KENT COUNTY CHESS ASSOCIATION

KENT COUNTY CHESS ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

(amended 5th September 2010)

1. Title
This Association shall be called the “Kent County Chess Association”.

2. Objects
The Association shall encourage the establishment of chess clubs throughout Kent and foster the playing of chess generally.

3. Constitution

(a) The Members of the Association shall be:

(i) the President, who shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting;

(ii) Honorary Vice-Presidents, who may be elected at any General Meeting and who normally hold their office for life;

(iii) Vice-Presidents and unattached members who pay an annual fee;

(iv) members registered by their Clubs under Rule 6.

(b) All Chess Clubs and Chess Sections of clubs in Kent shall be eligible for affiliation to the Association.

4. The Association shall be affiliated to the British Chess Federation and to the Southern Counties Chess Union.

5. Officers

The Officers of the Association, to be elected at every Annual General Meeting, shall be the Chairman of the Committee, one or more Match Captains, Secretary, Treasurer, Tournament Secretaries, Junior Organiser(s), County and Club Correspondence Conductors, Congress Organiser; and any other Officer elected.

6. Fees

(a) All membership fees shall be payable in respect of the Association’s financial year. However, any membership taking effect after the 31st August will remain valid until the end of the following year.

(b) All fees shall be fixed at each Annual General Meeting.

(d) Club fees

(i) Each Club shall send to the Tournament Secretary a registration form giving the names of all players it wishes to be affiliated to the Association. This form, together with the entry fee for each team, must reach the Tournament Secretary at least seven days before the Club’s first match of the season and at any rate no later than the 31st October.

(ii) Supplementary registration forms may be sent at any time during the season.

(iii) No player may represent a Club in Kent competitions unless registered at least seven days in advance.

(iv) Each member’s eligibility to represent a Club in Kent competitions expires on the 31st August following the member’s registration.

7. General Meetings

(a) The following General Meetings shall be held:

(i) An Annual General Meeting which shall be held in September: in even-numbered years in Metropolitan Kent, and in odd-numbered years in Mid Kent or East Kent. For definitions of these Areas, see Tournament Rule 2.

(ii) A Special General Meeting which shall be held at the written request to the Secretary of not less than 20 members of the Association. A Special General Meeting may also be held at the discretion of the Committee.

(b) At General Meetings the quorum shall be 10 members.

(d) The Rules or Tournament Rules of the Association (excluding the Appendix to the Tournament Rules) may be changed only at a General Meeting.

(e) The Secretary (or if this is impossible the Chairman of the Meeting) shall send at least 21 days written notice of Meetings to all members, except that notice to their Club Secretaries shall be deemed sufficient notice to members affiliated through Clubs. Such notice shall include a full agenda of items to be considered and full details of any proposed changes in the Rules or Tournament Rules or alterations in fees.

(f) The President of the Association or the Chairman of the Committee shall take the chair.

(g) Voting shall be restricted to members present. Each shall have one vote; except that in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

(h) All decisions shall be taken by a simple majority vote; except that the Rules or Tournament Rules may be changed only if at least two-thirds of votes cast are for the change.

(i) Annual General Meeting

The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

(i) Consideration of the financial report for the previous year ending 31st May. Copies of the financial report, audited if possible, shall be sent with the agenda of the Meeting.

(ii) Other Reports from Officers, which may be submitted orally.

(iii) Election of the President, the Officers and not more than five members of the Association to serve on the Committee.

(iv) The appointment of Auditors, Adjudicators and Grader.

(v) The presentation of Trophies

(vi) Any matter in respect of which the Secretary has received written notice from a member of the Association by the 1st July.

(vii) Any other business which the Chairman sees fit to accept.

(j) Special General Meetings

Only matters on the agenda shall be considered.

8. The Committee

(a) The Committee shall be responsible for the general management of the affairs of the Association.

(b) The Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Association and those members elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(c) If an Officer dies, fails in the opinion of the Committee to fulfil the duties of his Office, or gives notice that he wishes to relinquish his Office, the Committee may appoint another member of the Association to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.

(d) The Committee shall meet within one month at the request of the Chairman or Secretary or any three Committee members.

(e) The Secretary (or if this is impossible the Chairman of the Committee) shall send at least 14 days notice of Meetings to all Committee members, giving an agenda of items to be considered.

(f) At Committee Meetings the quorum shall be four members.

(g) Voting shall be restricted to Committee members present. Each shall have one vote; except that in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

(h) All decisions shall be taken by a simple majority vote.

