Chess Cornwall - Cornwall Online Congress Rules

These rules cannot cover all possible situations that may arise during the competition, nor can they regulate all administrative questions. The purpose of this league is to promote friendly competition in a spirit of fair play. The organisers take the view that, where cases are not precisely regulated by a clause in these Rules, too detailed a rule or too narrow an interpretation might produce an outcome that was not fair to all parties. When ruling on any doubtful point, or one not covered in these Rules, fairness must be the Controller’s primary consideration. The organisers appeal to all team captains and competitors to accept this view.

1) The tournament is open to all members of the Cornwall team on lichess.

2) The closing date for entries to be sent to the Controller is 9 a.m., Saturday, 27 May, 2023. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the Controller.

3) The competition will consist of single section.

4) The competition will consist of 7 rounds played fortnightly with pairings determined using the Swiss pairing system.

5) ½-point byes may be taken in any two of rounds 1-6. Notice must be given two weeks before the draw is made for the round.

6) The organiser will set the pairings for each round using an ECF-approved computer program and distribute them to the players as soon as possible after the completion of the previous round.

7) a) It is the responsibility of the players in each pairing at the earliest opportunity to agree a date and time for the playing of their game. When agreement has been reached, both players must inform the Controller of the agreed date.

b) If the players cannot reach agreement on the date on which their game is to be played before the final date for the round, they may, subject to the approval of the Controller, agree a subsequent date as close to that date as possible.

c) No points will be scored by either player for any games that are not played by the end of the competition.

d) If a player fails to appear within thirty minutes of the agreed start time for the game, his/her opponent may claim the game by default.

8) The final dates for completion of each round are as follows:
Round 1: 11 June 2023
Round 2: 25 June 2023
Round 3: 9 July 2023
Round 4: 23 July 2023
Round 5: 6 August 2023
Round 6: 20 August 2023
Round 7: 3 September 2023

9) Conduct of Games

a) Each player will play one game against his/her opponent.

b) If a player fails to play his/her first move within 30 minutes of the start of play, the game shall be awarded to his/her opponent.

c) All games will be played using the game-playing facilities of lichess.

d) All games will be played using the RATED setting.

e) The rate of play for each game will be all moves in 45 minutes plus 15 seconds per move from move 1.

f) The first-named player in each pairing will have the white pieces.

g) One point will be awarded for a win, a half-point for a draw and none for a loss.

h) Both players must send the result of their game to the organiser no later than 11 o’clock a.m. on the following day.

10) The organiser will cause all results to be published as soon as practicable.

11) The results of all games played in the tournament will be submitted to the ECF for inclusion in the online standard play list.

12) If a player withdraws from the competition without playing all of his/her games, his/her record shall be expunged and any games played by him/her will be null and void.

13) Where he is of the opinion that it would not be appropriate for him to make a decision on any matter in which he has an interest, or if it appears to him to be otherwise necessary for the efficient administration of the competition, the organiser may nominate an independent person to carry out this duty.