The objects of the Inter-Office Competition (hereinafter called "the Competition") shall be to encourage and foster membership of the Insurance Chess Club by means of an organisation which endeavours to bring players of as many Insurance concerns as possible into the realm of competitive Chess.

These Rules shall govern the conduct of the Competition and in so far as they are applicable they shall also govern the conduct of the Bowring King and Durham Knock-Out Competitions except to the extent that different provisions are specified in the supplementary Rules for the Knock-Out Competitions given in the Appendix.

These Inter-Office Competition Rules shall be subordinate to the Rules of the Club and in the event of any conflict the latter shall apply. For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby stated that in accordance with the Rules of the Club the Committee may delegate to the Executive any powers or responsibilities conferred on the Committee by virtue of these Inter-Office Competition Rules.

The Secretary of the Club or an Assistant Secretary approved for the purpose (hereinafter called "the Organiser") shall be responsible for conducting the Competition in accordance with these Rules.

The Competition shall be organised each season in one or more Divisions, each of which shall be conducted as an all-play-all event. When in any season the Organiser considers it appropriate in the light of the number of entries, he may arrange for the competition in any division to be on the basis of a double round event. In this case, each team shall play two matches against each other team in the Division, one at home and the other away.

In exceptional circumstances the Organiser shall be empowered, after consulting the Companies concerned and subject to the approval of the Committee, to make alternative arrangements. In particular, such arrangements may allow for the teams in one Division to play matches against the teams in an adjoining Division.

For each Division, the number of boards in a team shall be determined each season by the Committee.

Any Insurance Company or other Insurance concern or Group (hereinafter called a "Company") shall be eligible to enter one or more teams in the Competition provided that each Company shall be represented by a membership of the Insurance Chess Club of not less than that required by the Committee for teams in each Division. The membership so required shall not exceed the number of boards in the relevant Division.

Subject to the approval of the Committee, two Companies may combine to form one team. In these Rules, all references to a Company shall also apply, with appropriate changes of detail, to a combined team.

Each Company shall be responsible for arranging the payment to the Club of its members' subscriptions or the minimum entry fee for the Competition if greater. The said minimum entry fee shall be determined by the Committee from time to time, but shall not exceed the amount payable for the maximum number of members which the Committee is empowered to specify under Rule 7(a) above on the assumption that all such members are employed within the Greater London area. The minimum entry fee shall be specified in writing on or with the form submitted to each Company in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12(a) below.

Any Company shall be liable to expulsion from the Competition by the Organiser if the sum of its members‘ subscriptions, or the minimum entry fee if greater, has not been paid by 1st January in the current season, provided that a reminder shall have been sent to such Company at least 21 days before the date of expulsion.

A player having played for a Company, shall be eligible for that Company and no other until the end of the season. Subject to this provision and to Rule 10 below, and unless in exceptional circumstances the Committee shall decide otherwise, each team shall consist of players who

(i) are employed by the Company concerned, or are retired from the Company on superannuation, or

(ii) have been employed by the Company and have not been employed by any other Company with a team in the Competition, provided always that such players remain eligible for membership of the Club.

In any match, up to half of each team may consist of players eligible under (ii) above subject to a maximum of three such players.

Prior to the first appearance in each season of a player eligible under (ii) above, the Company shall provide to the Organiser the following details:

- the player's name

- the date of his leaving the Company

- the names of all companies by whom he has been subsequently employed.

In addition to the players specified in Rule 9 above, other Club members may also play for teams in the Competition, subject to the following conditions:

(i) Each season, a Company wishing to include in its team(s) any such member ("guest player") must apply to register his name with the Organiser at least one week before the first match in which he is to play, and in any case by 31st December .

(ii) No Club member may be registered as a guest player unless he has been informed and has consented, and his subscription for the season, where due, has already been paid.

(iii) During any one season a guest player may not be registered to play for the team(s) of more than one Company.

