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NCCC General & Tournament Rules

General Rules:

1. Except where otherwise provided in these rules games shall be played in accordance with ICCF rules for postal or web server play.

2. These rules shall apply to all NCCC tournaments except where otherwise provided in individual Tournament Rules.

3. A Tournament Controller/Director shall be appointed to oversee each tournament.

4. NCCC members may enter any and all Natcor tournaments free of additional charges.

5. All games played in NCCC tournaments, except for ‘friendlies’, may be registered for the Reg Gillman Continuous Tournament provided the necessary criteria are fulfilled.

6. Use of 2nd class post is optional but Controllers may insist upon use of 1st class post if deemed necessary.

7. Members residing outside of the UK shall not be eligible to play by post.

8. Players must decide moves for themselves. Seeking advice from another person or elsewhere (a computer chess-engine for example) is strictly forbidden. Printed or electronic works of reference may be consulted.

TIME CONTROLS

9. Each player shall be allowed 30 days reflection time per 10 moves with unused time carried forward.
a) A player deemed to have exceeded the time allowed shall forfeit the game immediately.
b) Reflection time in excess of 12 days shall count double. For example, a player taking 15 days to reply shall be charged 18 days.

 10. Players may take a total of 14 days’ leave per calendar year.
a) Leave must be taken concurrently in all events in which a player is taking part.
b) Additional special leave may be granted by the Tournament Controller should circumstances warrant except for games hosted on the ICCF server.

REPORTING RESULTS

11. The winner or, in the event of a draw, both players must report the result to the Controller within 7 days. If neither player reports the result a loss will be awarded to both. If only one player submits a result then that result will be assumed to be correct.
a) Please note that for webserver events results must be reported to the NATCOR Tournament Controller directly. The ICCF automatic notification covers the ICCF TD and TO only and not NCCC officials. Failure to advise the NATCOR Controller may result in a default loss being recorded for a game that Is actually won or drawn on the ICCF server.
b) Players requiring specific written acknowledgement of results should include an SAE. Otherwise the appearance of results in EP and on the web site shall be deemed sufficient acknowledgement.

12. Ties will be broken according to ICCF rules.

ADJUDICATION PROCEDURES

13. Games hosted on the ICCF server will be adjudicated automatically by the system otherwise:

If a game remains unfinished by the stated end/adjudication date players must submit either an agreed result or a claim for adjudication to the Controller within 7 days.

  • Players may claim a win or a draw
  • If only one player submits a claim it will be automatically upheld and a loss awarded to the opponent (1-0, 0-1, ½-0 or 0-½).
  • If neither player submits a claim a double default will be awarded (0-0)

Claims MUST include:

  • Tournament details
  • A copy of the final position
  • Who is white and who is black
  • Who is next to move

Claims should also include:

  • A copy of the moves played.
  • Analysis supporting the claim. Unsupported claims cannot be appealed.

APPEALS PROCEDURE

14. Games hosted on the ICCF server will be subject to ICCF rules otherwise:

Appeals must be submitted within 7 days of receipt of the adjudicator’s decision and MUST include further analysis supporting the appellant’s claim indicating why they think that the adjudicator’s decision is wrong. Such analysis MUST NOT include reference to the identity of either player.

The originally successful claimant may submit further analysis after seeing the adjudicator’s comments

15. All disputes and matters relating to organisation of tournaments not covered in these General Rules shall be settled at the discretion of the Tournament Controller subject to a right of appeal to the Committee whose decision shall be final.
(General Rules updated 06/12/18)

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 Individual Tournament Playing Rules:

NCCC Reg Gilman Continuous Tournament (RGCT) Rules

1) CT games shall be arranged by the CT Controller. Members in other correspondence events or privately arranged correspondence pairings may have the results of such games counted in the CT if: -

  1. a) The CT Controller is informed within 10 days of the commencement of the games and
  2. b) It is agreed to play a double pairing and
  3. c) The games are NOT barred by CT Rule 4.

2) There shall normally be no restriction on the number of pairings which may be allocated to a member but the CT Controller may exercise discretion in this matter, particularly where new members are concerned.

3) The first game in the pairing shall be started by the player to whom the CT Controller sends the Pairing Notice. The opponent shall answer the move and at the same time make the first move in the second game of the pairing.

4) So far as is possible the CT Controller shall arrange that no member shall play the same opponent twice in any 20 games or be paired with any player whose score differs from his/her own by more than 4 points. The latter condition shall not apply to members who have completed fewer than 10 games or to a player rejoining under Rule 8c.

5) Except for games played via the ICCF web server, each player shall be allowed 20 days for every 10 moves with unused time carried forward.

6) All games shall be played to completion (there shall be no pre-determined adjudication date).

  1. a) Each player shall send to the CT Controller a report on each game after 18 months’ play and subsequently at 6-monthly intervals.
  2. b) After 2 years’ play the CT Controller may give players a minimum of 6 weeks’ notice of adjudication.

7) A table of results and positions shall be prepared each month in the following way: -

  1. a) Members shall be placed in order according to the points scored. Where there are equal points the player with the fewer losses shall be placed higher. If losses are also equal players shall be ordered alphabetically but shall remain of equal standing.

 

  1. b) The points shall be computed according to Rule 4 from the latest 20 games finished in the order in which they are received by the CT Pairings & Results Secretary.

 

  1. c) Any member not playing in the CT for 3 months shall be excluded from the table until resumption of participation when the last 15 games shall be credited.

 

  1. d) Any member whose membership lapses shall be removed from the table. Subsequent renewal shall be treated as a new membership.


