Rules

Herefordshire County Chess League Rules 2025-26

(The Marches League)

Index

1.            Introduction

2.            Participation

3.            Frequency of the Competition

4.            Laws of Chess

5.            Rate of Play

6.            Default Time

7.            Scoring

8.            Teams

9.            Grades & Board Ordering

10.         Fixtures & Team Lists

11.         Postponements

12.         Defaults

13.         Herefordshire County Chess League Controller

1.           Introduction

1.1 The Herefordshire County Chess League will be known as the Marches League and is managed under the auspices of the Herefordshire County Chess Association.

1.2 Any team entering the Herefordshire County Chess League is agreeing to be bound by the stipulations within this document.

1.3 It is advised that Captains and interested parties should read and familiarise themselves with these rules prior to competing in the Herefordshire County Chess League. Any subsequent breach of rules and the application of penalties shall not be forgiven in the event that participants have not consulted this document and the rules contained therein.

1.4 In these rules the words “he”, “him” and “his” include “she”, “her” and “hers”.

2.         Participation 

2.1.  The Herefordshire County Chess League – this shall be an annual all play all league competition consisting of teams from clubs affiliated to the Herefordshire County Chess Association. The league is subject to the rules contained herein.  

2.2   Candidate teams for a season must register their interest at or before the Annual General meeting of the Herefordshire County Chess Association or, in the event of no such meeting occur in time for a season to start in September, by a deadline date set by the Tournament Controller.

2.3   The club represented by the winning team shall be declared the Herefordshire County Champions and be awarded the county trophy to be held for the following year.

3.         Frequency of the Competition

3.1.    Each Herefordshire County Chess League competition is organised annually. 

3.2.   The Herefordshire County Chess League will usually run from the first day of September through to the last day of June to following year. (i.e. 1st September – 30th June). 

4.         Laws of Chess 

4.1.   FIDE laws of chess apply throughout the event except where amended in this document.

5.         Rate of Play 

5.1 The default rate of play in the Herefordshire County Chess League is for all moves to be played in 60 minutes for each player with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one. Captains may mutually agree to a playing time of 45 minutes per player for all moves with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one

5.2 Clocks shall be started by the captains at the stipulated start time for the match.  Where at start of play no players are represented at a particular board, the captains shall start white’s clock

6.         Default time

6.1 The default time is 1 hour after the start of the match; except in exceptional circumstances where the default time will be determined by the tournament controller if present or by agreement between the two captains where the controller is not present.

7.         Scoring

7.1 The score in each game is 1 for a win, ½ for a draw and 0 for a lost game. 

7.2.    The team that scores more game points in a match than its opponents receives two match points; the opponents receive no match points. In the case a match ends in such a way that the sum of boards points is equal to that of its opponents, each team receives one match point.

7.2.1. The ranking will be determined according to match points; the team obtaining the highest number of match points being declared the winner of the competition. In case of equality rule 7.2.2 shall be applied. 

7.2.2.  The order of teams that finish with the same number of match points shall be determined by the application of the following tie-breaking procedures in sequence, proceeding from (a) to (b) to (c) to (d) the extent required.

a)     By the number of game points, the highest number wins.

b)  By the sum of the game points in head-to-head results between the two teams (or a head-to-head mini league of 3 or more teams).

If game points remain tied, then:

(i)            Board count between the teams

(The boards on which wins are scored are added for each team and the lowest total wins). 

(ii)          Bottom Board Elimination between the teams

c)      By the sum of the board points of all the team’s   opponents, excluding the opponent who scored the highest number of board points and the opponents who scored the lowest number of board points, the highest number wins.

d)      Play-off between the teams – either single head-to-head or mini league if 3 or more still tied after the application of a, b, and c above. 

8.         Teams 

8.1.   The teams shall be composed of a number of players as agreed at the Annual General Meeting of the Herefordshire County Chess Association or by the Tournament Controller where no such decision has been made.

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8.3.  A player may only play for one Herefordshire County Chess League team in a season.

8.4.  Each team should appoint a captain to act as a representative for that team. As the main point of contact the captain should have access to email facilities, and communication with the Herefordshire County Chess League controller and other team captains. Teams are responsible for their own internal communications. 

