balance, etc. — whatever the organizer set). Details: Player requirements.
4. A free slot in the bracket / open registration; for some tournaments — access only for the organizer’s friends or other access limits.

Always check conditions on the specific tournament page: they can differ.

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How to register

Without an entry fee

1. Open the tournament page.
2. Press the join / register button (while the tournament is waiting and registration is open).
3. Wait for confirmation and appearance in the participant list.

With an entry fee

1. Open the tournament — the UI shows “Entry fee” and the amount in IQPIC.
2. Press join: the “Pay tournament entry fee” window opens.
3. Confirm payment from the balance of the personal account.
4. After successful payment you are automatically registered for the tournament.

UI wording: paying the fee registers you automatically; the amount is charged from the balance and distributed per tournament settings.

If funds are short — top up: Balance management.

Leaving (leave tournament) is available while registration is open: on exit the fee returns to the balance. After the tournament starts, exit and refunds depend on rules and status — check operation history.

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Where the prize pool comes from

The pool can be formed as follows (combinations depend on tournament settings):

1. Organizer funding — the organizer deposits funds for the prize pool on publish (guarantee of payouts to participants).
2. Participant entry fees — part or 100% of fees go to the prize pool (options: all fee to pool, all to org costs, or a mixed percentage).
3. Voluntary pool top-up — any user can add to the prize pool from their balance (a separate action on the tournament page) to increase prizes.

UI hints explain where fees go:

• 100% of fees to the prize pool;
• 100% to organizational costs;
• or a mixed percentage (share to pool / share to organizer).

A donation to the organizer (personal thanks) is not the same as contributing to the pool; see Donations.

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How prizes are split

On the tournament page you see:

• size of the prize pool;
• number of prize places;
• share or amount for each place (percentages of the pool or fixed amounts in IQPIC).

Guides by system:

• Olympic system — 3 prize places. Details: Olympic system.
• Swiss system — number of prizes set by the organizer (from 3 to 10). Details: Swiss system.

The exact prize table is only on that tournament’s page.

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When the prize arrives on the balance

After the tournament ends, prizes are credited to winners’ IQPIC balances.

Two modes are possible (set by the organizer):

• Auto prize payout — the platform transfers prizes soon after the tournament ends (the UI states 15 minutes; the exact delay may differ by server settings).
• Without auto payout — the organizer pays manually; if payout is delayed, the platform does it automatically later (12 hours after the tournament ends).

In balance history the operation looks roughly like: “Prize for Nth place in tournament ‘…’”.

History may also include:

• tournament entry fee payment;
• fee refund / pool refund on cancel;
• voluntary contribution to the prize pool;
• organizer percentage payout (for organizers).

See: /lk/balance and Balance management.

Withdrawing won IQPIC to cash / crypto — via deposit–withdrawal flows on the balance page.

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Formats (briefly)

Clock rules, colors, game format — in the tournament description and game articles.

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Challenge, no-show, and disqualification

During the tournament, when your game is due, you must accept the challenge and enter the game.

• If you do not show up and do not enter the room in time, the game may end as a no-show, and you may be eliminated or disqualified.
• The UI warns: accept the challenge, or disqualification is possible.
• You were eliminated by the bracket (lost a match) — that is not the same as disqualification by the organizer.
• The organizer can disqualify a participant; the message suggests contacting the organizer.

Play fairly in games (do not leave the game window without need) — see also fair play in Rated games.

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Typical scenarios

A. Free prize tournament

1. Catalog → “Prize” filter → tournament with no entry fee.
2. Register with one button.
3. Play games by bracket / rounds.
4. If you take a prize place, wait for the credit on /lk/balance.

B. Fee tournament with a pool from fees

1. Check the “Entry fee” amount and the hint where it goes (to pool / organizer / mixed).
2. Pay the fee from the balance → registration.
3. Follow the round schedule on the tournament page.
4. Prize places split the accumulated pool by the place table.

C. Support someone else’s tournament without playing

1. Open a prize tournament.
2. Use the action to add to the prize pool from the balance.
3. The amount increases the total prize for participants (this is not registration).

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FAQ

Are there online Chess prize tournaments?

Yes. In /tournaments enable the “Prize” filter and game Chess — check prize pool and conditions on the card.

How does “prize” differ from “with entry fee”?

Prize = there is a pool for winners. With entry fee = payment is required to enter. A tournament can be prize and with a fee, prize-only without a fee, or with a fee without a large pre-set pool (the pool grows from fees).

Why won’t it register me?

Not signed in; not enough IQPIC for the fee; requirements not met; registration closed; tournament only for the organizer’s friends; no free slots.

Will the fee be refunded if I lose in the first round?

No: the fee is payment for participation (and a contribution to the pool per tournament rules), not a deposit “until first loss.” You can get the fee back while registration is open and you leave the tournament; refunds also happen on cancellation — check operation history.

When will prizes arrive?

After the tournament ends: soon with auto payout (short delay), or after organizer payout / delayed platform payout. Exact timing — by the credit on /lk/balance.

Does a tournament count toward level like a rated duel?

Game skill rating may update in tournament games, but reward streaks and “rated Buy-in” are a different mechanic. See Rated games and Rewards.

Where do I create my own prize tournament?

Organizing tournaments and Creating a tournament. On fees from the settings side — Entry fees.

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Cheat sheet

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Useful Help links

• Rated games — Buy-in duels.
• Balance management — top-ups, withdrawals, history.
• Organizing tournaments — organizer earnings.
• Creating a tournament — creation wizard.
• Olympic system, Swiss system.
• Player requirements, Entry fees.
• Donations — supporting the organizer.

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This article describes taking part in prize tournaments on platform iqpi.io at the time of publication. Amounts, payout delays, and rules of a specific tournament — on its page and in the UI. Base URL for Help links: APP_URL from backend .env + /help/{slug} (no locale).