CALCHESS STATE SCHOLASTIC CHAMPIONSHIP REGULATIONS
SECTION I: The California Chess State Scholastic Championships
1.1 The Championships should be held, whenever possible, the first weekend
of April or as close to said date as possible.
1.2 Bids for the Tournament should be presented to the CalChess Scholastic
Chair as soon after the current year’s Championships, but no later then the
end of April, and the Scholastic Chair will make his recommendations for Board
approval at the next CalChess Board after the submission deadline. If no bids
are received, or none are acceptable to the Board, the process may be reopened.
1.3 The Championships shall have a K-12 Championship (High School), K-8 Championship
(Junior High School), K-6 Championship (Elementary School), K-3 Championship
(Primary School) and Kindergarten Section. At least one section should be available
in each of these divisions for players whose ratings may not merit competition
in the Championship divisions with the exception of the Kindergarten section.
SECTION II: General Regulations
2.1 The United States Chess Federation’s Rule Book establishes the regulations
for this tournament. The Scholastic Committee has supplemented those rules
with the following:
2.1.1 No interference in any individual’s game
2.1.2 No distruption of the tournament either inside or outside of the playing
rooms.
2.1.3 No entering the computer/Tournament Director area without permission from
the Director. The only individuals allowed in this area are the directors and
the liaisons for the tournament.
2.1.4 Any question about the tournament–pairings, placement, seeding, location–should
be directed to a TD, preferably the Chief TD. The appropriate TD will return
with an answer and if need be a resolution to the question at a designated
area outside the computer room
2.1.5 The Chief TD, the organizer or the CalChess President (or his or her
designee) may expel from the site anyone who violates the rules. The Chief
TD, the organizer or the CalChess President (or his or her designee) must recuse
themselves from any such action if they have players or a team in the competition
that could benefit from the action. An appeal by the player, parent or coach
to his/her removal may be heard by a committee of TDs, appointed by the Chief
TD, who were not part of the original decision. The appear must be filed and
heard before the next round and at the latest before the end of that round.
No player, parent or coach will be expelled until the appeal is decided.
2.2 Half-point byes will be available for one round, if requested with an advanced
entry. 0 point byes shall be available for all rounds. No half-point byes will
be available for the last round.
2.3 Players registering the day of the event might not be paired for the first
round and might not be eligible to receive the one half-point bye points.
2.4 No section changes may be made for players after the announced check-in
time, except for errors made by the organizing and/or TD staff.
2.5 All substitutions or section changes at check-in should be made the day
before the first round. Changes made after that may be subject to a late fee
equal to the early registration fee being levied, with the exception of errors
made by the organizing or TD staff.
2.6 Players from the same school will not be paired together unless more than
half of the players in a score group are from the same school.
2.7 The recognized forms of notation are algebraic and descriptive.
2.8 Recording of chess notation is required in the K-6 Championship sections
of all sections of the Junior High/Middle School and the High School.
2.9 Although strongly encouraged, the recording of chess notation is not
required in the non-championship sections of the Elementary nor any of the
Primary school sections grades K-3. However, those not keeping score give up
the right to claim time forfeitures in the primary time control or draws requiring
the corroboration of a score sheet.
2.10 Specially designed large scoresheets must be available for the K-6 sections.
Scoresheets may be printed in the tournament program booklet.
2.11 Any individual, who because of religious conviction, cannot record or use
a clock at the tournament has the right to have a designated individual record
the moves and punch the clock. However, a request for this exception must be
submitted in writing at least two weeks prior to the championships in order
for the organizer to find a qualified person to notate and work the clock.
2.12 A playoff will be held on the Saturday following the Championships if there
is a tie in the High School Section for the representative from CalChess to
the Denker Tournament. Tournament time controls and rules will apply for the
playoff. Any contender not showing for the playoff will forfeit the chance to
represent CalChess at the Denker Tournament of State High School Champions.
2.13 The tournament organizer has the right to immediately expel any player
using a site telephone (pay or otherwise) without a monitor or a TD. However,
this disciplinary action should appear on the application and in the program
and must be posted at all telephone banks.
2.14 The Primary sections of the event must be closed to everyone except the
players and tournament staff (always be prepared to restrict access when necessary).
Relatives and coaches of players are not allowed to serve as volunteers in the
same section as participating players.
2.15 The organizer may close off other sections of the championship.
2.16 Opposing players must fill out and sign the result form indicating the
result of the game. A TD will pick up the form at the board.
2.17 Announcements may only be made prior to the start of each round.
2.18 Late arrival forfeits will occur 30 minutes from the announced round start
time or 15 minutes from the actual start time, whichever is later. This information
must be included on the flyer for the tournament.
2.19 Photography using cameras with flash or audible shutters is restricted
to the first five minutes of each round. The tournament organizer may assign
a staff photographer who can take photographs at anytime as long as they are
silent and unobtrusive.