9. Matches and Tournaments

(b) Except as otherwise provided by the Association’s Rules or tournament Rules, all play in competitions conducted by the Association shall be governed by the latest edition of the FIDE “Laws of Chess” as adopted and published by the British Chess Federation.

(a) No person shall take part in any competition conducted by the Association (except junior or open competitions) unless he is a member of the Association.

(c) Smoking shall not be permitted in the playing room of any competition conducted by the Association, except with the agreement of all players and officials present.

(d) Trophies for Competitions shall always remain the property of the Association and the names of the winners shall be engraved thereon at the Association’s expense.

10. Any question or dispute concerning the Association’s Rules or Tournament Rules, or concerning matters for which the Rules or Tournament Rules do not specifically provide, will be referred to the Committee whose decision shall be final.

KENT COUNTY CHESS ASOCIATION

TOURNAMENT RULES

(amended 5th September 2010)

These Rules apply to the principal Annual Tournaments (County Cup, Lewis Cup, Stevenson Cup, En Passant Cup, Harvey Cup, Tom Fuller Cup, Intro Cup) and any similar competition that may be introduced.

GENERAL SECTION

The General Section applies to all three Areas. It may be changed only at General Meetings and by a two-thirds majority in accordance with Rule 7(h) of the Constitution.

1. (a) These Tournaments will be open to any Club which has paid its fees.

(b) The general conduct of the Tournaments will be vested in the Tournament Secretary and the Committee of the Association. In cases not specifically covered by these Rules, the Tournament Secretary will use his best judgment.

(c) Teams will consist of four players in the Tom Fuller and Intro Cups and six in other competitions; or (in the preliminary round) of such alternative number as the Fixtures Meetings may decide.

2. The County will be divided into three Areas known as Metropolitan Kent, Mid Kent and East Kent. Metropolitan Kent will include all Clubs west of a line drawn from Gravesend to Westerham (Gravesend to be in this Area); East Kent will include all Clubs east of a line drawn from Faversham to Rye (Faversham to be in this Area); all other Clubs will be in Mid Kent. Special cases will be referred to the Tournament Secretary.

3. (a) The Tournament Secretary will convene Fixtures Meetings in September. There will be one such Meeting for each Area, and every Club will have the right to be represented at the Meeting for its Area. The quorum will be representatives from half the Clubs in the Area.

(b) In addition to the business of arranging fixtures, each Meeting will have general control of the Tournaments within its Area and may, subject to these Tournament Rules and to the Constitution of the Association, adopt such additional Rules as it wishes for the preliminary round. The additional Rules will form an Appendix to these Tournament Rules and amendments to them may not be made unless due notice of proposals has been given with the Notice of the Meeting concerned.

(c) Each Club represented at a Fixtures Meeting will have one vote for each team entered in these Tournaments. Changes to the Appendix to these Rules may not be made unless supported by at least two-thirds of the votes cast. Otherwise, all decisions will be taken by a simple majority vote and in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman will have a casting vote.

(d) In the event of a combined Meeting for more than one Area there will be separate voting for the different Areas involved, unless an initial resolution to adopt combined voting is supported by over half the votes from each Area separately; provided always that voting will be combined on issues relating to Tournaments where Areas are combined.

(e) A Supplementary Area Meeting will be held at the request of at least half the Clubs in the Area concerned. All rules governing procedure at Fixtures Meetings will apply also to Supplementary Meetings. At least 21 days notice of Supplementary Meetings must be given.

4. Any Trophy awarded by the Association will be returned to the Trophy Curator not later than Finals Day of the following year.

5. Players will be eligible provided that:

(a) They are registered through the Club for which they play.

(b) They are not disqualified under Rule 6.

Any game played by an ineligible player will be deemed lost for him by default.

6. (a) No player may play for more than one team in the same Tournament. Exception: where a Club enters more than one team in the same Tournament, then if one of these teams does not reach the semi-finals it is permissible for players to transfer into another of them for the semi-final and Final; and if one of the teams does not reach the Final, it is permissible for players to transfer into another for the Final.

(b) No player may take part in a semi-final who has not played for the club concerned at least once during the current season in these Tournaments. No player may take part in a Final who has not played for the club at least twice during the current season in these Tournaments.

