League and KO Cup Rules

RULES OF THE HILLINGDON & DISTRICT CHESS LEAGUE
JULY 2024

LEAGUE RULES
1. Name
2. Divisions
3. Committee
4. Eligible Clubs
5. Teams
6. Matches
7. Match Points
8. Clubs Or Teams Withdrawing
9, Admission Of Teams And Number Of Teams In Each Division
10. More Than One Team From A Club
11. Match Rules
12. Time Limits and Digital Clocks
13. Reporting Results
14. Unfinished Games
15. Adjournment Procedure
16. Adjudication Procedure
17. HDCL Fees
18. Trophies
19. Committee Meetings
20. Annual General Meeting
21. Annual Fixtures Meeting
22. Game Rules
23. Disputes
24. Other Tournaments
25. Mobile Phones
26. May games
27. Defaulted Boards

KNOCKOUT CUP RULES

1. Boards and Teams
2. No Adjudications. Time Limits
3. Match Arrangements and Timetable
4. Hillingdon Plate
5. Trophies
6. Fees

1. Name
The name of the League shall be Hillingdon & District Chess League (HDCL).

2. Divisions
The HDCL shall be grouped in one or more divisions.

3. Committee and AGM
The HDCL shall be administered by a committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary, Webmaster, Treasurer, League Controller, Fixtures Coordinator and a Knock-Out Controller elected annually at the AGM. At the AGM each club can provide up to two delegates that will vote. The rules of the HDCL may only be altered by a straight majority at the AGM.

4. Eligible Clubs
Except where approval to the contrary has been given by the AGM, all players competing in the HDCL shall either reside in the Borough of Hillingdon or be bona-fide members of a club which is itself a member of the HDCL.

5. Teams
Teams in all divisions shall be 5-a-side and players shall USUALLY be placed in order of playing strength. Known defaults are to be placed at the bottom board(s) of a team list.
Play can occur out of rating order by up to 100 points without requiring agreement of the opposing captain. If greater than 100, then agreement must occur between captains before 19:30 on match night and shown in the match results comments.

6. Matches
Each team shall play against each of the teams in the same division one or more times as may be decided at the AGM each year. If a captain receives less than 48 hours notice that his opponents will not come to the match they are within their rights to claim a 5-0 default win.
Any club failing to contest a match on the Fixture List shall forfeit the match 5-0 unless a timely rearrangement, sanctioned by the Controller has been made by the two captains. Said team will also receive a single “Season Point” penalty which is equivalent to one match point.

If it is the Home team postponing within 7 days of the scheduled fixture date then they must play at the away team venue in the rearranged match unless otherwise agreed by both captains.

7. Match Points and Divisional Ties
A won game in a match shall count as one point, a draw as half a point and a loss no points.
A won match shall count as TWO points, a draw as ONE point and a loss ZERO points.
Any tie for first (or last) place in a division is to be decided by a determination made in the following order:

If teams still level after rule 7a. then use rule 7b. and so on.
7a. Separate teams by their Total Game Points For (i.e. number of wins at 1 point and draws at ½ point each) for all League matches in the season.
7b. Separate teams by their Total Game Points of each tied team in their head to head matches.
7c. Order tied teams by their penalty points. Less penalty points means a higher league position.
7d. A play-off at any agreed venue.
7e. If play-off drawn apply the KO rule 1(a).

8. Clubs or Teams Withdrawing
If a club withdraws a team from the League during the season, its results and unplayed matches will be treated in the following manner:
If the withdrawn team has played 50% or more of its matches then those completed match results will stand. Unplayed matches will be awarded to the opponents. Game points for unplayed matches will be: withdrawn team, nil; opponents, the average of the total game points scored by them in all their other matches in the Division (to the nearest game point), subject to a minimum score of 50% of the game points available per match plus 1.
If the withdrawn team has played less than 50% of its matches then those results will be annulled.
All games played will be submitted for rating whether the withdrawn team's results stand or are annulled.