2.20 At the CalChess State Scholastic Championships analog clocks will have
preference in all divisions of the K-6 sections; in all other sections, the
current U.S. Chess Federation Clock Preference Rules will apply. Both players
can agree to use a digital clock in the K-6 sections. All other U.S. Chess
Federation regulations applying to clock use must be followed. (passed 10/25/07)
SECTION III: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
3.1 Individual and team titles may be won only by Northern California residents.
Any scholastic player or team can win the place trophies.
3.2 All players must be U.S. Chess Federation members and all non-school Clubs
must be registered with the USCF.
3.3 Age requirements: the following ages are as of January 1 of the year of
competition:
| CalChess States: | Grade Level: |
| Elementary: Under age 13 Kindergarten: Under age 7 K-3: Under age 10 K-5: Under age 12 Junior High/Middle School: K-8: Under age 15 K-9: Under age 16 High School: K-12: Under age 19 |
Kindergarten: under age 7 1st Grade: Under age 8 2nd Grade: Under age 9 3rd Grade: Under age 10 4th Grade: Under age 11 5th Grade: Under age 12 6th Grade: Under age 13 7th Grade: Under age 14 8th Grade: Under age 15 9th Grade: Under age 16 10th Grade: Under age 17 11th Grade: Under age 18 12th Grade: Under age 19 |
3.4 The February USCF rating supplement will be used for any State Championship
held before April 15.
SECTION IV: TEAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOLASTIC EVENTS
4.1 Each school may enter only one team per section.
4.2 To play as a School Team, all players must be enrolled as full-time students
at the school they are representing. No combined schools are allowed.
4.3 Home schooled players
a. A player that is home schooled can join a chess team within
their local public school district,
AND
b. A home schooled student can join any private school chess team
that is in the same school district that they live in,
AND
c. Evidence is presented to the tournament Chief TD that the player
meets all these conditions and is accepted by the Chief TD. The player must
provide all the information no later than thirty days prior to the start of
the tournament such that the Chief TD can reasonably verify all information. (passed
10/15/2007)
4.4 A school is defined as having one name, under one principal, director
or equivilent, in one building or connected adjacent buildings
or on one campus..
4.41 Example 1: A school district (K-12) may be incorporated under one
name, in one school, with one principal. Its K-6 students may play for that
school’s elementary, Junior High/Middle School and high school teams, while
its grades 7-9 students may play for its Junior High/Middle School and high
school teams.
4.42 Example 2: A school district may house certain grade levels (K-6,
7-9, etc.) in separate schools with different principals. Its students may represent
only the grade level/s covered by their particular school.
4.5 A School Team must contain a minimum of two players from the same school
to be eligible for team prizes.
4.6 School Team or non-school Club size is unlimited, but only the top 4 scores
count in the State Championships and top 3 in the Grade Level..
4.7 The Coach is responsible for assuring that all of his players are properly
registered as members of his School Team or Club.
4.8 USCF Scholastic Affiliate Membership is encouraged for all schools.
4.9 The tournament organizer may offer Club as well as School Team awards.
4.91 If more then two players from the same school are competing in the same
section they must constitute a School Team. The third school player and all
others in that section will have no say in their being designated part of the
School Team.
4.92 Players cannot compete for both a Club and a School Team.
4.93 No additions or corrections to Club roosters can be made after the second
round unless it is the removal of a qualified School Team player as noted in
4.91 above.
4.10 No School Team or Club award can be given for the combined points of the
Clubs or School Teams in more then one division/section.
4.11 No School Team or Club award will be given in the Kindergarten section.
SECTION V: TIE-BREAKS
5.1 Computer programs are now used to determine pairings, standings and
tie-breaks.
5.2 If tie-breaks are done by hand, they should be calculated at the end of
the next-to-last-round. Careful preparation for manually calculating tie-breaks
is necessary, even when using a computer.
5.3 All players tied for first place are considered co-winners, but trophies
will be awarded based on tie-breaks. Only the winners of a championship section
shall be designated State Champion. If the winner(s) of the championship
section does not reside in Northern Califorina, then the title will be awarded
to the highest position attained in the section by a resident(s) of Northern
California.
5.4 Tie-breaks are used only to award trophies. Players or teams with like scores
are equal and may change the plate on their trophy to reflect this (at their
own cost).
5.5 When individual scores are equal, the following order of tie-break systems
will be used to designate individual awards:
5.51 Modified Median
5.52 Solkoff
5.53 Cumulative
5.54
Cumulative of Opposition
5.55 Kashdan
5.56 Game result between
tied players
5.57 Most Blacks
5.58 Coin flip
5.6 When team scores are equal, the following order of tie-break systems will
be used to designate team awards:
5.61 Total individual
cumulative
5.62 Total Solkoff
5.63 Total Kashdan
5.64 Coin flip
5.7 A list of pairings by team should be provided to coaches at least 15 minutes
prior to the start of each round. All players from the team should be listed
alphabetically regardless of section. The team pairing lists should be distributed
alphabetically by team.
5.8 Team standings should be posted as soon as possible after each round ends.
Approved by CalChess Board
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