7. Grading Limits

All Tournaments except the County Cup will be grading-restricted as follows:

(a) A Club entering any of these Tournaments will show on its registration form (see Constitution 6 (d)) the grades of all its players. Special cases:

(1) If a player has more than one grade, the grade used will be the one appearing highest in this list:

(i) current BCF published grade for chess played at normal rates;

(ii) current unpublished BCF grade, if the Tournament Secretary thinks its use appropriate;

(iii) current FIDE rating;

(iv) current national rating or grade other than BCF;
(v) current BCF Quickplay grade.

If other than (i), the source must be indicated. If a grade is known to be inaccurate this must be stated, and the Tournament Secretary may substitute a corrected grade whether it is stated or not.

(2) If a player has no current grade the Club must give its best estimate of strength, indicating any previous grade and other relevant information. The Tournament Secretary, on receipt of the form, may revise this estimate if he has good reason to do so, but must consult and inform the Club. If he decides, during the season, that the estimate is inaccurate he may still revise it and the revision will take effect seven days after the Club receives notification (or earlier if the Club so chooses). He may, exceptionally, revise it retrospectively if satisfied of deliberate deception on the Club’s part.

(b)   (1)    Grading limits (unless otherwise decided by the AGM) are as follows:
                    County Cup              none
                    Lewis Cup                 170
                   Stevenson Cup           155
                    En Passant Cup          140
                    Harvey Cup               125
                    Tom Fuller Cup        110
                    Intro Cup                     95

(2) In no match may a team’s mean grade exceed the stated limit.

(3) Any player whose grade falls short of the limit by more than 50 points will be deemed, for the purpose of Rule 7(b), to be graded 50 points below the limit.

(4) Defaults: if a player who is named on the team list defaults, whether through absence or ineligibility, his grade will count towards the mean grade of the team. Where an unnamed player defaults, the mean grade will be the mean grade of the named players.

(c) Penalties: for every four points, or part thereof, by which a team’s mean grade exceeds the limit, one half game point will be deducted from the team’s score in that match.

Note: exceeding the limit is against the rules. The penalties are not to be seen as licence to do it. They are intended for the case where overgrading is accidental. However, overgrading (with a penalty) may sometimes occur with the opponents’ prior agreement. While no team is entitled to exceed the limit, the opponents’ prior agreement would in practice be taken as justification. It is stressed that the penalty would still be applied.

If the Tournament Secretary, having regard to the above paragraph, feels that a team is offending too often he may, after a written warning, take whatever action he thinks fit, extending even to the removal of the team from the Tournament.

8. Preliminary rounds

(a) Within each Area, teams will play in a preliminary round to decide the Area Champion for each Tournament.

(b) Any play-off match, or other special procedure for resolving ties, will be deemed to form a part of the preliminary round.

9. Semi-Finals and Finals

(a) All the Finals will be played at the same venue on Finals Day. Control of Finals Day will be vested in the KCCA Committee, who will appoint an Organiser to organise the semi-finals and Finals Day. An Arbiter will be appointed for Finals Day.

(b) If a Tournament is contested in only one Area, the Area Champion will be also the Tournament Champion.

(c) If a Tournament is contested in two Areas, these Areas will be designated “A” and “B”. Four teams will be admitted to the semi-finals as follows:

(i) Al and B1: the Champions respectively of Areas A and B;

(ii) A2 and B2: the teams placed second in the two Areas, with any tie-splitting performed as for A1 and B1.

(d) If a Tournament is contested in all three Areas, four teams will be admitted to the semi-finals as follows:

(i) Al and A2: the Champion and second-placed team respectively of the Metropolitan Area, with tie-splitting for A2 performed as for Al;

(ii) B1 and B2: the teams qualifying from the Mid and East Kent Areas. If these Areas are combined for the Tournament in question, Bl and B2 will be respectively the Champion and the second placed team of the combined Area, with tie-splitting for B2 performed as for B1. If the two Areas are separate, the Mid and East Kent Champions will be given the titles B1 and B2 by lot.

(e) The pairings for the semi-finals will be Al at home to B2, B1 at home to A2.

(f) The winners of the semi-finals will meet on Finals Day to decide the Tournament Champions.

(g) The date for the completion of the semi-finals and the date for Finals Day will be agreed at the previous season’s Annual General Meeting.

(h) All semi-finals and Finals will have a quick-play finish. The rate of play will be 48 moves in two hours; when the player with the black pieces has made the 48th move, both clocks will be put back 30 minutes, and the game will be completed in the time remaining on each clock. In the semi-finals only, the rate of play and the amount of time allowed for the quick-play finish can be changed by mutual agreement (subject to Rule 10(d)).

