Columbus Chess League

2020 Season Rules

 

1.     The Official Rules of Chess as set forth by the United States Chess Federation shall govern all aspects of play, except as specified otherwise in these rules.

 

  1. Players may enter and participate as individuals, or as members of a team.  At the time of entry, each player’s US Chess membership must be current and not due to expire prior to the final round.

 

  1. Teams
    1. A team shall consist of from two to five players at any given time.
    2. Team members must pay the full season entry fee, not a per round entry fee.
    3. A team roster may be changed as follows:
      1. A team may not add a member who has already played one or more rounds in the current season for another team or individually. 
      2. A team may drop a member only to add another member and not exceed the roster maximum 5 players, whether or not the dropped member has already played a round for the team.
      3. Once dropped, a member may not be reinstated to the same team.
      4. Team changes must be communicated to the TD in advance of pairing the round for which the change is to be effective.
      5. No team changes are permitted once round 4 is paired.

 

  1. Pairings:
    1. Pairing method will be 1 vs 2 by ratings within score groups (highest rated plays next highest rated, 3rd highest plays 4th, and so on).
    2. Teammates will not be paired against each other, unless necessary to avoid dropping a player more than 1 point to a lower score group.
    3. Each player must check in with the TD in person or by text at least 15 minutes prior to each round in order to be paired for the round.  Any player not appearing for a round after checking in will be removed from the tournament (but not a team roster) and become ineligible for prizes; reinstatement will be at the TD’s discretion, and only considered for exceptional circumstances.

 

  1. Byes:
    1. A player may request a maximum of two half-point byes for rounds 1-4 for both pairing and prize purposes, including for prior rounds not played.  No half-point byes are permitted in rounds 5 or 6.
    2. A player must request half-point byes before round 3 has been paired.
    3. Zero-point byes are available and encouraged when a half-point bye is not available for any round a player will miss, and may be requested any time before the round is paired.
    4. For pairing purposes only, the TD in his/her sole discretion may assign full-point byes for prior rounds not played; such points will not count for prize purposes.
    5. A player may request any half- or zero-point bye be changed to a full point bye for pairing purposes, but in doing so will lose the half point bye for prize purposes.
    6. A player who is expected for any given round and who does not appear without notifying the TD in advance, will be withdrawn from the tournament, and may re-enter only at the TD’s discretion.

 

  1. Prizes:
    1. Two sets of team trophies will be awarded: first place overall, and first place Under X team, where X is approximately the mid-point of the team ratings after round 3.  If at least two all-scholastic teams participate, one set of scholastic team trophies will also be awarded.
      1. A team’s rating shall be the average of the four highest-rated members’ official November ratings, including members who may not have played any rounds.
      2. A team may not qualify for a lower rating-based prize as a result of dropping any member after round 1 has been paired.
      3. A team’s score shall be the sum of the scores of its highest finishing members, not to exceed four players.  The scores of players on 2- or 3-member teams shall be summed without further adjustment.
      4. Each member of a winning team will receive an individual trophy, up to 5 maximum per team, and excluding any members who did not play at least one round.
    2. Individual trophies will be awarded by rating class based on official November ratings (minimum 3 points to win a trophy):
      1. Overall 1st place (any rating);
      2. Master/Expert (2000 & up);
      3. A (1800-1999);
      4. B (1600-1799);
      5. C (1400-1599); and
      6. D and under (under 1400)
    3. Additional awards may be offered at the organizer’s sole discretion.
    4. In case of a tie for any prize, tie breaks shall be determined as follows:
      1. Team prizes: first by scores without half-point byes, then by standard US Chess team tie break formulae.
      2. Individual prizes: first by scores without half-point byes, then by head to head results if clearly definitive, then by standard US Chess tie break formulae.
    5. Only players who pay the full season entry fee (not a per round entry fee) are eligible for prizes.

 

  1. Late entries may be accepted at any time at TD’s discretion and as playing space permits.  Rounds missed may be assigned byes as described above. 

 

  1. Equipment is not provided.  Each player is responsible to provide a set and delay-capable clock.  In the event neither opponent provides the necessary equipment for a game, double-forfeits will result.

 

9.     A TD or the League Director may ban or disqualify a player or an entire team from league play or prize eligibility for flagrant or repeated rules violations, disruptive behavior, or unsportsmanlike conduct.