(iv) No Company may register more than three guest players in any one season and, in the case of Companies entering a single team of not more than five boards in the league, this number shall be limited to two.

(v) In connection with a proposed registration, the Organiser shall be empowered to require the submission of relevant supporting information, and to accept or reject the application as he considers appropriate.

(vi) No more than two guest players per team may take part in any match in the Competition.

The Organiser shall, not later than 1st September preceding each season, despatch to the Inter-Office representative of each Company a list of fixtures for the coming season. Any Company wishing to change the date of any of its fixtures shall contact the opposing Company not later than 1st October; in default of agreement on a new date the Organiser shall resolve the matter. Subsequent to 1st October dates of fixtures may only be altered by mutual agreement between the two Companies concerned unless in exceptional circumstances the Organiser shall decide otherwise. All alterations of scheduled dates shall be notified to the Organiser by the Company responsible for initiating the change.

Each Company entering the Competition shall, prior to 1st October in each season or such later date as may be decided by the Organiser, declare in writing to the Organiser on a form to be provided by him the names of the players normally constituting each team, and shall also specify the persons, whether or not normal team members, who are registered or to be registered as members of the Insurance Chess Club. The names of intended guest players known at the time this form is to be submitted shall be included on the form, with their status separately identified. Each Company may at any time before 1st January in each season give notice in writing to the Organiser of changes in these nominations, but such notice of changes shall be subject to the approval of the Organiser and shall not be effective until 14 days after receipt by him.

Such nominated members of any team shall be ineligible to play for any lower team. A nominated member of any second or lower team shall be eligible to play for a higher team and an un-nominated player shall be eligible to play for any team. However, a player shall no longer be eligible to play for a team if he has played a total of three or more games for a higher team or teams during the current season. In respect of a player whose nominated status has altered by virtue of a change provided in (a) above, no account shall be taken of games already played during the season for the team for which he was previously nominated.

Companies are required to nominate players on the current assessment of their playing strength, with the strongest players in the first team, the next strongest in the second team, and so on. Companies are also required, as far as possible, to play the selected players in reducing order of strength.

If a Company includes an ineligible player in any match then such player‘s game shall automatically be recorded as a loss for him and a win for his opponent and, further, one game point shall be deducted from the score of the team which included the ineligible player. If two ineligible players play each other then the game shall be recorded as a loss to both players and each team shall also have one game point deducted from its score for the match.

All matches shall be played in the Club Room or at a suitable venue in the vicinity thereof approved by the Organiser. The Organiser shall designate the "Home" team and the "Away" team for each match. The Home team shall be responsible for the arrangement of the venue and the provision of boards, sets, clocks and scoresheets, and for confirming the arrangements with the Away team not less than seven days in advance of the match. The use of clocks shall be compulsory in all games.

Matches shall commence not later than 1800 hrs unless otherwise approved by the Organiser. Where a Captain has been unable to raise a complete team he shall default the game or games on the bottom board or boards and where such a Captain 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. A player must be in his place not later than 1830 hrs (or within 30 minutes of such other starting time for the match as the Organiser may have approved) or he shall ipso facto lose the game by default, provided that if his opponent is likewise not in his place by that time the game shall be declared a loss to both teams.

Not later than five minutes prior to the start of play, the two Captains shall exchange lists of the members of their teams. Except in the case of a double round event, the Captains shall then toss for colours. The team winning the toss shall have white on the odd numbered boards. If a Captain is absent at the relevant time a member of his team shall perform these duties in his stead. In a double round event, the Away team shall have the white men on the odd-numbered boards.

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 FIDE Quickplay Finish rules.

Each team shall send a copy of the result sheet for each match to the Organiser within seven 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 Organiser decides otherwise.

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 one having the larger (largest) number of individual game points to its credit shall be placed the higher (highest). In the event of the scores being equal the result shall be regarded as a tie; where first place in any Division is so tied the trophy shall be inscribed with the names of both (all) such Companies which shall each hold the trophy for a proportionate period of the year.

