CONSTITUTION

1.       Name : The name of the organisation shall be “The Dumbarton and District Chess Association” and in this Constitution shall be referred to as the “League”.

2.       Object : To foster Chess in Dumbarton and surrounding Districts.

3.       Membership : The League shall consist of two classes of Membership.

i.  Full Members.

ii. Associate Members.

4.       Qualification for Membership:

4.1.    Full Members : Any club domiciled in or near Dumbarton and surrounding district.

4.2.    Associate Members : Any Individual who is a member of a club in Full Membership of the League.

5.       Election of Members:

5.1.    The election of clubs to Full Membership shall be by the “League Council”.

5.2.    The League Council shall consist of a member from each club.

6.       Entrance Fees and Subscriptions:

6.1.    Full Members shall pay Annual Subscriptions which shall be determined by the “League Council”.

6.2.    Annual Subscriptions shall be paid prior to the 1st October in each year.

6.3.    Any Full Member whose subscription is in arrears after 14 December shall be liable for an excess fee of £5.

6.4.    Any Full Member whose subscription is in arrears after 14th December shall not take part in any of the League activities.

6.5.    Any Full Member whose subscription is three months in arrears shall cease to be a Member. Associate Members whose club ceases to be a full Member shall themselves cease to be members of the League.

7.       Council :  The governing body of the League shall be called from the League Council and shall consist of one delegate from each Full Member of the League.

8.       Council Annual General Meeting :
The Annual General Meeting of the League Council shall be held in June each year; with minutes of the previous meeting and Agenda made available 21 days before.

9.       Special Meetings :
A special meeting of the Council shall be convened on a resolution of the League Council or on a requisition signed by 4 Full Members. The requisition shall specify the business to be transacted and the special meeting shall be held not later than four weeks from the date of receipt of the requisition by the Secretary.

10.   Notice of Council Meetings :
At least fourteen days written notice shall be given of all meetings of the Council. The notice shall specify the Hour; Date and Venue of the meeting and state the business to be transacted.

11.   Chairperson of Council Meetings :
At all meetings of the Council the chair shall be taken by the President ; or in his/her absence the meeting shall appoint a chairperson.

12.   Quorum for Council Meetings :
The Quorum for a League Council meeting shall be five members and for a sub-committee : not less than half of the number comprising the sub-committee.

13.   Attendance and Voting at Meetings :

13.1.At Council Meetings the delegate of each club in Full Membership of the League shall be entitled to cast one vote.

13.2.All questions shall be settled by a bare majority vote.

13.3.In the event of equality of votes the chairperson shall have a casting vote.

14.   Council Officers and Auditors :

Officers { President : Secretary  :  Treasurer }

The Annual General Meeting of the Council shall appoint for one year of office one auditor.

15.   League Council :

15.1.The League Council shall conduct the affairs of the League in accordance with the articles of the Constitution. The League Council shall have power to appoint sub-committees from its Members and to co-opt onto any sub-committee so appointed such persons as it may deem necessary for the satisfactory handling of the League’s affairs.

15.2.The League Council shall have power to prescribe such standing orders as it may deem necessary for the regulation of the business of the sub-committees.

15.3.The League Council shall be responsible for arranging the various competitions sanctioned by the League.

15.4.The League Council shall be authorised to approve the expenditure of money on behalf of the League for any purpose which it deems necessary.

16.   Interpretation of Constitution :
In the event of a disagreement arising as to the correct interpretation of the Constitution of the League, the Council’s ruling shall be final.

RULES FOR LEAGUE COMPETITIONS

1.       League competitions comprising one or more divisions shall be held from the 14th September to the 14th May in each season.

1.1.    If less than 11 teams then only 1 division shall be formed. However, Division 1 shall contain no more than 10 teams or 50% of the number of teams within the League if less than 20 teams but more than 10 teams.
[n.b. this was revised at the AGM 2007 to restrict the number of teams in Division 1 to 7 teams].

1.2.    Division 2 shall contain the remaining teams within the League : but no more than 12 teams.

1.3.    Each team shall play each other team within a division on a home or away basis. Should the number of teams within a division fall below 8 then each team shall play each other team twice on a home and away basis.

1.4.    Should the number of teams within the League exceed 22 then 3 divisions shall be formed.

1.5.    Any team joining the League must join in the lowest division.

1.6.    Any team withdrawing from a division must subsequently re-apply for adoption and must join in the lowest division.

