ASTC Rules

Laws of Chess

The FIDE Laws of Chess will apply.

Time Limits

The time limit for all four divisions will be 60 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move from move 1. (Note that, with this time limit, each player must record all moves until he/she has less than five minutes remaining on the clock).

Competition Rules

The Australian Schools Teams Championships are governed by Australian Chess Federation By-law 4 (last amended 16 Feb 2015) which is as follows:

1. The Australian Schools Teams Championships comprise:

a. The Australian Secondary Schools Open Teams Championship;

b. The Australian Secondary Schools Girls Teams Championship;

c. The Australian Primary Schools Open Teams Championship; and

d. The Australian Primary Schools Girls Team Championships.

2. a. The Championships are to be held on a date or dates in December of each year to be determined by the Council.

b. The Council may determine that the Girls Championships be held on a date or dates different from those determined for the Open Championships.

c. If the Girls' Championship and the Open Championship are held on the same date or dates, a player shall not play for a team in both events.

3. a. Each affiliated State or Territory is entitled to be represented by one team in each of the four competitions that normally comprise the Australian Schools Teams Championships.

b. In circumstances described in sub-clauses (c), (d) and (e), a State or Territory may be represented by more than one team provided that no more than one team from a school shall take part in the same competition.

c. Where the number of teams in a competition would otherwise be five or seven (including one team representing the host State or Territory), the host State or Territory shall nominate one additional team, if possible.

d. If not possible, the procedure described in sub-clause (e) shall be applied to increase the total number of teams in the competition by one.

e. Where the number of teams in a competition would otherwise be four or fewer (including one team representing the host State or Territory), the host State or Territory shall nominate one additional team, if possible, after which the procedure described in sub-clause (e) shall be used and if necessary repeated until the number of teams is six.

f. The order in which States and Territories shall be invited under sub-clause (e) shall be the same as the finishing order of the highest-scoring team from each State or Territory represented in the previous competition, followed if necessary by any other States and/or Territories in an order determined by lot.

g. In circumstances not provided for in this by-law, the number of teams that may participate in a competition and the States or Territories entitled to nominate them shall be determined by the ACF after consultation with the host State or Territory and its appointed organiser, if any.

4. a. Each team may comprise up to 6 players, any 4 of whom may play in any Match.

b. Each member of each team competing in each round of the national finals must:

(i) be a bona fide student at the school represented by the team concerned or have been such a student when the school concerned became entitled to compete in the national finals;

(ii) satisfy such other requirements not inconsistent with this by-law as may reasonably be applied by the school responsible for the entry of the team concerned and the ACF-affiliated association authorised to determine the schools that are to represent it.

c. Players are to be entered, and to play, in their teams in order of playing strength which is not to be varied during the Championships.

d. The names of the four players who are to play must be given to the arbiter at least 15 minutes before the round in which they are to play.

e. A list of all players in each team in order of playing strength is to be given to the arbiter and to each other team in the same Championship at least 30 minutes before the time appointed for the beginning of the first round.

f. A team that is dissatisfied with the order of playing strength notified for any other team in the same Championship may protest against that order by writing stating the grounds of the protest and given to the arbiter and to the team affected at least 20 minutes before the time appointed for the beginning of the first round. The arbiter, having given the team affected the opportunity to reply to the protest, shall determine the matter forthwith and may either dismiss the protest or uphold the protest and order that the playing order of the players in the team affected be varied as specified by the arbiter.

5. a. Each Championship shall be won by the team having the highest team points being the sum of points scored by all individual members of the team.

b. If more than one team in a Championship has the same number of team points, the following tiebreak principles apply in the order listed: (i) match points - 2 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss; (ii) team points scored in matches between the tied teams - eg if 3 teams in a tie each team would have a score out of 12; (iii) as in (ii) but with preference given to wins on the highest board.

c. If, after applying (i) to (iii), any teams are still tied, the title is to be shared by those teams. 6. Subject to this By-law, the By-laws for ACF Tournaments 1. to 35. apply to the Championships.

Note: On 6 January 2007 the ACF Council resolved that the time control for all divisions of the Australian Schools Teams Championships be standardised to 60 minutes for the game, plus a 10 second increment for every move from the start.