Most successful clubs have a venue where players are happy to come along for a game of chess. Where visitors or new players are made welcome and can find an opponent to play. The leagues are the icing on the cake and derive their strength from having a good pool of players from which to make the teams. Many clubs struggle with club championships as they tend to compete with the league competitions. My hope is that the format this year will enable both to work well together.
Rules
- The club championship will be open to anyone without additional club membership fee and may join at any point during the season that has bee set aside for the first stage of the club championship.
- The players in the competition will be split into 2 pools according to strength. These pools will differ in numbers. These pools will be displayed on the Club Notice Board, together with results and progress of the club championship.
- Certain Tuesday evenings will be set aside as per list below. The draw will be made on those evenings, it would be helpful if all players that can make those evenings are there by 7.25pm
- The time rate will be as per league matches. 30 moves in 75 minutes, clock back 15 minutes and play to finish. However if players mutually agree a longer time limit can be used and to have adjournments. The condition is that the result is advised to the controller prior to the next evening that has been set aside otherwise that match will be void.
- The tournament will be split into two stages. The first stage between September and March with be roughly on a Swiss system, but with the numbers involved almost all play all. Competitors may play up to 8 games but only the top 6 of their results will count towards the second stage. If a player has only played 6 or less games then all results will count. In case of tie sum of opponents total scores will be used.
- If players wish to play opponents on other that the designated nights this is acceptable. Their opponent must be from the same pool, any player will not be allowed to play more than 8 games in the season and the result must be with the controller before the next evening that has been set aside. It is not allowed to play the same player twice during the first stage of the competition.
- At the end of March the top 3 players (best of 6 games counted) will go through to final stage. This will be all play all and the Club Champion is the player with the most points. Also there will be a Minor Championship for the top 3 players that are from the B Pool that have not qualified for the second stage of the Club Championship. They will play all play all to decide Minor Club Champion.
- The Second stage games must be completed before the Club AGM.