**********GCC Club Championship Rules and Regulations************

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2014
Organised by
GLENWOOD CHESS CLUB


Important Acronyms:
GCC – Glenwood Chess Club
GCCC – Glenwood Chess Club Championship
Exco – Executive committee
T&Cs – Terms and Conditions
FIDE – Federation Internationale des Echecs (World Chess Federation)
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING TOURNAMENT RULES WILL APPLY AND BE IMPLEMENTED STRICTLY. ANY PLAYER WHO ENTERS THE GCCC 2014, ACCEPTS AND AGREES TO ABIDE BY THESE RULES, REGULATIONS AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS. ANY INDISCRETIONS DURING THE TOURNAMENT WILL RESULT IN APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE APPOINTED ARBITER AND CLUB EXECUTIVE.
TOURNAMENT RULES/REGULATIONS AND T&Cs
  1. Date and Venue
From 9th May to 18th July 2014, at Glenwood Preparatory School.
  1. Who may enter
Any player may enter the tournament by making payment of the designated fees and by the registration of the player expected to play in the event.
  1. Tournament format
3.1) The tournament will consist of an A (Championship), B (Candidate), C (Premier) and D (Open Swiss) section. Matches will be played over 4 boards in the A section, and 5 boards in the B and C section respectively. There is no limit to the number of players in the D section.
3.2) The A, B and C section will run as a 9-round Round Robin with 9 players in the A section and 10 players in the B and C section respectively.
3.3) The D section will run as a 9-round Swiss.
3.4) If player numbers for the GCCC 2014 are smaller or larger than expected, the GCC Exco reserve the right to change the number of sections, the number of players in sections and the number of rounds.
3.5) Default time for all sections in the GCCC 2014 will be 30 minutes from the start of the advertised times, not from when the round is actually started by the arbiter.
3.6) Scheduled/Advertised start time for each round: 18h30.
  1. Postponed Games
4.1) Each player has a postponement limit of 2 games for the GCCC 2014.
4.2) Notification of a postponed game to the GCC Club Director and opponent must be done latest by 12pm of the Friday that the game is scheduled on.
4.3) Failure to comply with 4.2) will result in you being defaulted for that round.
4.4) Dates for the postponed games which may be organised on are advertised under 11.). Each player may only reschedule one postponed game per date. It is up to the players to reschedule and to notify the arbiter of the date before the last round of GCCC 2014.
4.5) Advertised dates for postponed games may be subjected to change if there is any cause for it from 3.4). In the case of this, GCC Exco will notify all players of the change in schedule.
  1. Section composition
Players in each section will be compiled by the Club Director, Head Coach and subsequent GCC coaches. Selection criteria consists of current CHESSA rating, performances and activity. The final lists will be ratified by the GCC Exco and the Club Director will notify the players of each Round Robin section regarding the pairings latest 2 days prior the start of the GCCC 2014, not including the Friday of Round 1.
5.1) The A section will consist of 9 players plus a BYE. The B and C section will consist of 10 players.
5.2) The player who has the BYE for each Friday does not have to be present at GCC.
5.3) The D section will have no limit on entries. Late entries to the GCCC 2014 will automatically be placed into the D section.
5.4) Section compositions are subject to possible changes based on 3.4).
  1. Determining the winners
The player scoring the most Game Points (aggregate of the scores of the individual player) in each section at the completion of the GCCC 2014 will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie for first place, the tie between individuals will be broken as follows:
6.1) Tiebreaks for Round Robin sections follows the recommendations by FIDE:
6.1.1) Direct encounter
6.1.2) Greater number of wins
6.1.3) Sonneborn-Berger
6.1.4) Koya System
6.2) Tiebreaks for the Individual Swiss section follows the recommendations by FIDE:
6.2.1) Direct Encounter
6.2.2) Buchholz Cut 1
6.2.3) Buchholz
6.2.4) Greater number of wins
In the case of a tie for first place and direct encounter cannot provide a sole winner, play offs will be used to determine the winner.
  1. Promotion/Relegation
7.1) Promotion applies to the winner and runner up of all sections other than that of the A section, seeing those players placed into the section above for GCCC 2015.
7.2) Promotion is only applicable to players who have played more than 50% of GCCC 2014 games.
7.3) In the case of a promoted player for a respective section being unavailable to participate in the GCCC 2015, the 3rd place player in that section does not gain automatic entry into the section above.
7.4) Relegation applies to the last two players in all Round Robin sections, seeing those players placed into the section below for the GCCC 2015.
7.5) In the case of more than two players finishing on the lowest score in a respective Round Robin section, the tiebreak system documented to determine winners will be implemented.
  1. Play-offs
Any play-off games will be scheduled on a postponed game date. The following play-off structures will be implemented for the GCCC 2014:
If two players tie:
  • Two games will be played where both players have a turn to play with each colour. Players will draw lots to determine initial colours. Time controls will be 15 min + 5 sec increment for each player.
  • If both players have tied, a second set of two games will be played where both players have a turn to play with each colour. Players will draw lots to determine initial colours. Time controls will be 3 min + 2 sec increment for each player.
  • If both players have tied, sudden death will be used. Sudden death will see a single game being played. The appointed arbiter will oversee the draw for colour preference, with the winner of the draw choosing their colour preference. Time controls will be 5 min (white) and 4 min (black). If black draws the game, black will be declared the winner.
If three players tie:
  • A one game knockout will ensue between player 2 and 3 on the final standings. The appointed arbiter will oversee the draw for colour preference, with the winner of the draw choosing their colour preference. Time controls will be 3 min + 2 sec increment for each player. If black draws the game, black will be declared the winner.
  • Winner of the knockout will play against player 1 and play-offs will resume as stipulated for two players that have tied.
If four or more players tie:
  • If more than four players tie, each player will be ranked by the next tiebreak, and all but the top four will be eliminated. In the case of relegation, all but the bottom four will be eliminated.
  • The four players will be entered into a one game knockout where player 1 versus player 4 and player 2 versus player 3. The appointed arbiter will oversee the draw for colour preference, with the winner of the draw choosing their colour preference. Time controls will be 3 min + 2 sec increment for each player. If black draws the game, black will be declared the winner.
  • Winners of the respective knockout games will play against each other and play offs will resume as stipulated for two players that have tied.
The Club Director along with the appointed arbiter reserves the right to change or edit the prescribed play-off structures as suggested by FIDE.