The winning team of the first Division shall be regarded as the Champions of the Competition and shall receive the premier Trophy. Trophies shall be presented at the Club's Annual General Meeting and may be held until required by the Club, for engraving or otherwise, prior to the following Annual General Meeting.

The system of promotion and relegation shall be applied to the Competition. In general the two teams at the foot of a Division shall be relegated one Division and the two teams at the top of a Division shall be promoted one Division. However, the Committee shall be empowered to decide otherwise in appropriate circumstances (such as an alteration of the total number of teams in one or more of the Divisions).

In calculating the final positions under Rule 19 above the scores in any match involving a team which has defaulted on more than two occasions as a team shall be excluded and such team or teams shall be considered to have finished at the foot of their respective Division or Divisions.

There shall be an Inter-Office Sub-Committee (hereinafter called the ”Sub-Committee•) which shall comprise:

(a) One representative of each company competing in the Competition. Any Company with three or more teams in the Competition shall be entitled to a second representative.

All such representatives are required to be members of the Club.

(b) All members of the Committee, provided that no such member shall have a vote on the Sub-Committee unless he is also entitled to membership under sub-clause (a) above.

The Chairman, or in his absence the Deputy Chairman or another member of the Committee, shall take the chair at all meetings of the Sub-Committee and in the event of a tie shall have a casting vote notwithstanding the provision of sub-clause (b) above. A voting member unable to be present at a meeting may, by at least 24 hours notice in writing to the Secretary (or, in the Secretary‘s absence, another Officer acting on his behalf), appoint a proxy to represent him and vote in his stead. The quorum for Sub-Committee meetings shall be three voting members, present in person or by proxy, or the number of voting members at least equal to half the total number of voting members at that time, whichever shall be the greater.

The Sub-Committee shall meet in June or July of each year and shall recommend to the Committee the composition of the Divisions for the coming season. Such recommendations shall take into account Rule 21 above. The Committee shall determine the final composition of the Divisions not later than 31st July in each year unless there are circumstances which lead the Organiser to recommend later amendments. The Sub-Committee may also consider any other matters concerned with the Competition.

Additional meetings of the Sub-Committee shall be held as necessary. The Secretary shall give to each member of the Sub-Committee 14 days notice of all meetings. Any resolution of the Sub-Committee shall be submitted to the Committee which shall in its absolute discretion confirm or overrule any such resolution.

Any proposal by a Sub-Committee member to amend these Rules shall be submitted to a meeting of the Sub-Committee. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be included in the notice of meeting specified in Rule 25 above. A simple majority of the Sub-Committee shall be required to pass any proposed amendment. Any amendment thus passed shall be forwarded to the Committee, whose approval shall be required. The Committee is also empowered, after consulting the Sub-Committee, itself to amend these Rules. Any proposed amendment shall come into effect when thus approved by the Committee.

In any situation, whether arising from a dispute or otherwise, for which these Rules do not provide, the matter shall be determined by the Organiser who shall have regard to any precedent.

Any Company which feels aggrieved by any decision of the Organiser in the exercise of his powers and duties under these Rules shall have the right of appeal to the Committee, provided that any such appeal shall be submitted in writing to the Chairman within seven days of being notified of the Organiser‘s decision. There shall be no appeal against a decision by the Committee in the exercise of its powers and duties under this Rule or the foregoing Rules.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing Rules, the Committee shall have power, after consulting the Sub-Committee, to arrange for the main Inter-Office Competition to be suspended in any season with a view to Companies instead taking part in a combined league competition involving non-Insurance teams. In that case:

(i)    Rules 4, 13-18 and 20 shall not apply insofar as any combined league competition is concerned

(ii)   Rules 5-6, 11,12(b), 19 and 21-22 shall cease to apply.

(iii)  In Rules 7-10 and 12(a), "Competition" shall be interpreted as also applying to any combined league competition.