9.         Grades & Board Ordering 

9.1.   All games played in the Herefordshire County Chess League are subject to ECF or WCU rating. the Herefordshire County Chess League controller will ensure games are forwarded for rating purposes to the ECF and/or the WCU as appropriate. 

9.2.  The ratings used for board ordering in the Herefordshire County Chess League will be assigned in the following order: 

(i)   Relevant National Grade (converted for comparison purposes if necessary)

(ii) Nominated Grade (estimated by the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller (with respect to the advice of the team’s captain). 

9.3.   The team for a match shall comprise eligible players arranged in rating order. However, a player may play above another player who has a higher grade provided the grading difference is not greater than 80 ECF/WCU/ELO points, based on the rating lists in operation at the time of the match. 

9.4 Notwithstanding the rules on defaults (see section 12); In the event of a player not arriving to play a match a player who has not been nominated in the team may substitute on the board, within the allowed default period (see Rule 6.1), provided they are eligible to play for that team.

10.      Fixtures and Team Lists

10.1. A league schedule for the Herefordshire County Chess League season will be issued by the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller as soon as practicable each calendar year. 

10.2. In the league schedule the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller will propose indicative dates for matches during the playing season setting out which matches comprise each round.

10.3. For each round teams will be identified as either the ‘Home’ team or the ‘Away’ team. 

10.4. This is to be considered an indicative schedule and, where traveling or hosting is considered arduous or difficult to arrange team captains should make their own fixture and venue arrangements. 

10.5. There is no requirement to play the fixtures in the order set out in the schedule of rounds.

10.6. Board Colours – Colours will be decided by pairing whereby the first named team (the ‘Home’ team) shall have black on odd boards and white on even boards.

10.7. All matches must be fulfilled.

11.    Postponements  

11.1. In exceptional circumstances (e.g. extremely bad weather) matches may be postponed with the agreement of the Controller or by mutual agreement between the two captains

11.2. Any match thus postponed will be re-arranged between the teams and agreed with the Controller. 

12.    Defaults

12.1. If a team defaults a match, then the match will be awarded to their opponents as a 4-0 win except where that team’s opponents are in turn defaulting one or more boards.  In such an event individual boards will be scored in line with rule 12.3.

12.2 If a player fails to turn up for a match, then the board on which he has been named shall be counted as a default loss (0-1) – except where rule 12.3 applies.

12.3  Where both players default an individual board that board shall be scored as a draw for the purposes of the match result.

12.4. If a club is unable to raise a full team of to fulfil a fixture, then the available players must play on the highest boards – i.e. defaults shall start from the bottom board upwards. 

12.5. If a team plays an ineligible player, the opposing Captain has the right to protest prior to the start of the match. A subsequent written complaint must be sent to The Herefordshire County Chess League Controller within seven days of the match being played. If the complaint is upheld by the Controller, the team infringing the rules will be penalised by forfeiture of all points scored in the match concerned with effect from the highest offending board downwards.  For the purposes of the match and the tournament, those results will be recorded as wins for their opponents

12.6. If a team plays a player on a board which violates the point difference rule (see rule 9.3) he will be treated as an ineligible player. (See rule 12.4). 

12.7. If a team violates the team composition rules (See rule 9.3); then starting at board 1 and working to board 4, the player on the first board on which the violation occurs, shall be treated as ineligible. (See rule 12.5).  However please note rule 10.6.

13. Herefordshire County Chess League Controller 

13.1. The Herefordshire County Chess League Controller shall be a person appointed by the Herefordshire County Chess Association following the AGM, but prior to the season beginning, to perform the day-to-day running of the Herefordshire County Chess League. 

13.2. If the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller is not available for an extended period of time, or to control and/or arbitrate a particular match or group of matches, then the Herefordshire County Chess Association may nominate a person who shall assume the role.

13.3  Where no suitably qualified or available arbiter is available, the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller will act as arbiter for all and any matches played in the Herefordshire County Chess league. 

13.4. The Herefordshire County Chess League Controller may seek advice from other officers of the Herefordshire County Chess Association, ECF & WCU Arbiters and Grading Officers. He may also seek external help regarding rule infringements and similar league enquires from such bodies as the ECF, WCU and FIDE.

13.5. Where the decision affects the team for which the controller plays, he shall seek and act on advice from other officers of the Herefordshire County Chess Association

13.5. The decision of the Herefordshire County Chess League Controller is final.