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(Click
here for a Word version of the County Championship Rules)
NCCU COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIPS - RULES
[As updated 31/08/2025]
1.
Interpretation
In these rules, unless the
context requires otherwise, references to the Counties Championships refers
to Counties Open, Under 2050, Under 1850, Under 1650 and Under 1450
Championships.
Also, Controller refers to the NCCU Counties Championship
Controller.
2. Entry
a)
The Competition for each Counties Championships are to be conducted
annually and are open to each County constituent member.
b)
Entries for the Counties Championships must be made to the
Controller and copied to the NCCU Secretary no later than 15th September
each year.
3.
Format of the Championships
a) The Format
of each Counties Championship will be as the Controller decides, once the
numbers of entries at each level are finalised. Where a competition is run
on a zonal basis, the zonal competition will be followed by a semi-final
and final stage if required. In the semi-final stage, the winner of Zone 1
will play the second team from Zone 2, and the winner from Zone 2 will play
the second team from Zone 1.
b) In any
match in these Counties Championships the minimum number of players on each
side should be 12. A higher number may be mutually agreed but only the top
12 boards will count towards game points.
c) The
winner of the Championship at each level is declared to be the NCCU
Champion and, subject to (d), is nominated to compete in the ECF Counties
Championship as NCCU 1. The runner-up in each Championship, again subject
to (d), is also nominated to compete in the ECF Counties Championship as
NCCU 2.
d) If any
County side is deemed ineligible, or declines the nomination, to take part
in the ECF national stages (due, for example, to that constituent member
not being affiliated to the ECF) then their nomination to the ECF national
stages shall be given to the next eligible County.
e) Matches
shall be played over the board.
4.
Venues for Matches
a)
Matches will normally be played on a 'home' or 'away' basis, but the
'away' side can insist on a neutral venue if the relevant counties do not
share boundaries. It is the responsibility of the 'away' team to organise
the agreed neutral venue, but the costs of the venue will be shared. This
insistence on a neutral venue should be conveyed to the 'home' side at
least six weeks before the match is due to take place (unless the match
date is less than eight weeks after publication of the fixture, when the request
must be made as soon as possible when the fixtures are known). It is
expected that Counties will have regard to the convenience of visiting
teams when arranging venues.
b)
The 'home' captain should contact the 'away' captain by either phone
or email to offer their choice of venue well before the event. That person
should then send full details of confirmation by email to reach the 'away'
captain at least two weeks before the match.
c)
All correspondence relating to these competitions should be sent by
email.
5. Dates
of Matches
a)
The draw for each Counties Championship will be issued by the
controller as soon as the full number of entries is known.
b)
Dates of matches to be arranged between team captains on a mutually
agreed basis between October and the deadline for entry into the ECF County
Championships National Stages the following year.
6.
Tie splitting procedure
a) The
championship is awarded to the team scoring the highest number of match
points.
b)
If two teams tie on points for an ECF qualification place, the
winner of the tie shall be the winner of the match played between the two
teams involved. In the event of that match having been a tie, the tie shall
be resolved firstly by board count and then by the elimination of the
lowest board until a result is reached. If all boards are drawn, the match
shall be awarded to the team which had black on the odd numbered boards.
c)
In the event of a tie on points between three or more teams for an
ECF qualifying place, places shall be decided by reference to the aggregate
scores between the teams concerned. First place will be awarded to the team
with the best aggregate score against the other counties concerned in the
tie, second place to the next best score and so on. In the event of this
procedure not producing a clear winner, then the tie shall be resolved by
board count in the matches between the tied teams and then by the elimination
of the lowest board in each match until a result is reached. If the
application of the above rule still fails to break the triple (or greater)
tie, draw by lots. Where this rule provides a clear winner but leaves a tie
for other places rule 6c will continue to be applied until or unless only
two teams are tied, when rule 6b will apply.
7.
Eligibility of Players
The
qualifications for a player to represent a county in any competition shall
be as per the ECF Rules on Qualification. ECF membership is not mandatory
for players, but in entering a team or teams a county agrees to pay the
game fee incurred for any non-members’ games. No player may play for more
than one county in that season. This applies equally whether the counties
be members of the same or different Unions.
8.