(iv)  In Rule 12(a), "other" shall be substituted for "later" in the first line of the first sentence.

(v)   The Rules of the Bowring King and Durham Knockout Competitions shall remain unchanged.

Origin Rules Sub-Committee 29th March 1996 and Committee 30th May 1996
Adopted Inter-Office Sub-Committee 4th July 1996. Ratified 18th July 1996
Amended Inter-Office Sub-Committee 3rd July 1997. Ratified 24th July 1997
Amended Executive 6th October 1997
Amended Inter-Office Sub-Committee 2nd August 1999. Ratified 2nd August 1999
(Appendix) Amended Inter-office Sub-Committee 14th August 2000. Ratified 24th August 2000
Amended Inter-Office Sub-Committee 15th September 2001. Ratified 8th October 2001.
Amended Inter-Office Sub-Committee [Date]. Ratified [Date].
Amended Inter-Office Sub-Committee [Date], Ratified 22nd September 2003

APPENDIX

THE BOWRING KING KNOCK-OUT COMPETITION

THE DURHAM KNOCK-OUT COMPETITION

The Rules set out in this Appendix shall govern the Bowring King and Durham Knock-out Competitions (hereinafter called the "Bowring King" and "the Durham" respectively). Except as expressly provided elsewhere in this Appendix the Inter-Office Competition Rules shall have effect in so far as they are applicable.

The Bowring King and the Durham shall be organised each season and shall be conducted on a knock-out basis. No Company shall enter more than one team in either Competition.

In both Competitions any byes that may be necessary shall be drawn in the first round. In the Bowring King a number of teams may be seeded, at the discretion of the Organiser.

The Bowring King shall be held over six boards, or such other number of boards as may from time to time be determined by the Committee. Entry shall be open to all Companies competing in the Inter-Office Competition and to any other Company entitled to compete therein under the terms of Rule 7 of the Inter-Office Competition Rules. In addition, entries may be accepted from teams competing, or eligible to compete, in one or more specified non-insurance chess leagues who, with the approval of the Committee, are invited to take part in the Competitions. Such teams shall be termed "guest teams" and, except as specified in Rule 10 below, shall be treated within the Knock-out Competitions in all respects equally with Insurance teams. In particular, no individual organisation shall be entitled to enter more than one guest team in the Competitions.

The Durham shall be held over four boards. Entry shall be open to teams eliminated from the bowring king before the last eight or the last four, as the organiser shall determine, except that  teams eliminated by default from the bowring king shall not normally be permitted to compete in the durham. In considering an application in this regard, the organiser shall, however, be empowered to take account of exceptional circumstances. Companies not competing in the bowring king may be admitted to the durham at the discretion of the organiser.

Each Competition shall be completed by 30th April in each season. The Organiser shall specify a final date for each round; opposing teams shall arrange a mutually agreeable date of play consistent therewith. The home team shall be responsible for arranging the fixture and, in the event of any difficulty arising in finding a mutually agreeable date, shall report the position immediately to the Organiser, who shall resolve the matter. In the event of failure to play the match by the specified final date, the Organiser shall be empowered to disqualify one or both teams.

Result sheets shall be sent to the Organiser by each team within three working days of the match being played.

In the event of a drawn match, the winning team shall be the one with the lower total of board numbers of games won. If this shall fail to resolve the tie, a decision shall be reached by cancelling the score of the bottom board upwards, one board at a time, until a definite result is obtained. In the event of all games being drawn, the winner shall be the team with black on the odd numbered boards.

The winning teams shall be entitled to receive the Bowring King and Durham Trophies respectively at the Annual General Meeting following, and to hold them until required, for engraving or otherwise, prior to the next year's Annual General Meeting. However, the Trophies shall at all times remain the property of the Club.

For Insurance teams there shall be no additional subscription or entry fee to the Knock-out Competitions. For guest teams a fee of £20 per team, or such other amount as may from time to time be determined by the Committee, shall be payable to cover entry to one or both Competitions.