1 The league will consist of several divisions of, usually, eight players. Two players will be promoted and two relegated between each division at each season's end.
2 If there is a tie for a promotion or relegation place, after tie break points are taken into consideration, head to head between the players during the season will be used, then games against the players at the top of the league and so on.
3 If a division for a new season has less than the required number of players, extra promotions will be used to fill in. Two players will still be relegated unless there are not enough players to promote.
4 At the end of each season, another division may be added if enough new players are wishing to join.
5 All new players will enter at the lowest division available, regardless of their rating. If new entrants must be split between divisions, then the higher divisions will be offered on a first come basis.
5a Whilst normally, promoted players would go up one division, there is a fat-track system for new, high-rated players. Any player finishing top of his/her division, above a certain rating for that division, will go up by two divisions provided there is a vacant place in that division, or it is decided to increase the division by one player. This will not cause other players to miss out on standard promotion.
Div 5 Threshold 1550, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 4 Threshold 1650, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 3 Threshold 1750, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 2 Threshold 1850, top player can advance 2 divisions
To be fast-tracked, the payer must come top of his division, have at least the threshold rating in his final game of the season and not previously been relegated.
6. At the start of each season an end date will be announced. At midnight (UK) on that date, or shortly after, promotions and relegations will be decided on the league as it stands, with no points awarded for unfinished games. This will not affect trophy winning as that is in the hands of Chess.com and not Group Admin.
7. If there is any reported suspicion that a player has 'sandbagged', i.e. deliberately slowed a game and not resigned a lost game just before the end date in order to prevent the opponent gaining a point, a review will take place by admin, who may award points for promotion/relegation purposes, or decide to await the actual result of a game.
8 If any player expects his upcoming season could be badly affected by an imminent vacation, he can drop out for a season and be guaranteed a place, on his return, probably at a lower division.
9. The season will consist of one round of games, players playing each other twice, with standings at the end date deciding promotions/relegations and final standings deciding trophies.
10. No players will be relegated from the lowest division. If a fifth or subsequent division is formed, it will be formed solely from new players. At the end of division 5's first season, it will receive the bottom two of division 4 for the first time.
11. The league reserves the right not to invite players into a new season if a) they fall outside the entrance criteria b) they have unacceptable or unexplained timeouts or c) their conduct is deemed unacceptable by league admin.
12. If any two players suggest a change or addition to these rules, a league administrator may call for a vote of admin or members on an amendment.
13. Timeouts - If any player has timed out in 50% or more of a season's games, all games involving that player will be void with no points awarded. The offending player will be relegated or expelled, and the remaining players' positions will be decided on the games not involving that player. If there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness, admin may offer players a replay timed-out games and/or the foregoing of expulsion/relegation. If less than 50% of a player's games are times out, no action within the division will be taken. The following action will still be taken:
Timeouts of 75% or above will normally mean expulsion from the league, 50% = relegation to the lowest division, 25% relegation to the next division down.
1 The league will consist of several divisions of, usually, eight players. Two players will be promoted and two relegated between each division at each season's end.
2 If there is a tie for a promotion or relegation place, after tie break points are taken into consideration, head to head between the players during the season will be used, then games against the players at the top of the league and so on.
3 If a division for a new season has less than the required number of players, extra promotions will be used to fill in. Two players will still be relegated unless there are not enough players to promote.
4 At the end of each season, another division may be added if enough new players are wishing to join.
5 All new players will enter at the lowest division available, regardless of their rating. If new entrants must be split between divisions, then the higher divisions will be offered on a first come basis.
5a Whilst normally, promoted players would go up one division, there is a fat-track system for new, high-rated players. Any player finishing top of his/her division, above a certain rating for that division, will go up by two divisions provided there is a vacant place in that division, or it is decided to increase the division by one player. This will not cause other players to miss out on standard promotion.
Div 5 Threshold 1550, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 4 Threshold 1650, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 3 Threshold 1750, top player can advance 2 divisions
Div 2 Threshold 1850, top player can advance 2 divisions
To be fast-tracked, the payer must come top of his division, have at least the threshold rating in his final game of the season and not previously been relegated.
6. At the start of each season an end date will be announced. At midnight (UK) on that date, or shortly after, promotions and relegations will be decided on the league as it stands, with no points awarded for unfinished games. This will not affect trophy winning as that is in the hands of Chess.com and not Group Admin.
7. If there is any reported suspicion that a player has 'sandbagged', i.e. deliberately slowed a game and not resigned a lost game just before the end date in order to prevent the opponent gaining a point, a review will take place by admin, who may award points for promotion/relegation purposes, or decide to await the actual result of a game.
8 If any player expects his upcoming season could be badly affected by an imminent vacation, he can drop out for a season and be guaranteed a place, on his return, probably at a lower division.
9. The season will consist of one round of games, players playing each other twice, with standings at the end date deciding promotions/relegations and final standings deciding trophies.
10. No players will be relegated from the lowest division. If a fifth or subsequent division is formed, it will be formed solely from new players. At the end of division 5's first season, it will receive the bottom two of division 4 for the first time.
11. The league reserves the right not to invite players into a new season if a) they fall outside the entrance criteria b) they have unacceptable or unexplained timeouts or c) their conduct is deemed unacceptable by league admin.
12. If any two players suggest a change or addition to these rules, a league administrator may call for a vote of admin or members on an amendment.
13. Timeouts - If any player has timed out in 50% or more of a season's games, all games involving that player will be void with no points awarded. The offending player will be relegated or expelled, and the remaining players' positions will be decided on the games not involving that player. If there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness, admin may offer players a replay timed-out games and/or the foregoing of expulsion/relegation. If less than 50% of a player's games are times out, no action within the division will be taken. The following action will still be taken:
Timeouts of 75% or above will normally mean expulsion from the league, 50% = relegation to the lowest division, 25% relegation to the next division down.