2.       The individual games of a match shall be scored :
One game point for              -           a game won.
A Half game point for          -           a game drawn.
No game point for               -           a game lost.

3.       Based upon the aggregate of individual game points gained by each team, the result of the match will be scored :
Two match points for           -           a match won.
One match point for             -           a match drawn.
No match points for             -           a match lost.

4.       The following action shall be taken if a team withdraws from a division during a season :

4.1.    Match results cancelled if less than 50% of matches played.

4.2.    Match results to stand if 50% or more of matches played. Unplayed matches to be scored wins for the opposing teams.

5.       Promotion and Relegation :

5.1.    In any Division except Division 1 the two teams which gain the greatest number of match points shall be promoted to the next highest division, unless incurring more than 1 match default. Should a division contain less than 8 teams then only 1 team shall be relegated.

5.2.    In any Division except the lowest the two teams having the least number of match points shall be relegated to the next lowest division, unless any other team incurs more than 1 match default. Should a division contain less than 8 teams then only 1 team shall be relegated.

6.       Tie-Breaking :

6.1.    To resolve : League Championship : Promotion and Relegation : Apply the following in order until a decisive outcome is obtained :
If 2 teams are equal in match points overall :

6.2.    The match points for the League match or matches between the teams concerned shall be considered.

6.3.    Game points shall be considered.

6.4.    A Play-Off shall be arranged if two teams are equal in match points and in game points.

6.5.    If more than two teams are equal in match points :
Apply the preceding rules 6.2 and 6.3 in order until the elimination of one or more teams occurs; then if necessary re-apply the tie-breaking procedure as if the remaining teams were the only teams tied in match points. If this fails to resolve matters, the issue shall be decided by the League Council.

7.       Eligibility :

7.1.    No player may play for more than one club in any one season in League and Knockout competitions.

7.2.    Players are tied to the Division for which they first play except that they may play up three times.

7.3.    In any one season no player may play for more than one team in a given division.

7.4.    No player may play for more than one team in the Team Knockout.

8.       All players taking part in League and Knockout Tournaments must be associate members of the Dumbarton and District Chess Association and must be members of their respective clubs.

9.       For a breach of rules 7 and/or 8 the offending team shall be penalized by either the loss of the board or boards concerned : or by the loss of a match : at the Secretary’s discretion. Any dispute as to the eligibility of a player shall be referred to the League Council whose decision shall be final.

10.   A match date may be changed, but only in exceptional circumstances; by mutual agreement between the clubs concerned and provided the new date is approved by the Secretary.

11.   All matches shall be played in accordance with these rules and with the Rules of Play currently in force.

12.   The whole of the play in League competitions shall be governed by the Laws of Chess authorized by FIDE. A copy of the Rules of Play must be made available by home teams for consultation if required.

13.   The League Council shall manage the League Competitions and settle all disputes and questions arising therein.

14.   In League and Team Competitions the number of players comprising a team shall be Four.

RULES OF PLAY

1.       A team match shall commence at  7:30pm or earlier if agreed, when all clocks shall be started. It shall be obligatory to use clocks.

2.       The time available for play must be at least 2 and a Half hours.

3.       The match captains, or their active deputies, of opposing teams shall five minutes before the commencement of a match, exchange lists of their team players arranged in descending order of playing strength.

4.       After team lists have been exchanged the match captains shall toss for choice of moves on Board 1 and the move at the remaining boards shall alternate accordingly.

5.       If a player has not arrived 60 minutes after the official starting time, that game shall be lost by default, unless before the expiry of this period a substitute has been put into the team.

6.       The rate of play shall be 30 moves in an hour with a Quickplay finish of 15 minutes per player after BLACK’s 30th move. FIDE Laws of Chess appendix D apply. A player may claim a draw when he/she has less than two minutes left on their clock and BEFORE THEIR FLAG HAS FALLEN.
If the players are unable to agree a result then the Team Captains or their Active deputies shall attempt to agree the outcome of the game. (Refer to Guidance Notes).

7.       The Secretary must be notified of the result of a match by the match captain of each team within seven days of the date on which it was played. The notification must give Players’ names in BLOCK LETTERS with scores achieved.

8.       Any dispute or question arising under these rules shall be referred to the League Council whose decision shall be final.

