Masterinds Chess Club of Philadelphia

Greater Philadelphia Chess League Rules

1. Application of the Rules Return to Top

These rules govern the Tournament of the Greater Philadelphia Chess League. (GPCL)
These rules may be amended by a majority of voting captains prior to the start of the tournament.
Amendments applicable to the current season only may be made after consultation with the captains of all affected teams.

2. Executive Director Return to Top

The Executive Director as tournament director shall implement these rules.
The Executive Director may supplement these rules with statements of policy, interpretations, and precedents, such rulings to be published in the next bulletin.
The Executive Director shall see that a bulletin is published by six days prior to each match, to contain at least current team standings for all sections, results for each match, and any rulings made by Executive Director. The bulletin shall be distributed to team captains via email or as otherwise arranged.

3. Team Captains Return to Top

The team captain is the official team representative to the League.
The team captain is responsible for ensuring that all team players are USCF members when they compete. Team captains will be held financially responsible for players who are not USCF members.
Both captains or their designated representatives must be present during all phases of a match.
A captain may advise his players as to general conduct and respond to questions of whether to offer or accept a draw and may answer questions about rules but may not give advice as to a position, strategy, or choice of moves, or call attention to a clock condition other than a defect.

4. Team Lineups Return to Top

Rating limits for each section are:

Open section: Open to all players, average team rating must be under 2200.
Reserve section: Open to all players under 2000, average team rating must be under 1600. A team may include one player over 2000.
Scholastic section: Open to all players K-12.

A captain will assign his players to boards in rating order from highest to lowest. A captain may choose to use the initial ratings from the rating supplement at the start of the tournament in later matches. (Applicable to Open and Reserve sections)
With the consent of both team captains, one player on either or both teams may be reassigned to a lower board to avoid forfeits. Matches may also be played with a reduced number of boards with the consent of both captains. (Applicable to Open and Reserve sections)
An unrated player may be assigned a tentative rating by the team captain with the approval of the Executive Director.
Unrated players may play in any section, but only on the lowest boards unless assigned a rating. (See rule 4.4)
Unofficial ratings will be used only if a current published rating can’t be found.
Computers are not allowed to play.

5. Players Return to Top

A player must be a USCF member whenever he competes and may be called upon to show proof of his USCF membership.

6. Fees Return to Top

1. The registration fee for a season shall be set by the Board of Directors of the sponsoring club. This rate shall prevail unless disapproved by two-thirds of the membership.

7. Match Schedule Return to Top
(Applicable to Open and Reserve sections)

Matches may be rescheduled with consent of both teams’ captains and the Executive Director.
The Executive Director will postpone a match at the request of either captain if weather conditions or other emergencies require it or if insufficient notice has been given of the match.
Individual games may be pre-played or postponed at the request of both teams’ captains.

8. Match Play / Tournament Play Return to Top

The Open and Reserve sections shall consist of four board matches unless otherwise agreed upon by both captains.
The “black” team has white on odd numbered boards.
The Scholastic section shall consist of swiss-paired tournaments with the top 4 scores composing a team score for each tournament.
Time control shall be a sudden death time control of 90 minutes for the Open and Reserve sections. Time control for the scholastic section shall be a sudden death time control of 45 minutes.
Team captains shall declare lineups before the start of the match at the scheduled round time. Players arriving after one hour forfeit their games.
Chess clocks will be used when available, but, in cases of insufficient clocks, the higher boards shall have priority in assigning clocks. Clocks added to games that have already begun shall split the elapsed time between players.

9. Penalties Return to Top
(Rules 9.1 - 9.3 applicable to Open and Reserve sections only)

A team forfeits on a board when its player has a higher USCF rating than one of its players on a lower board.
Forfeits made in advance of a match will be made on the lowest boards.
If a team deliberately lists an ineligible player, or lists a player who does not intend to play, the team shall forfeit all lower boards.
If a player or a team member not playing interferes with a game in violation of the rules of chess, his own game (if still in progress) may be declared lost by his team or the opposing team be awarded an extra game point.
The Executive Director shall have the power to impose any penalty authorized by USCF.

10. Prizes Return to Top

The League shall award a trophy or plaque to the winning team in each section and trophies or plaques to the individuals with the highest score in each section.
Additional prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the sponsoring club.

11. Playoffs Return to Top

If at the end of the season there are teams in the same section that are tied for first in score, a playoff match shall be scheduled by the executive director to determine the first place.
Only players who have played at least once for their team during the season may participate in a playoff match.