The MacIsaac and Nancy Elder Championships

[Chris Hampton]

Clubs are once again invited to nominate their representatives for the Nancy Elder and the MacIsaac. Tournaments. In the first instance, entries should be sent to Richard Heathwood,
the Membership Secretary, but also copied to Chris Hampton, the Organizer.
Two important changes have been made, experimentally, this season, to the format of both Tournaments

The main change is that both Tournaments will be played in an All-Play-All ('Round Robin') format.

Unless stated otherwise, the time control for matches played in both Tournaments will now be set at 30 moves in 1 hour followed, if necessary, by a 15 minutes time addition for completion.
If a draw is agreed by the players, a rematch is required with reversed colours.
We hope these changes will encourage a greater number of Clubs to enter nominees to either or both Tournaments! The deadline for receipt of all entries is set for Friday the 28th of October 2011

[John McNicoll]

I think you may need to expand on that time control a wee bit. Is it an extra 15 minutes and then you lose on time or are the Quickplay finish rules in effect for the final 2 minutes? If the quckplay rules apply I assume you have a system in place for those claiming draws under the quickplay rules with no arbiter present.

[Chris Hampton]

John, many thanks for raising the issue.
To some extent , I have left it up to the discretion of those participating to agree on the technical issue of quickplay. However, a decision will obviously have to be made, one way or another, pretty soon. We are in brand new territory here and, not being an arbiter, I don't feel qualified to offer a credible opinion on the matter. My naive view was that we should stick with all moves , as I'd proposed, without quickplay provision On the other hand, the argument for a shortened time session seems to be strengthened somewhat by permitting quickplay finishes! Clocks would need to be digital but that's hardly a drawback. Arbitration does seem to be a trickier issue. Can I safely assume 'sportsmanship' at all times?
I'd like to seek the opinion of arbiters themselves before making any definitive pronouncement.
I'd want to go along with any consensus thus achieved. As you'll have appreciated, the argument for a shortened session is primarily a logistical one. The aim is to make it possible for rounds to be played, conveniently, on Club nights as well as player's homes or other agreed venues.
While I remember, the deadline for entries is not correct. We are setting it for the 1st of December, not the 28th of October as stated in my previous posting.
Chris

[Chris Hampton]

Just for the sake of those interested enough to be bamboozled by TWO deadlines, yet another 'Hampton Wick'occurred when 'yours sincerely' set the deadline for the 28th of October

I guess my devious thought was to somehow panic Clubs into early responses!

If that were the plan, it failed!

We (well, actually, HE,a guy whose first name happens to rhyme with 'Wick' and other things as well) set it, very sensibly, for the 1st of December and e-mailed all Clubs to that effect on the 4th of September.

So, just for the record , the deadline is THE FIRST OF DECEMBER 2011.

We have not, as yet, been bombarded with entries and would look forward to rather more Clubs offering their blessed lambs for the slaughter!

Chris 'Laidlaw'

[Chris Hampton]

To all:

• John McNicoll rightly raised the issue of the time control and how a claim for a draw should be handled
• I’ve taken advice from an experienced senior arbiter on the “Nan-Mac” Tournaments
• As a result, I am entirely ditching my previous stipulations! =|
• We take account of the fact that the playing session is likely to be 2.5 hours (at best) in both tournaments
• This would seem to argue for a straightforward time control
• The simplest solution is probably the best. All moves are to be completed within an allocated time period.
• I propose that all moves should be completed in one hour and a quarter.
• Speed of play then becomes a judgment call by each player without any patronizing stipulation by the organizer as to exactly how many!
• If a draw is claimed by either player before the fall of the flag (or its digital equivalent) further play ceases immediately.
• If the draw is mutually agreed by the players, the result is obviously a draw.
• In the event that a claim is disputed both score sheets should be passed to the organizer as soon as possible after the match..
• Failure to supply a score sheet will not be viewed very sympathetically!
• In all but trivial cases, an arbiter will be asked to adjudicate the result.
• The organizer will communicate the decision, which is final, to both players.
• The deadline for entries, as already announced, is the 1st of December 2011


Chris Hampton
Organizer
26th October 2011

[Andy Howie]

• If a draw is claimed by either player before the fall of the flag (or its digital equivalent) further play ceases immediately.