9. Admission of Teams and Number of Teams in Each Division
The committee may admit any eligible team and if there is more than one Division clubs may enter any reasonable number of teams in each Division subject to the approval of the AGM or the Fixtures Meeting. The Webmaster will create the League in the ECF LMS, however, captains are responsible for adding new players to their club list. This should be done before any match night where a new player attends.

10. More Than One Team From a Club
a. Nominated Players
If a club enters two or more teams in the League it must submit to the Controller a list of at least 5 nominated players before the end of September or prior to playing that team’s first fixture – whichever comes first. These listed players are then not eligible to play for any lower team and must play in at least two league fixtures for their nominated team. A similar rule applies to each of the lower teams in that club except that the lowest team does not nominate. No lower team may have a higher average rating of a team above it. Should this occur then the Controller will switch team names such that the higher rated team plays above the lower rated team. Should this occur after the first match (because the teams failed to submit their nominations in time) then the controller will notify the club to do this. Both teams will be deemed to have lost their respective matches. They will however, be rated as per the original results.
The games of all ineligible players are deemed lost by default but will be rated with the actual game result. Penalty points are also added awarded as per rule 27 (Defaulted Boards).

Should the Controller not receive such a list prior to the first match, the first 5 players fielded become the nominated players for that team. Any player nominated into a lower team of a club or one who is currently not a nominated player for any team and who plays three games for a higher team automatically becomes a nominated player on his/her 4th appearance in the higher team for the remainder of the season.

A captain may make up to two changes to their nominated players by inserting up to two and removing up to two players– subject to the League Controller’s discretion.

b. No player may play for more than one club in any one season unless, at least seven
days beforehand, the player or relevant club official has notified the Controller of the
circumstances of the proposed change of club and the Controller has accepted said
circumstances. Breach of this rule renders games liable to be forfeited.

c. Where two or more teams from the same club are in the same division the matches between them should be played prior to playing those against other clubs. Teams from the same club must have played all their joint fixtures by 31st January. Any of these joint fixtures unplayed by this date will be double defaulted.

11. Match Rules
All matches should start at 19:30 (7:30 pm). The three hour session is to be made the default length unless the club can only host a 2½ hour session except at Harrow where the default length is 2.5 hours. Match captains should exchange team lists including time controls selected for each board 5 minutes before agreed start time. Match sheets must have full names and the latest ratings of each player as per the ECF Ratings database. The away team will have White on odd boards, 1, 3, 5 etc. If one team is not present at 7.30 pm the other team can start the clocks. If the clocks are not present then time shall be removed from the offender’s clock as if the match had started on time. A time for finish (or adjournment) is agreed before commencement. After 30 minutes have elapsed from the time agreed for commencement a club scores one game point for each player present whose opponent is absent, unless a substitute arrives within the said 30 minutes or the captains agree otherwise.

12. Time Limits and Digital Clocks
The default position is, in the absence of agreement by the players, games are to be finished in one session using the Fischer incremental time limit. But the players can always agree standard play, with adjournment and resumption if necessary.

Prior to the start of each match captains must record what time limit applies and the players must select from Quick Play using a digital clock and Fischer time increments (or if both players agree Standard Play or Quick Play using an analogue or digital clock. Digital clocks must have the settings “Sound” = Off, “Freeze” = Off.

3 Hour Session

QUICK PLAY with DIGITAL Clock and Fischer time increments
The move rate will be 75 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. A player can stop writing the moves during the last 5 minutes, but should seek someone to record the moves if both players are below 5 minutes. With the Digital option you cannot claim a draw using the two minute rule. Such games can theoretically continue after ‘time’ is called for any Standard play games.

If normal time is called and the Digital game is unfinished it must be adjourned as per standard play rules. Resumption should use a digital clock set with the same increment and same clock times noted at the adjournment.

STANDARD PLAY
42 moves in 90 minutes

QUICK PLAY with analogue or digital clock
35 moves in 75 minutes with a 15 minute wind back for all remaining moves. Or non wind back with all moves to be made in 90 minutes. (Quick-play rules apply for both wind back and non wind back). The wind back option takes precedence over non wind back.