Rating- Limited Championships
a)
No player may take part in the U2050, U1850, U1650 or U1450
Championship if they have an A to K rating in the ECF
standard-rate 1st September original rating list which exceeds the relevant
limit. A player with a P rating in this list counts as unrated at
that time.
b)
A team captain must obtain permission from the controller at least
seven days prior to the match (otherwise rule 9a applies) to play an
unrated player in a ratings limited competition. This may be refused if the
unrated player’s known or estimated strength is thought inappropriate for
that competition.
c)
A player that is unrated or only P rated in the above 1st
September list but subsequently receives their 1st A to K
rating in a later ECF standard-rate monthly original rating list, this
rating will be used from that date.
d)
The rating of a player as determined in rule 8a or rule 8c above is
what determines the player’s rating related eligibility for the whole
season, irrespective of ratings in subsequent lists.
e)
If it is known that a player's rating is incorrect in the current
ECF rating list, then notice must be given at least 14 days before the
match date, to the Controller. This must show proof of correct rating with
authority from the National Ratings Officer, otherwise rule 9 will apply.
9.
Penalties for playing ineligible players
a)
The penalty for playing an ineligible player in any match shall be
the loss of that player’s game and the deduction of one game point from the
team’s total for each such player.
b)
A request for a penalty to be exacted under 9a must be made to the
controller within 7 days of the match.
10.
Rules for Matches
a) Before the time fixed
for the start of play (arranged so that the playing session will conclude
no later than 6 pm) the team captains shall make up their respective
playing lists, placing the players in rating order or order of deemed
playing strength; they shall exchange lists and toss for colours. The team
whose captain wins the toss shall take white on the odd-numbered boards.
b)
At the time fixed for the start of play, the captains shall start
the clocks of those players having the move. If a player be absent, an
eligible substitute may be put in within the first hour; otherwise, their
opponent, if present, shall score the game as a win. If neither player is
present nor substituted, then the game shall be scored a loss for both
sides. The NCCU consider that the FIDE rule implemented July 2009 of zero
tolerance for being absent at the start of play is unworkable and therefore
this rule does not apply for any County matches.
c)
The default time control is all moves in 105 minutes, plus a 15
second increment from move 1 (g105+15”). The rates of play may be varied by
mutual agreement of the two captains.
d)
One game will be played between each pair of players. A win will
count one point and a draw half a point.
e)
It is the responsibility of match captains to agree between
themselves as to the provision of clocks and other equipment. In the
absence of agreement to the contrary each County should provide half the
equipment required for the agreed number of boards to be played.
f)
If insufficient clocks or equipment are available at the start of a
match, then the available clocks and equipment are allocated by the match
captain responsible for their presence.
g)
For those boards where no clock or equipment is available, the time
elapsed from the agreed starting time up to the arrival of the clock or
equipment at the board shall be counted against the county whose
responsibility it was to provide the clock or equipment. In the event of
clock failure, the time between the clock being found faulty and its
replacement by a working clock is counted against the county which
originally provided the faulty clock.
11.
Disputes
a)
All games shall be played in accordance with the Laws of Chess
compiled by FIDE (except as stated in 10b) and published in Britain with
the authority of the ECF. It is the responsibility of match captains to
have a copy of the Laws available for reference at each match.
b)
All disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the
Laws of Chess on which the Counties cannot agree, shall be referred to the
controller. If agreement cannot be reached the controller may refer the
dispute to the ECF for adjudication.
c)
Any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the NCCU
Counties Championships Rules on which the Counties cannot agree shall be
decided by the controller. Appeals against a decision of the controller
shall be referred to a neutral sub-committee of the NCCU whose decision
will be final.
12.
Results
Results are to be entered into
the ECF League Management System as soon as possible after the game has
been played.
13.
Amendments to Rules
No alteration can be made to these rules except at
either:
a)
An AGM, and then only provided that notice of the specific proposed
alterations has been given to the secretary at least 21 days before the
AGM, alterations requiring, to be passed, only a simple majority of votes
cast by those both present and eligible to vote;
b)
A rules sub-committee meeting authorised by an AGM and conducted as
follows before the start of the season following that AGM.
· A
rules sub-committee meeting is convened by either the President or NCCU
Counties Championship Controller, either of whom may chair the meeting.
· At
least 7 days’ notice of the meeting must be given.
· Participation
is open to all eligible to attend an AGM and any others admitted by the
chair.
· The
sub-committee may consider any proposed alterations circulated before the
meeting and also, subject to the chair’s sole discretion, ones raised at
the meeting.
· Alterations
requiring only a simple majority of votes cast to be passed by those
present and eligible to attend.
Bryan
Bainbridge
NCCU
County Championship Organiser
31
August 2025
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