Country Secondary Schools Competition
Rules

1.   ORGANISATION

The competition will be conducted as a knockout within the six regions – Hunter, North Coast, North-West, Riverina, South Coast and West. The Regional Winners will then compete in finals to determine the Country Secondary Schools Champion.

Each school will field one team. Schools will be paired to play each other by the New South Wales Junior Chess League (NSWJCL) Country Secondary Schools Convenor. The first-named team in each pairing will either host the match or be responsible for arranging a venue convenient to both teams. While this team’s Coordinator (usually a teacher or parent from the school) should, upon receipt of the draw, initiate contact with the opposing team’s Coordinator, the Coordinators of both schools must ensure the match takes place at any time before or on the specified completion date. As the Competition progresses and distances between schools become greater, schools may wish to consider other options, such as playing by internet or phone – see 4.h. below. (Note, however, that the DET has recently blocked access to the commonly used internet chess server sites, thereby preventing state schools from using those sites to play on the internet.)

Teams will be eliminated only upon their second defeat. After their first defeat, teams will compete against other defeated teams in a Second Place competition which will be joined progressively by newly defeated teams and which will ultimately determine second place in the region.

Our aim in establishing this competition is to foster chess competition between schools throughout the state. Naturally, schools which are eliminated from the competition may wish to continue to play friendly matches, and we encourage you to contact schools in your area and make your own arrangements.

2.   ARRANGEMENTS FOR MATCHES

It is expected that most of the early matches will be played face-to-face. Pairings will be made between schools in the closest possible proximity to start with, and the match may be played at one of the schools or at a convenient meeting place between the schools. While organising the venue for face-to-face matches will be the responsibility of the first-named team of the pairing, it is the responsibility of both schools to ensure the matches are played on or before the specified completion date for the round. By mutual agreement, matches can be played by telephone or internet to avoid excessive travel.

3.   TEAMS

a.   Players:  Matches are played between teams of four players. Each player must be a student at the school he/she represents. Central schools may field players from primary grades where there are insufficient secondary players to complete a team. A player may not play more than one game for his/her team in any match.

b.   Board Order:  Players within each team should be ranked in order of strength (strongest on Board 1). If players have NSWJCL ratings, they must play in rating order unless the school has determined that the ratings do not reflect players’ relative playing strengths. Care should be taken in determining the relative strengths of players before the competition begins. If the relative strengths change during the course of the competition, then board order should be adjusted accordingly.

c.   Colours:  In the pairing the first-named team plays white on boards two and four, black on boards one and three.

4.   MATCH CONDITIONS

a.   Venues: The venue for the match should be a suitably quiet environment where play can take place undisturbed.

b.   Dates: On receiving their pairing, schools will be notified of the date by which the match must be played. It is essential that schools arrange their mutually acceptable date and venue as soon as they are advised of each round’s draw. Any problems with dates should be immediately discussed with the Convenor. Delays must be avoided as they will hold up later rounds of the competition.

c.   Supervision: Between them the schools should appoint to supervise the match a person who may be a parent or adult from either school. If possible an adult should be present from each team. The supervisor and the players are expected to be aware of the rules of the competition.

d.   Equipment: The first-named team in the pairing is responsible for arranging provision of standard (Staunton pattern) sets and boards of reasonable size for the match.

e.   Results: One result sheet only is required, signed by the team captain or supervisor of each school. The result sheet should be faxed to the Convenor as soon as possible after the match is finished, or at the latest by the next school day, so that the next round may be organized promptly. In the event of a match being tied, the winner is decided by ignoring the result of the board 4 game, then if necessary, board 3, etc., until there is a clear result. (This is necessary because, in a knockout competition, only one team can progress to the next round.)

f.    Duration of Matches: Before the match starts, the teams should agree on the duration of the match, after which time the positions of unfinished games must be sent for adjudication. We suggest a minimum of two hours (although most games will be over well before this), with some flexibility in finishing time if a result seems imminent. PLEASE REMEMBER IT IS ALWAYS PREFERABLE FOR A GAME TO REACH ITS NORMAL CONCLUSION IF TIME PERMITS. Chess clocks may be used, if available, provided that BOTH players agree. In this case, the time limit shall be 30 moves in the first 60 minutes per player and the rest of the game in 15 minutes each. (The maximum duration for a game played with clocks is therefore two and a half hours.)

g.   Unfinished Games/Adjudications: Where clocks are not used and a game is unfinished after the agreed playing period, the players may agree to a result (i.e. one player resigns, or both players agree to a draw) if the position is very clear. This must be without pressure from observers, including the supervisor. If the result is not clear and/or the players do not agree to a result, the position must be recorded on the adjudication form provided. The completed adjudication form (checked and signed by both sides) is to be faxed to the Adjudicator (not the Convenor – see 7. CONTACTS below) as soon as possible (at the latest by the next school day). Schools will be notified of adjudication results as soon as possible.

h.   Play by Telephone or Internet:  Please refer to Guidelines for Play by Telephone or Internet available on the NSWJCL website (click on “Schools” in the homepage menu, then, under “Country Secondary Schools Competition”, click on “Resources”).

5.   BEHAVIOUR

Players are expected to display courteous behaviour towards each other and to supervisors at all times. Players are expected to be fully aware of all the chess and conduct rules that apply to the tournament.

Supervisors must ensure that the players’ rights are respected and that observers (or opponents) do not interfere with or intimidate players in any way.

The laws of chess provide that infractions of the rules relating to the behaviour of players may incur penalties even to the extent of the loss of the game.

a.   Players are forbidden to distract or annoy their opponents in any way.

b.   Players and spectators must remain silent during play. Players are forbidden to have recourse to the opinion of a third party whether solicited or not.

c.   Spectators must not touch the board, pieces or table where a game is being played.

d.   Players have the right to ask the supervisor to remove spectators who are distracting them or standing too close. Spectators should remain at least one metre from any player.

e.   It is essential that all spectators including supervisors refrain from making comments on a game in progress or interfering in any way, except where an illegal move has occurred or where there is insufficient material for a checkmate and players are playing on (the game is drawn). Where chess clocks are being used, observers should not comment on the state of the clock, for instance pointing out that a player is short of time or his flag has fallen.

6.   DISPUTES AND PROBLEMS

Teams should always have a copy of these rules available at every match. In the case of any dispute that cannot be settled by the supervisor, the game should be stopped immediately and the position recorded. The details of the dispute and the game position should be forwarded at once to the Adjudicator (see 7. CONTACTS below).

7.   CONTACTS

Adjudicator (for unfinished games and disputes over chess rules):

Richard Gastineau-Hills, phone (02) 9412 4579, fax (02) 9410 0609, email RichardGH@bigpond.com.

Convenor (for all other matters relating to the running of the competition):

Bev Peters, phone 9417 4166, fax 9417 3327, email bev@cbpeters.com.

The Convenor is empowered to vary the rules under special circumstances when deemed appropriate.

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