(i) An independent Arbiter will be in attendance. The Arbiter can be mutually agreed upon by the competing Clubs for a semi-final (any dispute to be put to the Organiser), but if it is desired that the Arbiter be provided by the KCCA, the Organiser should be informed without delay of the date and venue of that semi-final, and an Arbiter will be provided.

(j) If a semi-final or a Final is drawn, the result will be determined by board count; or, if this fails, by bottom board elimination. Should every game be drawn, the winner will be the team which had black on board 1.

10. Rules governing matches

(a) Mobile phones are permitted in the playing room but must be switched off or in silent mode. A player whose phone rings audibly in the playing room while his game is in progress will forfeit the game. However, the penalty cannot be applied unless a warning has been given by the match captains. It should be given at the start of the match and will apply even to players who have not yet arrived. If no such warning has been given, the player who first offends will receive a warning. Thereafter any such offence, by any player, will incur loss of the game.

(b) The members of each team will play in descending order of known current playing strength; except for substitutes who may play as provided by Rule 10(g).

(c) Match captains will exchange team lists before tossing for colours. It is not permitted to include the names of players who are not expected to attend. If a list includes less than a full team, the consequent default(s) will be placed on the lowest board(s).

(d) The team winning the toss will choose to have white on either the odd or the even numbered boards. If either match captain is absent at the time agreed for the start of a match and no substitute is available, the other team will be deemed to have won the toss.

(e) Clocks will be used. The time allowed for a match will be 2½ hours unless the match captains agree otherwise. In no case will it be less than 2 hours. [Note: 2 hours is the minimum required for Standardplay grading.]

A quickplay finish will always apply if required by the Tournament Secretary, or if the match takes place later than 7th March. In other cases it will apply unless the two players agree otherwise before the start of play. (For this case see Rule 11 on games unfinished at the time agreed for close of play.)

(i)    Games with quickplay finish.
The time available for the match will be divided equally between the two players, and the last 15 minutes of each player’s time will be set aside for the quickplay finish. The number of moves to be made before the initial time check will be at the rate of 30 per hour or pro rata if the check is at 60 minutes or less; 28 per hour if it is at more than 60 minutes but less than 80 minutes; and 24 per hour if it is at 80 minutes or more.
       When Black has made his time-check move both clocks will be set back for the quickplay finish and the game will be concluded in the time remaining.
       Match captains may agree to vary the time allowed for the quickplay finish, the number of moves to be made before the initial time check, or both.   The Tournament Secretary may require their variation in special cases.

(ii) Games without quickplay finish.

The initial time check will be 30 moves in the first hour if the time available is less than 2½ hours; 35 moves in the first 1¼ hours if the time available is at least 2½ hours but less than 3 hours; and 36 moves in the first 1½ hours if the time available is three hours or more.

After the initial time-check play will continue at 7 moves per quarter-hour in a session of less than 3 hours, or 6 moves per quarter-hour in a session of 3 hours or more. [See Note following these Rules.]

Match captains may agree to vary these rates of play. The Tournament Secretary may require their variation in special cases.

(f) If any player is absent at the time agreed for the start of a match and the opponent is waiting, then the absent player’s clock will be started. If in such a case no clock is available at the agreed starting time but one becomes available before the game begins, the clock will be advanced to allow for the time elapsed as if it had been started in the usual way. If at the agreed starting time a player and the opponent are both absent, the clock will not be started until one of them arrives. The time elapsed will then be divided equally between the two clocks and the absent player’s clock will be started.

(g) Sixty minutes grace will be allowed for an absent player if the playing period is four hours or more, and thirty if it is not. If at the end of this time the player is still absent and no substitute is provided, the game will count as a loss for that player by default. Once a match has started no substitute may replace an absent player until at least 15 minutes has been registered on that player’s clock.

(h) No substitute may play on a lower board than that on which he would have played had he been a member of the original team.

(i) Points will be scored as follows:

(i) game points: one point for a game won, half point for a game drawn;

(ii) match points: one point for a match won, half point for a match drawn.

(j) The score of each match, on the official score sheet, will be sent by both sides to the Tournament Secretary so as to arrive not later than 14 days after the commencement of the match. If any game is unfinished, this must be noted on the score sheet. For matches played after the 19th March, score sheets must reach the Tournament Secretary within five days of the match. For matches that go to two or more sessions the final result must be sent by both sides so as to arrive not more than 10 days after the final session of play.

(k) Any protest by one Club against another will be submitted in writing, and without unnecessary delay, to the Tournament Secretary who will inform the other Club, also in writing and without unnecessary delay, before any decision is made.