8) A player heading the CT table for 3 consecutive months shall have his/her name recorded in capital letters in the table. This right shall be retained for life regardless of periods of absence from the CT or Natcor.

 

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NCCC Tom Morris League Championship (TMLC) Rules

1)The Tom Morris League Championship shall be an annual event.

2) The TMLC Controller shall announce the closing date for entries in ‘En Passant’ and on the club web site.

3) Entry shall be open to fully paid-up members of Natcor resident in the British Isles.

4) Entries received by the Tournament Controller after the closing date shall normally be ineligible but may be considered under Rule 13.

5) Games not finished within 10 calendar months of the published starting date shall be adjudicated. Postal/email games shall be forwarded to the TMLC Controller and those played on the ICCF webserver will be adjudicated by the system.

6) The league shall consist of at least a Premier Division consisting of 7 players and a Division 1. Additional divisions, each consisting of a maximum of 7 players, shall be created as entries allow.

7) Each player shall play one game against each other player in the same division – the allocation of black and white pieces shall be determined by the TMLC Controller.

8) The Premier Division winner shall be known as ‘The Tom Morris Champion of Natcor’ and shall receive a year’s free membership.

9) The Division One Winner shalll be known as ‘The League Champion’.

10) A certificate shall be awarded to the winner of each division. .

11) The two highest-placed players in each division shall be promoted to the division above.

12) The two lowest-placed players in each division shall normally be relegated to the division below.

13) Vacancies in any division shall be filled at the Controller’s discretion in a consistent manner.

 

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NCCC Keith Richardson GM All Play All (KRAPA) Tournament Rules

(This tournament shall be conducted in accordance with Natcor General Playing Rules except as specified below.)

1) Each APA Tournament shall consist of 5 players.

2) Each player shall play one game against each of the other players, 2 as White and 2 as Black as determined by the Tournament Controller.

3) Every effort shall be made to match players fairly according to their grading. However, no undue delays shall be caused by over-strict adherence to this rule.

4) A new tournament shall be scheduled whenever sufficient players are available.

5) Each tournament shall run for a maximum of 12 months from the starting date.

6) Pairing notices for postal events shall be issued at least 10 days prior to the starting date and shall include:

  • The APA Tournament number
  • The name and address of each player together with an indication as to which player should start play as White in each pairing
  • The commencement date
  • The adjudication date for unfinished games
  1. a) Pairing notices for server events will be issued automatically by the system.

7) Except for server games play may start immediately upon receipt of the pairing notice, but reflection time shall not be counted for moves posted before the commencement date.

8) A certificate shall be awarded to the winner or to each player in the event of an unbreakable tie.

(Updated 22nd February 2021)

 

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NCCC Norman Bond Knockout (NBKO) Tournament Rules

1) Each NBKO tournament shall consist of a first round of 8 players (4 x double-pairings) with the winners progressing to a semi-final of 4 players and a final of 2 players.

2) The Controller shall organise a new tournament as soon as 8 entrants are available.

3) The playing period shall be announced by the Controller and all unfinished games shall be forwarded for adjudication at the end of the period.

4) Progression shall be determined as follows:

  1. a) One game in each pairing shall be designated the Major game and the other the Minor game.
  2. b) The winner of the Major game shall progress to the next round.
  3. c) If the Major game is drawn the winner of the Minor game shall progress to the next round.
  4. d) If both games are drawn the player with the black pieces in the Major game shall progress to the next round.
  5. e) If both games of a tournament final are drawn the match shall be replayed with the Major/Minor designations reversed.
  6. f) If a replayed final also produces 2 draws both players shall receive a certificate and enter the NBKO Hall of Fame as joint winners. (effective from NBKO 172.)

5) Each tournament winner shall receive a certificate and be recorded in the ‘NBKO Hall of Fame’.

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Natcor Webserver Championship Rules

  1. Format

    A. Championship

    The winner(s) being designated the “Natcor Server Champion”. The bottom two players being relegated at the end of the season.

    B. Candidates A & Candidates B

    i. The two section winners replacing the two relegated players from the Championship.
    ii. The bottom placed players in each Candidates section being relegated to the Reserve Section. If there are more than two Reserve sections then extra players will be relegated depending of results at the discretion of the Tournament controller

    C. Reserve sections
    The Winner of each section will be promoted to the candidates.
  2. General
    a. All sections will be between seven players, with the possible exception of the Reserve section where the Tournament Controller may reduce the size of section depending on entry numbers,
    b. Competitors will play one game against each of the other competitors in a section.
    c. The event will run annually as advertised on the Club's website and in EP.
    d. The Tournament will be open to any player who is both a paid up member of Natcor and who meets ICCF Server Rules for the event.
    e. The ICCF rating list (current at time of start of the event) will be used to rank the players in order, in order to place them into sections appropriate to their rating.
    f. For players with no ICCF rating, Fide and National ratings will be considered by the Tournament Controller.
    g. The time limit in all sections will be 50 days for each 10 moves with time doubling after 20 days. Agreed draws before move 25 will not be possible.
    h. The amount of leave in all sections is 45 days per calendar year.
    i. Tie-breaks will be resolved in the following order of priority: -
    j. number of wins by each tied player in the tournament,
    k. points evaluation by the Sonneborn-Berger-System,
    l. results of the tied players against each other.  
    m. If players are still tied after all relevant tie-breaking procedures have been used, the players will be considered equal.
    n. Any matters concerning the organisation and running of the tournament not covered in these rules or Natcor’s rules will be decided at the discretion of the Tournament Controller.
    Competitors may appeal against decisions of the Tournament Controller via the NCCC Committee.

24th January 2024

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