9.       Should a team postpone a match, then that team shall have the responsibility of offering 3 alternative but reasonable match dates; one of which must be accepted by the opposing team and sanctioned by the League Secretary.

10.   Defaults :

10.1.Penalty points will be incurred on the following basis : 1 match point will be deducted from a team’s score at the end of the season for every 4 games lost by default – this to be applied at the Secretary’s discretion.

10.2.Any team defaulting more than 1 match during a season will automatically be relegated to the next lowest division. Any team in the lowest division defaulting more than 1 match will not be eligible for promotion.

RULES GOVERNING INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENTS

1.       Where appropriate the rules for League play shall apply to the Knockout Tournaments, with the following additions or exceptions.

2.       Each team in the League is eligible for Team Knockout and is entitled to enter 1 player in the Individual Knockout Tournament.

3.       The draw for the Knockout Tournaments shall be made so as to allow many Individual Tournament games to be played within the framework of the Team Knockout. One or two boards of a team match may also count for the Individual Tournament. A deadline shall be set for the completion of each round. Counting a game for more than one tournament is only by prior agreement of those involved.

4.       The League Secretary shall where necessary inform a club of the next opponent of its Team/Player and may at his discretion extend the deadline for a round.

5.       If a round is not completed by the deadline, the Clubs/Players involved shall inform the League Secretary of the situation within 3 days.

6.       At his discretion the League Secretary may default one or both Teams/Players involved in a breach of rules or exceeding a deadline.

7.       An Individual Knockout Tournament game drawn shall be replayed with the venue and colours reversed. 

8.       If a match is drawn because all games are drawn, that match shall be replayed with venue and colours reversed. Other drawn matches shall Not be replayed but shall be decided by Tie-Break : on Board Count or if indecisive : on Bottom Board elimination.

Board count favours the team whose total of Board Numbers for games won is lower.

Bottom Board elimination favours the team which lost on the highest numbered board where the game was not drawn.

9.       If a game of a team match is to count for the Individual Knockout Tournament then :

9.1.    The match captains shall agree the board on which the game is to be played. Failing agreement the game shall be played on one of the two top boards, the toss of a coin deciding which.

10.   The rate of play shall be 30 moves in an hour with a Quickplay Finish of 15 minutes per player after BLACK’s 30th move. FIDE Laws of Chess appendix D apply.

Please note under appendix D1 of the FIDE Laws of Chess a player may claim a draw when he/she has less than two minutes left on the clock and BEFORE THEIR FLAG HAS FALLEN.

11.   In arranging match dates for Individual and Team Knockout Tournaments the Home Team/Player shall have the responsibility of offering 3 dates within the specified period of the deadline for a round : one of which must be accepted by the opposing Team/Player and sanctioned by the League Secretary.

12.   Please note Section 11 shall be applicable when considering replayed match dates.

Notes:

Priority seeding is applied to the Team Knockout draw using the following :

1)         Team Knockout winners from the previous season.

2)         Winners of Division 1 in the previous season.

3)         Winners of Division 2 in the previous season.

4)         Team Knockout losing finalist in the previous season.

5)         Division 1 runner-up in the previous season.

6)         Division 2 runner-up in the previous season.

7)         Team the Individual Knockout winner played for in the previous season.

Team Knockout Tie-Break Examples

BOARD COUNT

  Each board is given a value as follows :

4 Points for a Win at Board 1.

2 Points for a Draw at Board 1

3 Points for a Win at Board 2.

1.5 Points for a Draw at Board 2.

2 Points for a Win at Board 3.

1 Point for a Draw at Board 3.

1 Point for a Win at Board 4.

Half a point for a Draw at Board 4.

0 Points for a loss at any Board.

Shettleston win 6 – 4 on Board Count.

Board count favours the Team whose total of *Board Numbers for games won is lower : where the game is not drawn.

BOTTOM BOARD ELIMINATION

However winning on Boards 1* and 4* (Total 5) and losing on Boards 2* and 3* (Total 5) still dose not separate the teams : and so Bottom Board Elimination comes into force.

Eliminate Board 4 from the equation and the score now reads :

This would have been a win for Knightswood B  1 – 2 after Bottom Board Elimination.

Bottom Board Elimination favours the Team which lost on the Highest Numbered Board where the game was not drawn.