2½ Hour Session

QUICK PLAY with DIGITAL Clock and Fischer time increments
The move rate will be 65 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. A player can stop writing the moves during the last 5 minutes, but should seek someone to record the moves if both players are below 5 minutes. With the Digital option you cannot claim a draw using the two minute rule. Such games can theoretically continue after ‘time’ is called for any Standard play games.

STANDARD PLAY
35 moves in 75 minutes

QUICK PLAY with analogue or digital clock
28 moves in 60 minutes with a 15 minute wind back for all remaining moves. Or non wind back with all moves to be made in 75 minutes. (Quick-play rules apply for both wind back and non wind back). The wind back option takes precedence over non wind back.

Games Unfinished
Standard play games unfinished at the first time control have an additional 60 minutes for 28 moves.
If the first session was 2½ hours then the next time control will be at 63 moves.
If the first session was 3 hours then the next time control will be at 70 moves.

Games still unfinished will get another 15 minutes added for a Quick-play finish. (Quick-play rules apply).

Clocks must be used if available. A player exceeding a time limit loses if claimed by his/her opponent. If both clock flags fall before either player notices then the game shall be drawn unless checkmate occurs over the board before either player notices the flag fall.

13. Reporting Results
Captains are responsible for entering match results themselves on the ECF LMS. Any new captains must get logins organised before the start of the season. Assistance with this will be offered by the HDCL Webmaster. Unless agreed otherwise, the team that wins will submit the match result. In the case of a draw, the home team will submit the result. In each case the opposing captain should then “Verify” the result on the ECF LMS.

14. Unfinished Games
At the agreed time (close of play) normally after 3 hours play (to ensure that at least 42 moves have been played) any game unfinished shall be dealt with as follows:

a. The players agree a result, or;
b. If the players cannot agree a result the game shall be adjourned.
c. In an exceptional case where less than 42 moves have been played the game shall be
resumed at the original venue.

15. Adjournment Procedure
The player to move must record, in a sealed envelope provided by the Home side, move, move number, position and time elapsed in the game of both players. All sealed moves must be made within 15 minutes from the call of time. Failure to do so incurs the loss of the game.

The date and location (usually the away player’s club venue) of the resumption are to be written on the outside of the sealed envelope which is to be handed to the non-sealer who must produce it intact upon resumption. This date and location information must also be included in the website results notes field or sent by both captains to the Controller by email within 3 days.

Resumption of play must be within 21 days.

In exceptional circumstances the Controller may sanction a longer period. If the envelope is not sealed or not produced when resumption is due to continue then the non-sealer shall be deemed to have lost the game.

If one player selected Quick play but the other selected Standard play the venue for the adjournment should be the Home venue of the player that had wanted Quick play.
In other circumstances the resumption should take place at the away player’s club, but any other venue agreed by both players may be used.

Should agreement not be reached then the matter must be referred with full details to the Controller whose decision is final.

16. Adjudication Procedure
There is no adjudication.

17. HDCL Fees
Clubs shall pay such fees as are decided at and by a properly constituted AGM.

18. Trophies
The League or Division winners shall hold the relevant Trophy for the ensuing year and are responsible for returning it to the Committee by mid June so that they may be engraved. The Committee will then bring all engraved trophies to the AGM for presentation to the next winners.

19. Committee Meetings
The Secretary, who will consult with the Chairman, shall call a meeting of the Committee as necessary.

20. Annual General Meeting
There shall be an AGM held during the months of June or July at which the Officers shall present their reports and an audited statement of the Accounts shall be presented by the Treasurer. Each Club may have two delegates. Only the nominated delegates (who must be present) may vote. At this meeting each club shall declare its provisional entries in the Divisions and the Knockout competition for the coming season as well as other such business may be transacted as appears on the Notice convening the meeting. Any club wishing to place an item on the AGM agenda or on the Fixture Meeting agenda as the case may be, may do so by giving written notice to the Secretary not less than two weeks before the AGM or the Fixtures Meeting.

