Insurance Chess Club

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   Combined League Rules

06-Nov-2008

COMBINED BANKS AND INSURANCE CHESS LEAGUE

Competition Rules

1 GENERAL

These Competition Rules (“the Rules”) of the Combined Banks and Insurance Chess League (“the League”), shall be subject to, and interpreted in the light of, the League Constitution.

2 COMPETITIONS

The competitions organised by the League shall comprise:

(i) an annual competition (“the Competition”) among member teams of the League arranged on an all-play-all basis within one or more Divisions, and

(ii) such other events as the members in General Meeting may determine.

3 ADMINISTRATION

The Competition, and any other events authorised under Rule 2(ii) above, shall be organised and administered by the Joint Organisers (“the Organisers”), who shall report periodically to the League

Governing Committee (“the Committee”).

4 ENTRY

Notification by eligible organisations of the entry of one or more teams in the Competition for any particular season is to be made by 15th August, accompanied by the name(s) and contact details of

the team match captains (“the Captains”), the address of the home venue, and the evening of the week on which home matches are to be played.

No eligible organisation may enter more than two teams in the Competition without special authorisation from the Committee.

In this and succeeding Rules, the term “eligible organisation” is deemed to include combinations of two or more eligible organisations, where these are permitted under the rules of the London Banks Chess League or of the Inter-Office Competition of the Insurance Chess Club.

5 SECOND TEAMS

Where an eligible organisation enters two teams in the Competition in any particular season, and both teams are allocated to play in the same Division where there is more than one:-

(i) The first and second teams of that organisation shall be drawn against each other in the

first round.

(ii) By 30th September the Organisers are to be notified in writing of the names of the four strongest players among the two teams who are expected to be available to play in Competition matches during the season. These players shall then be barred from playing for the second of the two teams during that season.

(iii) Subject to Rule 5(ii) above, players are to be allocated between and within the two teams according to their playing strength, with the stronger players in the first team and on the higher boards of each team.

(iv) In any season, a player playing more than one third of the first team's programme of matches shall become ineligible to play for the second team.

(v) In the event of special and unforeseen circumstances arising, the two teams concerned

may apply to the Organisers for a temporary waiver of the application of either Rule 5(iii) or Rule 5(iv), in which case the Organisers may in their sole discretion grant or refuse the request. In the former case, the Organisers shall be entitled to approve the request in whole or in part and, if they think fit, to attach special conditions to it.

6 NUMBER OF DIVISIONS

The number of Divisions in any season shall be determined by the Organisers in the light of any directions received from the Committee.

7 FIXTURE LIST, ETC

Not later than 1st September, the Organisers shall each season send the Captain of each team entered for the Competition an up-to-date copy of the Rules, a list of contact details and home venue addresses for all teams, the name and contact details of the Organiser to whom results are to be sent, and a list of proposed fixtures. Thereafter, if any Captain wishes to alter the date of one or more of his team's fixtures, he shall as soon as possible contact the opposing team Captain(s), informing the Organisers of any agreed revised date by 15th September. In the event of failure to agree a revised date by 15th September, the Organisers are to be informed and shall resolve the matter. Not later than 1st October, the Organisers shall send all Captains either (i) confirmation of the original fixture list, or (ii) a revised list.

8 CONTACT BETWEEN TEAMS PRIOR TO MATCHES

At least three working days prior to any Competition match, the home Captain is to inform the opposing team Captain of the precise match venue; where necessary, directions and/or a map are to be provided. The home Captain may also at that time require the names of visiting team members to be provided in order to meet any security requirements.

9 CONDITIONS OF PLAY

(a) Laws of Chess

The Laws of Chess as approved by FIDE as currently in force shall apply, except insofar as they are amended by any provision of these Rules.

(b) Number of Boards

All Competition matches shall be played over four boards, unless otherwise determined by members in General meeting.

(c) Start Time of Matches

Matches are to start at 6.30 PM, or at such other time as may be agreed by the two Captains.

However, regardless of the start time, 7 PM is to be the default time, ie the time at which any player not yet present loses the game concerned by default, provided that if his opponent is likewise not yet present by that time, the game shall be declared a loss for both sides. (See also Rule 10 below.)

(d) Determination of Colours

Not later than five minutes before the start of play, the Captains shall exchange team lists and shall then toss a coin for colours. (If a Captain is not present when the exchange of team lists and the coin toss are due, a deputy shall stand in for him.) The team winning the toss shall play White on odd boards.

(e) Rate of Play

The rate of play shall be 30 moves in 1 hour 15 minutes. After the completion of Black's 30th move, each clock shall be set back by 20 minutes and the game completed in the remaining time under Quickplay finish rules. White clocks shall be started at the agreed start time on all boards.

10 DEFAULTS

Where a Captain has been unable to raise a complete team for a particular match, his team shall default the game(s) on the bottom board(s). However, where he has been unable to raise a team of at least half the scheduled number of players, his team shall be deemed to have defaulted the fixture. (See also Rule 9(c) above.)

In calculating the final position under Rule 13 below, the scores in any match involving a team which has defaulted on more than three occasions as a team shall be excluded.

11 SUBMISSION OF MATCH RESULTS

Each team is to send the Organiser specified under Rule 7 above the result of each match, in a form specified by him, within four working days of the match being played. If only one of the teams involved notifies the result, then the result as notified by that team shall stand, unless the Organisers decide otherwise. In the event of failure by both teams to notify the result, the Organisers are empowered, after due warning, to rule all games in the match as lost to both sides.

12 POSTPONEMENTS

Teams may apply to the opposing team and to the Organisers, with at least seven days' notice and preferably with one or more suggested alternative dates, to have a match postponed, and the Organisers are empowered to determine the application as they consider appropriate. The Organisers may also, in exceptional circumstances, consider and determine applications to postpone submitted with less notice.

In any event, all fixtures are to be completed by 30th April.

13 COMPETITION SCORING AND OUTCOME

One match point shall be awarded to the team scoring the greater number of points in each match (or awarded the match by default), and in the event of a draw, half a match point shall be awarded to each team. The final placings in each Division shall be decided according to the number of match points scored by each team. Should two (or more) teams tie for any place in any Division, the teams shall be paced in order of their games points totals. In the event of these scores being equal, the result shall be regarded as a tie.

14 TROPHIES

The winning team in each Division shall be awarded the trophy designated for that Division. Where the first place in any Division is tied, the trophy shall be inscribed with the names of both (all) the teams concerned, which shall each hold the trophy for a proportionate period of the year. The winning team of the first Division shall be regarded as League Champions and shall receive the premier trophy. Trophies shall be presented at the League's Annual General Meeting and may be held until required by the Committee, for engraving or otherwise, prior to the following Annual General Meeting.

15 DISPUTES, ETC

(i) In any situation for which these Rules do not provide, the matter shall be determined by the Organisers.

(ii) Any disputes shall be referred in the first instance to the Organisers, who shall determine the matter.

(iii) Where the Organisers are unable to agree, or where any team feels aggrieved by a decision of the Organisers in the exercise of their powers and duties under these Rules, the matter shall be referred to the Committee, whose decision shall be final. Any appeal from a decision of the Organisers shall be submitted in writing to the Chairman within seven days of being notified of the Organisers' decision.

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