These
guidelines are intended to assist captains and players. They are,
nevertheless, only guidelines, and anyone requiring further details should
consult the League Rules or the Laws of Chess.
1. Before
the match
1.1. The captain should ascertain that the
players are available to play. Defaults on any boards (except the lowest
possible boards) may be penalised.
1.2. The home captain should check that the
equipment is available and in good working order before the match.
1.6. Both captains should ensure that the match
starts at the time specified in the BDCL handbook.
1.7. Individual players may play as reserves up to 3
times for any higher team. The captain should be aware that if a player
plays for the fourth time then that player is promoted to play for that
team. The knock-out tournament games do not count for this purpose.
1.8. The captain should tell all players to power
down their mobile phones. Ideally a mobile phone should not be kept on your
person.
2.
The match card
2.1. The BDCL no longer
supplies Match Cards. However a template with 4 Match Cards can be found at
the BDCL website on the Home page E Match Cards tab.
2.2. Both captains
should list the team players in strength order in the appropriate space as
required by Rules 4.1 to 4.6. It should be noted that Captains now have
limited flexibility with regard to their board order, however, breaching
Rule 4.6 will most likely lose the match. Captains should use the BDCL
published rating list for August until the end of December following which
the January grades will apply. An unrated player will have an estimated or
assigned grade until they obtain a K grade which then must be used.
2.3. Any
players known to be defaulting before the start-time should not be listed by
name but default should be written instead against the lowest possible
boards. Writing ‘default’ instead of a name, before the start-time on any
board above a named player will result in the loss of the match.
3. Starting
the match
3.l. Starting time for matches is given in the
handbook
.
3.2. Analogue clocks should be set to the same
time. It is recommended that clocks should be set so that the first time
control is at 6.00. For example, if the playing session is 2 ½ hours then
the clocks should be set at
4.45.
Teams using digital clocks should
be conversant with setting them up correctly.
3.3. When a club is
inaccessible at the designated start-time or the home team shows little or
no willingness to set-up or start the match at the correct time, the
visiting captain should consider claiming time off the opponents’ clocks to
cover the time wasted.
3.4. No
player should start playing until their full team list has been written
down.
3.5.
All WHITE’s clocks should be started at the same time, whether or
not either player is present.
4. During
the match
4.1. The captain is NOT allowed to interfere in,
or comment on, the state of any player’s Game. This includes refraining from
comment on a loss on time or a draw by repetition, which must be claimed by
the player involved in that game. However, a captain may advise a player of
the score in the match without being asked.
4.2. A player may ask his captain’s advice on the
Laws of Chess or the League Rules. A copy of the Laws of Chess should be
available in the club room.
4.3. A captain
may intervene where a dispute has occurred in order to attempt to settle it,
but should not express an opinion on the state of the game, unless this is
directly related to the dispute. Where no settlement can be made the
captains or other delegated persons should ensure that a report of the
incident is sent to the Chairman of the Rules Committee as soon as possible.
4.4. The first
illegal move by a player is punished by the addition of 2 minutes to the
opponent’s clock. A second illegal move by the same player will result in
the loss of the game
4.5. The captain
does not have the right to agree a result without the consent of the player
concerned.
5.
End of session/match
5.1. The captains should check that the cards are
correct and sign both cards.
5.2. The captains
should ensure that their cards are either posted or e-mailed within 5 days
or entered or verified on the LMS system within 5 days.
6. Rules of
the game
6.l. TOUCH-MOVE RULE
— A player must move, or capture, the piece he deliberately touches.
If the player cannot move, or capture, the piece touched then there is no
penalty. If the player is castling it is essential that the player touch the
king first.
6.2. DRAW
BY REPETITION
- A player who is intending to
claim a draw should not make the move leading to the third repetition. The
player should write the move on the score sheet and claim the draw, If the
opponent disputes this claim then the clocks should be stopped and the game
reconstructed on another board to check that the position has appeared 3
times. A player making the move over the board invalidates the claim for a
draw. The penalty for an incorrect claim is adding two minutes to the
opponent’s remaining time.
6.3. LOSS ON TIME.
- A player has lost on time if his time has
expired before he has completed the required number of moves. To make
the time control a player’s flag must be intact immediately after pressing
the clock on the final move. Players should claim a win immediately upon
noticing a flag fall.
6.4.
OFFER OF A DRAW
-
A player should make the offer
of a draw in his own time, His opponent does not have to reply until it’s
his turn to move. The offer remains until his opponent accepts, declines,
touches a piece with the intention of moving it, or his time expires. This
particular offer, once declined, cannot later be accepted.
7 Conduct
7.1. The captains have a particular
responsibility for keeping good order during the match. Players should not
be distracted during the course of a match. Your opponent may regard the
playing of another game of chess at the same time as a distraction.
7.2 Any
dispute should be submitted to the chairman of the Rules Committee within 7
days.
7.3. There should be no analysis carried out of a
game in progress within the same room.
7.4 Any evidence of collusion to pre-determine the
result of a match may be considered to be bringing the game into disrepute.
Appendix
Playing Room Conditions
1. Where possible, the playing room should be
reasonably warm within 30 minutes of play starting. Where clubs know that
their room will not be particularly warm, then they should warn visiting
teams in advance of the match and perhaps also include this on their website
and in the BDCL club Directory.
2. It is not always possible to have completely quiet
rooms but players who have finished their games should not disturb those
still playing and this also includes putting sets away noisily.
3. Where there is a bar players should be asked not to
bring in their own refreshments.
If a player is asked to leave the premises for doing
so, the rules committee would be inclined to support a default of the
offending player on the grounds they were unable to continue.
4. Where possible, analysis should take place in a
separate room, rather than the playing room, to avoid distracting players
who are still playing their games. Players who have finished their games and
other persons in the playing area should not use their mobile phones while
games are in progress for any purpose - note, this does not mean "silent
mode" or "airplane mode".
M. Biddle
Chairman
BDCL Rules Committee
January 2024