WCL 2016 Rules (Discussions)

In this place we can discuss the WCL-rules, and any changes of it.

Current WCL2016 rules are available here:
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/world-cities-league-rules-july-2015

During September-October 2015:
It will be allowed to propose changes of the rules for WCL2016 during September and October. Proposals in order to apply to CWC (Cities World Cup) and 960WCL rules will be especially considered.

November and onward
We normally do not change rules during an on-going season. But sometimes we may have to clarify rules or slightly adjust them.

Please post any suggestions you have for improving the rules of the World Cities League (WCL) here.

This has already been suggested elsewhere:

http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/rules-for-the-next-season---discussion?page=2

so I just repeat it here: I would appreciate if the WCL followed the example of the other leages (like World League) with groups of about 10 teams that play a single round Robin tournament with promotion and relegation. I find the separation in several phases unnecessary and confusing.

The start of matches is currently organised as follows:

"Time to challenge the group is 7-10 days, then the group must be locked. All teams must have locked their teams at the latest by official start date of the round. If not locked, it will be penalized according to already established rules."

Wouldn't it be much easier and simpler to set a fixed, automated starting date as it is the case in other leagues?

At start one note: Rules posted by Anastaskis will be valid for 960 WCL too, which exceptions, which will be added at the end of rules (one of those will be league format). But exceptions will be limited to required minimum.

Items related Bland_Joes comments:

a) number of players - I agree with proposal to have higher minimum requirements (at least in Div 1 and 2) - this avoid advantage of some teams, which avoid having lower ranked players to attend their matches - I would propose ie. - Div1: 20, Div2: 15

b) multiplayers - agree that those should be penalized and it should be item for which both captains and players should be responsible, but captains needs some tool as it is not realistic to check all their players manually - I can have such tool for admins and captains (similarly as I prepared for CWOS), but it requires somebody to administrate it and support Anastaskis in calculation of penalties as I dont think that Anastaskis can do all the work only by himself -- for 960WCL I will be doing it same way as in the current season

c) to add on multiplayer and discussion during my tournament - only matches where player joins some additional team should be penalized - not the original home team, for which he started to play the season

d) start date - taking into account Rains feedback too, I would propose that all teams should send challenges latest 10 days prior match start and accept 7 days prior match start. This gives 1 week of registration time, which should be sufficient for everybody.

e) penalty for closed players and multiplayers - I had different opinions on this time to time, but after almost 1 season experience with 960WCL I would vote to have strong penalization of both closed accounts and multiplayers, meaning not only dont count the match but give victory to opponent. Having cheater or multiplayer somewhere in top half of team means, that all other players meet weaker opponents and as such possibility to get more than 2 points

f) when to calculate penalty - again both views are valid, but I would tend to do all recalculations on cut-off

Anastasakis - there are so many iterations of the rules it is exceedingly confusing.

So do the July 2015 rules apply only to WCL 2016 (even though it mentions 2017 season in the text)?

The new 25% rule - only applies to the WCL 2016?

What I mean is does the old rule pertain to the ongoing 2015 season or does the rule change mid season for WCL 2015?

Can we please reduce the number of teams to 10 per division and play a round robin league as in in other leagues?

The 'phases' stuff is for cup tournaments and doesn't really lend itself to league play.

Support this change regarding round robin system

what about insane 25% foreign flags rule which with no additional restrictions (applied percentage on every 10 boards) seems just killing the tournament

This is the 100 time you mentionne this matter. I have answered to that 100 times. Do you wish to go to 1000?

you answered with no explanation why it was accepted with no additional requirements... if you would made a clear answer I won't ask this question again

101 and waiting .....

is this the answer from TD, are you serious?

I'm telling you that you need to answer just ONCE, instead answering the question you continue to say that you already answered and it happens not for the first time

102 and going ...

p.s. I have fully fully answered 100 times already. You can also visit the appropriate forum with the exhaustive discussion of all admins and the voting procedure. I understand you do not like the rule. Is there any other rule you do not personnaly like and want to be changed? If yes, please post the rule you do not like here.