Should that not read If a draw is claimed by either player under 10.2 before the fall of the flag (or its digital equivalent) further play ceases immediately.

Otherwise a player can argue he can claim a draw with 5, 10 15 minutes left

[Chris Hampton]

To all:

John McNicoll rightly raised the issue of the time control and how a claim for a draw should be handled
I’ve taken further advice from experienced arbiters on the proposed revision of “Nan-Mac” Tournament rules with regard to time controls.
As a result, and as already announced, I am entirely ditching my previous time-control stipulations!
We take account of the fact that the playing session is likely to be 2.5 hours (at best) in both tournaments This would seem to argue for a straightforward time control
The simplest solution is probably the best. All moves are to be completed within an allocated time period. I propose that all moves should be completed in one hour and a quarter. Speed of play then becomes a judgment call by each player without any rather patronizing determination by the organizer as to exactly how many!
If the draw is mutually agreed by the players, the result is obviously a draw.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT TO THE REVISED RULES PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

If the player, having the move, has less than two minutes left on his clock, he may claim a draw before his flag falls. He shall summon thearbiter and may stop the clocks (See note below

In the event that a claim is disputed and that no qualified arbiter is present, both scores sheets will need to be submitted to the Tournament organizer as soon as possible
.
• Failure to supply a score sheet will not be viewed very sympathetically!
• In all but trivial cases, an arbiter will be asked to adjudicate the result.
• The organizer will communicate the decision, which is final, to both players.
• The deadline for entries, as already announced, is the 1st of December 201

Chris Hampton
Organizer
26th October 2011 (revised 30th October 2011)

As a codicil, Andy Howie has rightly pointed out that the claim for a draw is not was not defined in the unamended rules within time-limited parameters The italicized section is a change to the previous mailing.

" if a draw is claimed by either player before the fall of the flag (or its digital equivalent) further play ceases immediately” (is now deleted)

Andy wrote: "Should that not read (that) 'if a draw is claimed by either player under 10.2 (current FIDE regulations) further play ceases immediately'?

My comment:

A draw can always be suggested at any time by either player. It can be refused or agreed or simply IGNORED! Claiming a draw is a different matter, obviously! In that context, as Andy correctly advises,

10.2 should be adhered to. FIDE RULE 10.2

“If the player, having the move, has less than two minutes left on his clock, he may claim a draw before his flag falls. He shall summon the arbiter and may stop the clocks”

The above ruling has now been incorporated into the Tournament rules and takes effect without further notice.
With the proviso that:
In the event that a claim is disputed and that no qualified arbiter is present is present to adjudicate both scores sheets will need to be submitted to the Tournament organizer as soon as possible.


Chris Hampton

Organiser

I wish to record my thanks to:

Stephen Hilton

Dick Heathwood,

Michael Hanley,

Andy Howie.

For all their help

[Chris Hampton]

To all whom it concerns:

The deadline for entries to both Tournaments is the 31st of December 2011. I have to confirm entries by that date. As announced, four months ago, the intention has been to run both Tournaments, experimentally, on a 'round Robin' (All-Play-All) basis in 2012.
It was also proposed to modify the time control to allow for weekday matches in Club premises. Owing to the number of entries for both Tournaments and their geographical location , I've decided that it is feasible to run two sections, one for the East and one for the West of Scotland. Each Club will have to play no more than three games against other Clubs in their region during the season. The winners in each section will play each other to determine the overall winner. Time controls will now remain as stated in the current rules. If that arrangement is satisfactory to all participating Clubs, it will be initiated.
If not, I very much regret that we will have to revert to the least favoured option which is, of course, the 'status quo'!
Participating Clubs are asked to indicate their agreement to this proposal as soon as possible.

Chris L.

[Andy Howie]

To all whom it concerns:

The deadline for entries to both Tournaments is the 31st of December 2011. .

Should that not be was?