CHALLENGE The_ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, The_'s CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The phrases "based on rating" and "based on merit" are slightly different. In the first case, players are selected specifically from the list 1, 2, 3, etc., but in the second case, you can invite player #85 from the rating because they simply play very well. But in reality, it doesn't really matter.

P.S.: However, OFB can definitely be considered a full-fledged tournament, and winning it can be equated to a significant achievement. IMHO.

I don't know how else to explain it so that there are no more questions; both the rating and previous victories and achievements will be taken into account: in qualifiers, seasonal tournaments, team tournaments, and much more.

Regarding Maretti, I used the phrase "based on merit" in the sense of a light joke; it is obvious that he is among the top contenders for a place in the main stage, considering his rating and medals.

Regarding Peterius's victory in OFB7, this was a qualifier, and I cannot provide an auto-qualification, according to the tournament regulations, even despite the fact that this success, in terms of prestige and difficulty, can compete with any tournament. However, I will definitely take it into account after the registration period ends, when invitations to the main stage are issued.

I hope there won't be more than two rounds of selection.

Added 18 minutes ago

The_, what do you think about strengthening the concept of "home field advantage"?

There are even more options than have been discussed so far. A player playing on their home field could be given the following rights:
1) choose a template (or gain an advantage during the draft - for example, draft in a way that gives them a 5 on 3 advantage)
2) choose a color
3) draft/choose the Castle(s) first
4) choose a time limit, including a chess time control (but, for example, not lower than the limits specified in the tournament regulations for the templates)

Of course, this needs to be handled carefully, because a rigid choice of template combined with the right to choose the Castle(s) first could be overpowered in skilled hands.
But giving additional opportunities to compete on their home field against a top player is also interesting; this is also part of the Champions League.

1. Definitely not, at least not in this tournament, maybe in the next. There is a great tournament called "Crusade" with such regulations, in my opinion, this is too big of an advantage and will increase the variance, and I want to determine, as much as possible, how objectively to identify the strongest player in the SOD community.

2. Yes, that makes sense; a player playing "at home" can choose a color of their choice after the template draft. I will consider it.

3. More likely no than yes, I'll think about it.

4. I already explained in the first posts of the topic that if, by the start of the main stage, we come to some fixed limits for the chess time control for all templates, the player playing "at home" chooses either the SOD time control or the recommended chess time control for that template.