League Rules

League Rules     Knock Out Rules    

League Competitions:

  1. The competing teams shall be arranged in Divisions according to their estimated strength, or in Sections according to locality or other considerations.
  2. In each Division, each competing team shall play two matches with every other team in the Division or such other number as the Controller shall determine.
  3. A team winning a match shall score one point, and in the event of a tie each team shall score half a point.
  4. A team shall consist of five players. The away team shall have white on the odd boards.
  5. In a Division a Club whose team secures more match points than any other team in that Division shall be the winner of the Division, and shall be entitled to hold the trophy allocated to that Division for twelve months, when the trophy must be returned to the League.
  6. If two or more Clubs in a Division score the same number of match points the relative position of these Clubs in a Division shall be decided by the total number of games won. If there still be a tie the relative positions shall be determined by a board count on the results of all the matches of the teams concerned.
  7. No player may play for more than one Club in the same season without prior permission from the Executive Committee.
  8. When a Club enters more than one team in the League Competition the following shall apply:
    1. Any player who represents a club on the top two boards in any team is thereafter ineligible to represent that club in any lower division during the same season; except that a member of the away.team in a Saturday match may play on any board without loss of eligibility for a lower division.
    2. When two teams are in the same Division, a player may only play for one of these teams during a season.
    3. Where a Club has two teams in the same Division the League Conductor will arrange for them to play the fixture against each other as their first game of the season.
    1. The playing of ineligible players shall be penalised by reducing the score of the offending team in that match, by half a game point, and increasing the score of the opposing team by half a game point, and in addition such ineligible player or players shall be deemed to have lost his or their games.
    2. The penalty in the preceding paragraph shall apply to a Club's first contravention of the rule. In the event of a further contravention by that Club in the season, the matter shall be referred to the Executive Committee, who may impose a more severe penalty such as to remove the offending team from the competition.
    3. Any dispute as to the eligibility of a player shall be referred to the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final.
    1. The date on which each League match shall he played, shall be defined at the beginning of each season by the League Conductor.
    2. League Conductor must be informed of any rearrangement of matches.
    3. No match may be postponed except by agreement of both captains.
  11. When travelling facilities are inconvenient the two Clubs concerned may agree upon a neutral venue. Home team to ensure supply of equipment.
    1. The Captains of the opposing teams shall, before the commencement of a match, exchange lists of their teams, arranged in current strength order.
    2. The playing of players out of current strength order shall be penalised by forfeiture of the match.
  13. A minimum of three hours' play is required in all matches. In the absence of any previous arrangements by the Clubs concerned play at evening matches shall commence at 7.30 p.m.
    1. Captains are urged to start matches promptly, and not wait for absent players.
    2. A player who is late will be penalised by losing the amount of time that he has kept his opponent waiting. Any player not ready to start his game within 45 minutes of the stipulated commencement of the match shall forfeit his game.
  15. The rate of play in all divisions is each player has 1 hour and 15 minutes to make 35 moves and then an additional 15 minutes to complete the game.
  16. No team shall be abnormally strengthened for any match.
  17. The winning team in each of divisions two, three and four will normally be promoted at the end of the season with the lowest placed team in the division above being relegated.
  18. The club being asked to rearrange a match shall offer a reasonable alternative date, and if this date is not agreed or a further postponement is requested on that date, then the club originally asked can claim the match.

Handicap Knock Out Competitions

  1. The Competition shall be open to all affiliated Clubs, but entry shall not be compulsory.
  2. The Competition shall be administered by a Conductor to be appointed each season by the Executive Committee.
  3. Any club may enter a second team but no player may play for more than one team. A club's second team may, at the sole discretion of the League Competition Conductor, receive additional handicap points provided a list of players from whom the team is to be selected is first submitted to him.
  4. The entry fee shall be £3.00.
  5. A team shall consist of six players.
  6. Pairings for each round shall be determined by a draw to be made at an Executive Committee meeting at least three weeks prior to the date fixed for the round.
  7. The first named team shall have choice of venue and the second named team shall have White On the odd boards.
    1. The team scoring most game points in a match inclusive of the handicap points fixed by the Executive Committee at the commencement of each season, shall be the winner. For this purpose drawn games shall count half the value of won games.
    2. Handicap - a Second Division Team receives 2½ points from a First Division Team; a Third Division Team receives 1½ points from a Second Division Team and 3½ points from a First Division Team: a Fourth Division team receives 1½ points from a Third Division Team. 2½ points from a Second Division Team, and 4½ points from a First Division Team.
  9. If a match results in a tie, the winning team shall be determined firstly by a board count; and secondly by progressive elimination of the bottom boards until a clear result is obtained. If all games are drawn the match shall be replayed within three weeks of the original date, venue being reversed.
  10. When travelling facilities are inconvenient the two Clubs may agree on a neutral venue.
  11. The date upon which a given match is to be played shall be on the Club night of the home team, in the week allocated for the round by the Conductor.
  12. If a Club fails to play its match within the period laid down and can give no adequate reason for its action, the Executive Committee may, if they think fit, eliminate the said Club from the Competition.
  13. The rate of play is each player has 1 hour and 15 minutes to make 35 moves and then an additional 15 minutes to complete the entire game.
  14. The Captains of the opposing teams shall, before the commencement of a match, exchange lists of their teams, arranged in order of current playing strength.
  15. Rules 7, 9, 14, 15, 17 and 18 of Rules governing the League competition shall, where applicable, be binding also on the team Knock-out Competition.