11. Unfinished games

If any game is unfinished at the time agreed for close of play, then at the end of the agreed playing session the player to move must seal. The game will then be concluded according to either option (a) or option (b) below.

(a) adjudication (see Rule 12). This option will apply if neither player insists on (b). The move sealed will be disregarded by the adjudicator.

(b) adjournment and resumption within 21 days. Either player may insist on this. The player who wishes to resume must travel to his opponent’s venue unless otherwise agreed. The player who did not seal is responsible for the safekeeping of the sealed-move envelope. At the start of the second and all subsequent sessions, the time control will revert to the time controls of the first session (e.g. 35 moves in an hour and a quarter, then seven per quarter-hour). [See Note following these Rules.]
If resumption does not occur within 21 days the Tournament Secretary may, if he sees fit, impose option (a). In this case he will inform both Clubs, giving at least two weeks’ notice.

12. Adjudication

(a) Positions for adjudication will be sent to the Tournament Secretary by both sides, together with the match score sheet. They must be accompanied by the appropriate fee from each team in respect of each adjudication. If a team’s claim is upheld its fee will be refunded (provided that the claim is not subsequently rejected upon appeal).

(b) Each position for adjudication must be noted on the official form. Teams must also note on this form:

(i) the number of men for each player;

(ii) if it cannot be inferred from the diagram, whether or not castling for either side is possible, and whether or not an en passant capture could be the next move;

(iii) the player who has the move;

(iv) the names and teams of the players;

(v) the claim being made.

In addition, if either team claims that a possible sequence of moves would allow a draw by repetition, that team must send with the form a copy of the complete game score, signed and attested as correct by both match captains.

(c) If either team fails to comply fully with the provisions of Rules 12 (a) and (b), and in particular if its form does not reach the Tournament Secretary within the period prescribed by Rule 10 (i), the Tournament Secretary may rule that the opposing team’s claim be upheld without proceeding to adjudication.

(d) Appeals against adjudication

(i) Notice of appeal must be sent to the Tournament Secretary so as to arrive within 10 days of receipt of the decision.

(ii) the appeal must reach the Tournament Secretary within 14 days of receipt of the decision.

(iii) the Tournament Secretary will inform the opposing Club of the appeal without delay.

(iv) the appeal must be accompanied by a copy of the original diagram, the appropriate fee, and analysis in support of the appeal.

(v) the opposing team may also send analysis if it wishes.

(vi) if an appeal is successful the appeal fee will be refunded (together with the original adjudication fee, if the original claim is now upheld).

(vii) the decision of the appeal adjudicator will be final.

(viii) notwithstanding Rule 12 (d) (i) and 12 (d) (ii), any appeal lodged after 19th March must reach the Tournament Secretary within five days of the receipt of the decision.

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Note to Rule 10(d)(iii)

“If a quick-play finish does not apply, then after the initial time-check play will continue at 6 moves per quarter-hour in a session of 3 hours or longer, or 7 moves per quarter-hour in a session of less than 3 hours.”

It is customary to set both clocks back by 15 minutes as soon as Black has made a time control.

This means that, if a player has time in hand at one time control, it is carried forward to the next. Each new check adds 15 minutes to the total time allowed. It also adds 6 (or 7) to the number of moves required.

Note to Rule 11

“At the start of the second and all subsequent sessions, the time control will revert to the time controls of the first session.”

The 15-minute time-checks in force at the end of the first session are suspended, and play reverts to the original controls. The new control will start from the last time‑check actually reached.

To determine the next time control, take the last one actually reached and add 35 or 36 moves as appropriate.

There is a quick and easy way to set the clocks. If a 15-minute control was in progress at the end of the previous session, it simply turns into a 1¼ hour (or 1½ hour) control and both clocks will be set back by 1 (or 1¼) hours. If the players have just reached a control at the end of the session and not adjusted their clocks, of course they will receive the entire 1¼ (or 1½) hours.

Example

Original control 35 moves in 1¼ hours. Play in the first session has proceeded beyond this point, at a rate of 7 per quarter-hour, but has not reached the second time‑check. White has made 5 moves since the first check, and had 2 more moves to make in 5 minutes in order to meet the second.

On resumption the 15‑minute control that was in progress turns into a 1¼ hour one. They are now playing at 35 in 1¼ hours, starting from the last time-check reached (on move 35). White has made 5 of these moves, and used 10 minutes of his time. He now has an hour and 5 minutes for the remaining 30 moves.

