Lakeforest Mall 2008

 Seasonal Chess Ladders

Tournament Rules

1.    This competition is open to all players.  

2.     Players will receive their original ladder rank based on current club or USCF rating, or results in previous LFM Ladder-Tournaments.  Updated player lists will be located at the mall and available on this web page.

3.    The Tournament Director (TD) will normally be at the mall on Friday from 6:00-8:00 PM and Saturday from 12:00-4:00 PM.            

4.   Computer opponents will be available during scheduled rounds on most Fridays and Saturdays.  Computer opponents are not eligible for prizes.

5.   Registered players may challenge higher-ranked players or computers. Winners will move up the ladder and losers will move down, according to their ratings. The losing player must wait one day before re-challenging an opponent, unless agreed to by the opponent. 

6.   The highest rated player has precedence for the first game if more than one player wishes to challenge the same opponent.

7.   For purposes of regular prize eligibility, unrated, or provisionally rated, players may be placed in a higher prize section (if insufficient games to establish a rating have been played).

8.   Any player may challenge one of the computer entities (see TD).  The TD may issue a challenge on behalf of a computer opponent to any registered player who has no regular challenger.

9.   All games will be played subject to USCF's Official Rules of Chess (5th Ed.) with the exception that recording the moves is optional for players who do not know how to write or rated below 400 (but recommended; see rule 10, below).  Players not recording moves will be assessed a penalty of 10 minutes for each half hour of the time control being used.  The TD's rulings are final.  The games will be played at a time control of at least Game in 30 minutes.  Players may use a slower time control if both players agree.  Players will be given an additional ten minutes against computer opponents to compensate for interface delays (for example 30 min. vs. 20 min.) with a "Fischer time" increment of 5 seconds per move. 

10. All regular results must be reported to the TD in a timely manner, or recorded on the sheet provided (see the TD).  Players wishing to avoid disputes should record their moves as stipulated in the Rules. Some player claims may not be valid without a written scoresheet.  When the TD is unavailable results should be E-mailed to him at the center

11. Registered players who refuse a legitimate challenge or fail to appear on a regular basis to defend their rank may be demoted, forfeited, or declared "inactive" at the TD's discretion.

12.  A Round-Robin tournament for the top six players in each section may take place in the last month of each tournament (Apr., Aug., & Dec.).  Such playoffs usually occur over two to three weeks.

13. These rules may be amended, or revised, if necessary.

14. Prizes will be announced and awarded as close to the end of the tournament as possible.