21. Annual Fixtures Meeting
An Annual Fixtures Meeting shall be held during September. The teams shall organise their fixtures themselves with the other teams. All fixtures shall be determined by the end of this meeting. Any team unable to do so must get approval from the relevant Controller for any non-agreed fixtures to be agreed after the start of the season. All matches must aim to be played and completed by 31st May. At the Fixtures Meeting the draw for the first round of the Knock-Out Competition will be made. The dates for playing the first round matches will then be agreed by match captains according to rule 3 of the Knock-Out Competition.

22. Game Rules
Unless otherwise provided for in these Rules, all games shall be played in accordance with the current regulations of the ECF.

23. Disputes
Any dispute arising or matter not covered by these Rules shall be referred within one week to the Controller whose decision shall be final. If this would entail a conflict of interest (eg the Controller’s club has a vested interest in the result of the dispute) the Controller will delegate resolution of the dispute to another member of the Committee not involved. Again their decision will be final.

24. Other Tournaments
The Committee shall have the power to organise any tournament or match that it considers will benefit the HDCL.

25. Mobile Phones
Mobile phone infringements (including texting) will be tolerated on the first occasion but the opponent can claim the game on a second infringement. This rule does not apply to Captains until their full team has arrived.

26. May Matches
Matches scheduled for May have mandatory quickplay.

27. Defaulted boards

A team which defaults on any board shall be liable to default penalties.
Default Default points
Board 1 5pts
Board 2 4pts
Board 3 3pts
Board 4 2pts
Board 5 1pts

15 default points will remove 1 match point
30 default points will remove 2 match point
45 default points will remove 3 match point and so on pro rata

If agreed in advance of the match a defaulted board will not result in any default points. This needs to be noted in the match result report on the ECF LMS.

Rules of the Knockout Tournament

(as adopted at the AGM of 21st May 1986 and amended at the AGMs held on 8th June 1988, 16th May 1990, 19th September 2002 and June 28th 2011)

1. Boards and Teams
a. All matches are to be of 5 boards. Each club may enter any number of teams.

In the case of a tied match use the following tie-break rule:

i. Board Count
Note down the numbers of the boards each team won on, and add up those numbers for each team. The team with the lowest total is deemed to be the winner. If board count fails to produce a winner, use the following rule.

ii. Elimination rule.
Eliminate the bottom board, and add up the points scores for the remaining boards of each team. If the scores are still level, eliminate the next board etc until the tie is broken. The team with the highest score is deemed to be the winner.

iii. If this fails to separate the teams then the team which had Black on Board 1 wins.
b. No player may play for more than one team in a season. A player cannot change teams even within a club.

c. Each team may use a maximum of 10 different players in a season. Should this rule be breached the games of all ineligible players in that team are deemed lost by default and the team shall have one additional game point deducted for each ineligible player fielded.

2. Match Night & Time Limits

Board colour is decided by a coin toss.
Each player’s total moves must be made using the Quick play time limits. (See League Rules Section on Time Limits).
Quick play finish Rules apply.

3. Match Arrangements and Timetable
At the September Fixtures Meeting:-
a. Each club will state how many teams it is entering.
b. The first round draw will be made and Clubs will arrange the dates of first round matches.
i. Up to 16 teams may compete. If that be the case then the first round must be completed by 31st October; Quarter-Final by 16th January; Semi-Final by 30th March; Final by 31st May.
ii. Up to 8 teams then round 1 must be completed by 30th November; Semi-Final by 28th February and Final by 31st May.
In exceptional circumstances the Knockout Controller may vary the timetable.

4. Hillingdon Plate
All teams competing, who have been knocked out in Round 1 of the KO Tournament, are eligible to take part in the Hillingdon Plate competition.

5. Trophies
The winners of the respective Knockout and Plate competitions shall hold their Trophies for the ensuing year and shall bring them to the next AGM.

6. Fees
No additional fees are required for entering the Knock-Out competition.