SHROPSHIRE CHESS ASSOCIATION : LEAGUE RULES

As amended at the Council Meeting : 24/09/04
(with changes in bold)

(Previous update : 07/07/04)

GENERAL

1. All games must be played according to the laws of chess as published in ‘The Official Laws of Chess’ updated by FIDE on 1 July 1997.
2. Any disputes arising from the interpretation or application of the laws of chess or the league rules will be resolved by the League Controller. Appeals against the League Controller’s decisions must be sent in writing to the General Secretary within 14 days. The matter will be referred to a Rules and Disputes Committee, consisting of the President, the General Secretary, the Treasurer and A.N.OTHER. If one or more of these officers is a party to the dispute, the President may appoint replacements acceptable to both parties. The League Controller may be invited to attend and to give advice but will not be able to vote. The Committee’s decision will be final.
3. It is the responsibility of the League Controller to decide which and how many teams shall play in each division (subject to the agreement of the Council), and to publish a fixture list before the start of each season.
4. Each club must register its players with the League Controller at the start of each season, before the first fixture in which they play. Late registration may be carried out at any time during the season, as long as the information is received no later than the first match result involving the player(s). Penalties for breaches of the rule are stipulated at rule 21.

TEAMS

5. A team shall consist of five players.
6. The AWAY team shall have White on boards 1,3 and 5.
7. A member of a club may represent only one team for that club. If a player is a member of more than one club, he / she may only play for one team within a division, subject to the provisions of rule 8.
8. A reserve may be drawn from a lower team, as follows:

a)      Players graded below 75 can play for any of their club’s teams in Division 3 without restriction.

b)      Players graded below 90 can play up into a team in Divisions 1 and 2 without restriction, (providing the lower and higher teams are not both in Division 1, in which case the restriction in sub-paragraph d will apply),

c)      Players graded below 110 can play up into a team in Division 1 without restriction (providing the teams are not in the same Division, in which case the restriction in sub-paragraph d will apply),

d)      Where a player is used more than twice for a higher team, then (unless sub-paragraphs a, b or c apply) he / she becomes a member of the senior team on the third occasion for the remainder of the season. Where a reserve wins by default the result will count as an appearance for the senior team,

e)      Penalties for breaches of rule 8d are stipulated at rule 22.

MATCH DETAILS

9. Clocks must be used in all games. It is the responsibility of the home team to arrange for the provision of clocks.
10. In all games the time control is all moves to be played in 1 hour 35 minutes in accordance with the current B.C.F. rules for Quickplay finishes.
11. Players must be arranged in order of playing strength according to the latest grading list; grades are to be regarded as being subject to a tolerance of + or – 5 points. Penalties for breaches of this rule are specified at rule 23.
12. Before the start of each match captains must exchange lists of players in board order. All player’s grades must be clearly indicated on the match card before the game starts. If a captain knows before start of play that the team will be incomplete, the remaining players must be declared in board order, and defaults must take place on the bottom board(s).
13. Matches must be played on the appointed date unless another date is previously agreed by the League Controller and representatives of both clubs. All matches (including postponed matches) must be played by 30 April.
14. Smoking will be banned both at the board and in the immediate playing area. Each club must define its ‘playing area’ and home team captains must inform visiting teams of its boundaries.

START OF PLAY

15. Matches should start at 7.30 pm (or at a time agreed by both captains).
16. At start of play, White’s clock must be started. If a player fails to start play within an hour of the agreed start of play, he / she shall lose by default; if neither player is present within an hour of start of play, that board is declared void.
17. Another player may be substituted for an absent player at any time during the first hour. If such a substitution breaches rule 11, it is subject to the agreement of the opposing captain, and it must be clearly indicated on the match card.

RESULTS

18. Results must be sent to the League Controller within eight days of the match date. It is the responsibility of the home team captain to forward the result. For those captains with access to the internet the online match card should be used otherwise the traditional card should be posted. If no result is notified within eight days, the League Controller will issue a warning to the home team. Penalties for breaches of the rule are specified at rule 24.
19. For each match win,  two points will be awarded; for a drawn match, one point. If, at the end of the season, two or more teams are tied, then the team with the higher number of game points will be adjudged the higher team. If there is still a tie a play-off match, or matches, will be organised by the league controller.
20. At the end of the season the top 2 teams in the lower divisions will be promoted, and the bottom 2 teams in the higher divisions will be relegated, subject to the provisions of rule 3.

PENALTIES

21. Where rule 4 is breached:

a)      all results achieved by the player in the league before registration will be treated as losses by default for match purposes.

b)      The team will be penalised one game point for each affected match.

22. Where rule 8c is breached:

a)      all results achieved by the player for the lower team following his third appearance for the senior team will be treated as losses by default for match purposes.

b)      The team will be penalised one game point for each affected match.

23. Where rule 11 is breached:

a)      a player out of order will be deemed to have lost by default,

b)      the minimum number of players will be defaulted in order to achieve an acceptable playing order,

c)      the team will then be penalised by one game point.

24. Where rule 18 is breached any failure to notify a match result (subsequent to the first warning) will incur the loss of a match point.
25. These and any other penalties deemed necessary will be imposed by the League Controller who will inform the teams involved.
26. In exceptional circumstances the League Controller may waive penalties, providing the club/team writes in advance to the League Controller with a full explanation of the facts and providing the case is accepted.