Note:          Anyone wishing to contact the NSWCA can do so via the Secretary,

                   Tom Accola via email – tomaccola@optusnet.com.au

 

Team Captains:       Please ensure your players have joined the NSWCA for 2008.

                                 Team fees and membership fees are to be sent to The Treasurer,

                                 NSWCA, GPO Box 2418, Sydney NSW 2001.

 

Membership Enquiries:        Peter Cassettari, email pcass@zeta.org.au

 

Ratings Enquiries:       Patrick Keuning, email ratings@nswca.org.au

 

Results Service:          Via the NSWCA web page: http://www.nswca.org.au

 

 

NOTE:

All clubs must provide an email address for notification of results and correspondence.

 

 

 

 

 

2008 Interclub Grade Match Rules

 

1.  TEAMS

 

1.   Teams consist of 4 players for each match. Reserves are allowed in all divisions.

 

2.   Players (including reserves) are only eligible for a team if their rating in the March 2008 rating list is below the rating limit for their division. Otherwise, players must be placed in board order according to rating; a discrepancy of up to 50 points is allowable. No dispensations beyond this will be granted.

 

3.   A team may include only one player rated above the limit for their division (up to 50 points), and this player must play on Board One. (For example, a player rated 1649 may play on Board One for an Under 1600 team; a player rated 1650 may not play in the Under 1600 division). If an unrated player plays on Board One then no player can exceed the division limit.

 

4.   No player may play for more than one team in the same division.

 

5.   A player must be a permanent resident of NSW. Interstate or overseas players who are planning on becoming permanent residents can play only with the prior permission of the NSWCA Council.

 

2.  RATINGS

 

1.   The March 2008 ACF rating list published on the ACF web site will be used.  Inactive players remain on the ACF Master file rating list – available on the ACF web site http://www.auschess.org.au/. If you have any queries about a player’s rating, contact the NSWCA Ratings Officer. A player is only “unrated” if never rated (here or overseas). New arrivals to Australia with overseas ratings must declare them.

Ratings Enquiries:       Patrick Keuning, email ratings@nswca.org.au

 

2.   The team captain must indicate using ‘unr’ unrated player on the result card. Only official ACF ratings should be listed on the result card.

 

3.   There is a limit of at most one unrated players per team. The only exception is in the Open Division and the Under 1400 Division, or with prior approval from the NSWCA Council (before the start of the competition). Unrated players can play on any board.

 

3.  PLAYERS

 

            All players must be or become full financial members of the NSWCA for 2008. Associate membership is not sufficient. Juniors can play provided they are members of the NSWJCL. The only exception to this rule is that non-NSWCA members may play up to 2 games each without subsequently joining the NSWCA; clubs will be charged $10 per game for such players. Each club is also liable for the membership fees of any player representing them in more than 2 games who subsequently fails to join the NSWCA.

            Membership Enquiries:         Peter Cassettari, email pcass@zeta.org.au

 

 


4. TIME CONTROLS

 

1.   Rate of play: Open Division: 40 moves in 90 minutes, then 30 minutes to finish, All other divisions: 30 moves in 75 minutes, then 30 minutes to finish the game.

Rapid play rules apply for the last 30 minutes (e.g. you cannot take the King).

 

2.   Session Duration: Finish the game on the appointed day. No adjournments.

    

3.   Should the venue close before the scheduled finishing time from that allowed from these rules then the home team will forfeit the equivalent time in 15 minute increments, from the second time control period, to allow the games to be completed on the scheduled night.

 

4.    Where the clock will not do it automatically (generally only analogue clocks), for the primary time control (40/90 or 30/75) after one flag has fallen, the clocks must be reset. The team captains are authorised to make this adjustment if the players fail to do so.

 

5.  STARTING TIME & FORFEITS

 

1.   Start the clocks at 7:30 pm sharp.

 

2.    If the home team has not set up the equipment and started the clocks at the designated start time, then the time lost will be deducted from only the home team. E.g. The start time is 7.30pm but the equipment and clocks are not available till 7.50. These 20 mins will be deducted from the home teams clocks such that the home team must make its 30 moves in 55 mins. The visiting team retains its time control of 30 moves in 75 mins.

 

3.   A game is lost by a player arriving at the board more than one hour late. Such forfeits are unethical and to be avoided as much as possible, as opponents expect to play a game of chess. If it becomes clear that a forfeit is inevitable, team captains must notify the opponents in advance. NSWCA will take action against repeated offences.

 

4.   Whole team forfeits are very serious offences, and will be referred to the NSWCA for disciplinary action.

 

6.  COLOURS

 

            The home team (the first-named team) has White on Boards 2 and 4.