Black has been playing faster than White and still had 20 minutes left (for 3 moves) at the end of the first session. He now has an hour and 20 minutes left to reach move 70.

In this example the last time-check reached, in the first session, happened to be the first one on move 35. If they had reached the second check, on move 42, the new rate would have been 35 in 1¼ hours starting from there (and finishing on move 77).

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KENT COUNTY CHESS ASSOCIATION

APPENDIX TO TOURNAMENT RULES

(adopted 4th September 2004)

The provisions of the Appendix may be modified independently by the several Fixtures Meetings as provided by Tournament Rule 3. Any change made by a Fixtures Meeting will remain in force until annulled or modified.

Al A Club may enter more than one team in any Tournament.

A2 Fixtures Meetings (Metropolitan Kent)

(a) Entries for the Tournaments shall be submitted to the Tournament Secretary before the Fixtures Meeting.

(b) The Tournament Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of each Fixtures Meeting to the Secretaries of all Clubs concerned, specifying any proposed amendments to Appendix Rules.

A2 Fixtures Meetings (East and Mid Kent)

(a) Entries for the Tournaments shall be submitted to the Tournament Secretary at or before the Fixtures Meeting, except at the discretion of the Tournament Secretary.

(b) Proposed amendments to the Rules shall be submitted to the Tournament Secretary by the 7th August.

(c) The Tournament Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of each Fixtures Meeting to the Secretaries of all Clubs concerned, specifying any proposed amendments to Appendix Rules.

(d) At each Fixtures Meeting the Tournament Secretary or a representative shall take the chair.

(e) Any Club not attending the Fixtures Meeting without good reason may be required by the Fixtures Meeting to play all its matches away from home.

A3 Preliminary rounds (Metropolitan Area only).
Not more than three teams from any one Club shall be eligible to take part in any one Tournament.

A4 Preliminary Rounds (general)

(a) Each team shall play all other teams in its area.

(b) Where a Club enters more than one team in the same Tournament, these teams shall play all their matches against each other before playing any other matches in the Tournament. This rule also applies to play-offs as defined by A5.

(c) The dates, times and venues of all matches shall be arranged by the Clubs concerned. However, dates on which the Kent First Team is playing a County Match can only be used with the prior agreement of the Tournament Secretary.

(d) Cancelled Matches. Failure to give seven days notice can incur a penalty of 0-6 game points, at the Tournament Secretary’s discretion. The Club rearranging the fixture should, within 14 days, contact the other Club to ensure another date is fixed. N.B. Matches cancelled after 19th March should be rearranged without delay.

(e) If any team plays less than half its matches, or becomes disaffiliated during the season, the results of any matches played shall be disregarded.

(f) At the completion of the preliminary round, teams shall be placed in descending order of match points; where match points are equal, in descending order of matches played or won by default; and, where teams are still equal, in descending order of game points. For this last purpose game points (but not match points) shall exclude points scored in matches won by default. If a tying team has won a match by default, its game points scored in this match shall be discounted. Also discounted shall be game points scored against the defaulting team by other teams involved in the tie.
Should two teams still be tied, the individual match or matches between such teams shall decide, as follows:

(i) If the teams have played one match only, the result of that match shall decide. If it was drawn, the result shall be decided by applying to it the board count rule or, if this fails, the elimination rule. If there is still a tie, the winner shall be the team which had black on board 1.

(ii) If the teams have played two matches, the winner shall be the team which scored more game points in the two matches combined. If game points are equal, board count shall be applied to both matches separately and the results added, and the team with the lower resultant aggregate shall be the winner. If there is still a tie, the elimination rule shall be applied by discounting results two at a time (both board six results then both board five results, and so on) until a result is obtained.

The team placed first in the Area shall be the Area Champion.

A5 Play-offs

(a) If there is a tie for admission to the semi-finals (see tournament Rule 9), each tying team shall play one match against each other tying team to resolve the tie. In such play offs, teams shall be placed in the manner provided by A4 (f) above.

(b) No player may play in a play-off unless he has played for that Club at least once during the current season in these Tournaments.

A6 Rules governing matches

(a) A team losing six games by default in a season shall forfeit two game points, and a further game point for every further three games defaulted. For this purpose the Tournament Secretary shall disregard complete matches defaulted with at least 48 hours notice to the opposing team. In such cases there is no penalty beyond loss of the match.

(b) Each time a team fails to comply with Tournament Rule 10 (i) it shall be deemed to have lost one game by default for the purpose of A6 (a).