  1. Time Control
Time Controls for the A section – 90 min + 15 sec increment for each player.
Time Controls for the B, C and D section – 90 min for each player.
  1. Registration
10.1) Registration fees for the GCCC 2014 falls within the Membership Fee of GCC for 2014.
10.2) New members joining GCC will have to pay a Membership Fee of R350 by 5th May.
10.3) Existing GCC members who have outstanding fees, will not be entered into the GCCC 2014. Outstanding fees also have to be paid by the 5th of May.
10.4) GCC extends an immediate family discount and Glenwood Preparatory School student discount for any newcomers wishing to join.
10.5) GCC Bank account details:
- Name of Account: Glenwood Chess Club
- Bank: Standard Bank
- Branch code: 045426
- Account number: 054969662
- Reference: Name and Surname
10.6) Completed entry forms must be emailed (glenwoodchessclub@gmail.com) or handed to a GCC Exco member no later than the 5th of May 2014.
  1. Schedule
Friday 9th May – Round 1
Friday 16th May – Round 2
Friday 23rd May – Round 3
Friday 30th May – Round 4
Friday 6th June – Round 5
Friday 13th June – Round 6
Friday 20th June – Round 7
Friday 27th June – Round 8
Friday 4th July – Round 9
Friday 11th July – Postponed Games 1
Friday 18th July – Postponed Games 2
  1. Prizes
A section: 1st place – cash + trophy
2nd place – cash
B section: 1st place – cash + trophy
2nd place – cash
C section: 1st place – cash + trophy
2nd place – cash
D section: 1st place – cash + trophy
2nd place – cash
  1. General Rules
13.1) The current FIDE Laws of Chess will apply.
13.2) Article 6.6a will not be applied: Any player who is not seated at his board when the start of the round is announced will immediately default that game.
  1. House Rules
14.1) No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the school premises.
14.2) No food to be brought into the playing hall. Bottled water will be permitted.
14.3) Players and spectators are expected to respect the hospitality of Glenwood Preparatory School and any damage caused through negligence or deliberate action will be for the account of the relevant person.
14.4) Spectators (including players who have finished their game) will not be permitted to sit in the playing hall.