Local League Rules
Northern Schools Chess League
Elementary Division


1. Teams play in one of two sections: Elementary or Primary. The Elementay
Section is open to players up through 6th grade. The Primary Section is
limited to players up through 3rd grade.

2. Each team consists of five players. Players must be seated in order of
strength as determined by the club ladder, regardless of grade level. Teams
may not play with fewer than three players.

3. Local league meets will be paired Swiss-style to establish rankings for
the combined NSCL meets. Pairings for subsequent meets will be based on the
cumulative results of the previous meets. The combined NSCL meets will be
limited to 24 Elementary teams and 12 Primary teams. Each school will be
guaranteed at least one team in the combined meets. The rest of the
qualifying teams will be based on the final rankings from the local league
events.

4. The players for each team sit on the same side of the table and
alternate colors. The 1st board plays the color listed for the team on the
pairing sheet. So the 1st, 3rd, and 5th boards play the listed color and
the 2nd and 4th boards play the opposite color.

5. Only Staunton style sets with a king at least two inches tall may be
used. Players should place their sets in the starting position. Coaches
should check that the color and the pieces, particularly the king and queen,
are correct. Players should not begin until the round start is announced by
the director.

6. Each round is scheduled for 60 minutes. Clocks must be used if one
player requests and provides it, each player receiving 30 minutes. After
40 minutes of play, clocks will be used as available for unfinished games.
Please bring a clock if you have one.

7. Players in the 5th and 6th grade must keep score for the first 10/20/30
moves of the game in the 1st/2nd/3rd meets respectively. Players in 3rd and
4th grade must keep score for the first 5/10/15 moves in the 1st/2nd/3rd
meets respectively. Players in Kindergarten through 2nd grade need not keep
score. 

8. After play begins, players should not talk to their opponents,
teammates, parents or coaches. If players have a problem or question, they
should raise their hands and assistance will be provided by a referee or
the director. After their games, they should shake hands, indicate the
result on their score sheets, sign their score sheet and their opponent's
and report the results to their coach. They should then quietly pick up
their things, and leave the playing area until the round is over. Only
coaches may watch games close-up and they should stand behind their players
to avoid eye contact. Interference in any game, by players, coaches or
parents, are grounds for a forfeiture.

9. Coaches should turn in the results on the match pairing sheets, one for
each school, to the director's table immediately after their match is
completed.

10. Teams that arrive after the start of the round will have until the end
of the hour to finish their games. During the last 20 minutes, the late
time will be added to the opponent's clock and subtracted from the late
team's clocks. The director has complete discretion as to when to begin the
round so long as it is not before the posted time.

11. Schools may join the League if they inform the director two evenings
before the meet. They will receive half-point byes for each round. Schools
may miss a meet after the first only if they inform the director two
evenings before that meet and will receive half-point byes for each round.
Schools missing a meet without properly notifying the director will receive
forfeits for each round. Schools not attending the finals will not be
eligible for trophies.

12. Players in Kindergarten through 3rd grade may play on either the
elementary or the primary team at the coaches discretion. If a younger
player is promoted to the elementary team, they must be seated in order of
strength as determined by the club ladder.

13. Players from other schools are allowed to play on a school's team if
that school does not have the minimum three players to enter their own
team. These players must participate regularly in club practices with the
team they play on to be eligible to play on that schools team in the league
tournaments.

14. Team alternates may be rotated in for the bottom boards on a school's
team at the coaches discretion for each individual round. The team's board
order must be adjusted for the new players to satisfy Rule 2.

Jeff Dunning