 

7.  ADJOURNMENTS & POSTPONEMENTS

 

1.   No adjournments or postponements are permitted.

 

2.   Games may be played up to 14 days in advance, but only provided that both team captains and both players agree.

 

8.  EQUIPMENT

 

            The home team provides standard sets, boards, clocks and scoresheets.
9.  DUTIES OF CAPTAINS

 

1.   Be conversant with the current (July 2005) FIDE Laws of Chess. In particular, in the final 30 minutes to finish the game, nobody is allowed to point out a flagfall except the two players playing the game. Team captains must not point out flagfalls in any games but their own.

 

     Be aware also of the rule governing draw claims in the final 30 minutes to finish the game. A draw may be claimed by a player with less than 2 minutes on their clock - before their flag falls - if they feel that their opponent is only “playing for time”. The procedure described in Article D of the Laws of Chess regarding Quickplay Finishes where no Arbiter is present must be followed.  The player shall forward the relevant information to the Grade Match Arbiter.

 

2.   Article D of the Laws of chess is as follows:

Where games are played as in Article 10, a player may claim a draw when he has less than two minutes left on his clock and before his flag falls. This concludes the game.

He may claim on the basis

(a)      that his opponent cannot win by normal means, and/or

(b)      that his opponent has been making no effort to win by normal means.

In (a) the player must write down the final position and his opponent verify it.

In (b) the player must write down the final position and submit an up-to-date scoresheet, which must be completed before play has ceased. The opponent shall verify both the scoresheet and the final position.

The claim shall be referred to an arbiter whose decision shall be the final one.

 

3.   Supervise the sensible and ethical conduct of their teams. There should be no talking, analysing or distracting the opponents in any way whatsoever.

 

4.   Ensure that clocks are started promptly and adjust the clocks where necessary if the players fail to do so.

 

5.   Record teams and results as follows:

 

                   Win:    1        Loss:  0

       Forfeit win:     1F      Forfeit loss:    0F

                Draw:   ½

 

6.   Each captain must email the result promptly to the grade match results coordinator (Steve Carratt) js.carratt@bigpond.com  within 24 hours of the match being played.

 

10.  JUNIORS

 

1.   Juniors are most welcome to play in this competition.

 

2.   Teams with juniors must tell the home captain in advance when visiting a licensed club.

 

3.   Home team captains at licensed clubs must ensure that juniors are catered for.

 

 

 

 

 

11.  DISABLED PLAYERS

 

1.   Disabled players are most welcome to play in this competition.

 

2.   Teams with disabled players must tell the home captain in advance when visiting a club.

 

3.   Home team captains at clubs must ensure that disabled players are catered for.

 

12.  MOBILE PHONES

 

1.   If a player’s mobile phone rings in the playing venue during play, that player shall lose the game. This includes but is not restricted to phone alarms or sounds when waking up or shutting down.

 

2.   The above rule does not apply to pagers provided that a player having a pager in the playing venue has informed the opposing team captain prior to making his first move.

 

 

13.  DISPUTES & APPEALS

 

1.   Report any disputes which captains cannot settle to the director of play (grade match arbiter) in writing within 10 days.

 

2.   Appeals against the director’s decision may then be made concerning:

 

(a)     The Laws of Chess - to the appeals committee, via the NSWCA or the DOP.

 

(b)    The Competition Rules - to the NSWCA.

 

 

14.  TIE-BREAK PROCEDURES

 

1.   If two or more teams finish equal first in their division, there will be no tie-break procedure applied. The teams will be declared joint champions and will receive prizes of equal value

2.   In divisions split into zones, the top finishing team in each zone will meet in a two match final series.

3.   In single divisions consisting of preliminary and final sections, the home & away aspect of the matches in the final section will be the opposite to that of the preliminary matches. The order of finals rounds will be:

Week 1: 1 v 4, 2 v 3

Week 2: 1 v 3, 2 v 4

Week 3: 1 v 2, 3 v 4

4.   In determining who qualifies for the finals from in (2) & (3) the tie-break procedure will be in the following order:

 

(a) Total match points – 2 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.

(b) Team points scored in matches between the tied teams – eg if 3 teams in a tie, each team would have a score out of 8.

(c) As in (b) but with board 4 results ignored.

(d) As in (c) but also with board 3 results ignored

(e) As in (d) but also with board 2 results ignored

(f)  Shall be determined by lot.


15.  DISPENSATIONS

 

            These may be granted in rare and special cases only, but never retrospectively.

 

 

16.  SMOKING

 

            Smoking in the playing area is NOT permitted.

 

 

17.  PRIZES

 

            Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams in the individual rating divisions. There will also be performance prizes awarded to the top performing players where they have played >70% or more of the possible games and scored 70% or more.

 

 

18.  DIRECTOR OF PLAY

 

            Address all disputes and appeals to:

 

 

Grade Match Arbiter

Peter Cassettari

NSWCA

GPO BOX 2418

SYDNEY 2001

or

pcass@zeta.org.au