QPF Claims Guidance note

U126 LADDER CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT

Quick Play Finish and Disputes note

Quick play finish “QPF”

The time limit for this tournament qualifies as a Quick Play Finish under the updated FIDE Laws of Chess introduced on 1st July 2017. These rules can now be found at Guidance section III. We have continued to exclude Article III.4 (switching to an incremental control). The old ‘QPF two minute draw claim rule’ remains which can be found at Articles III.5 & 6.

Flag fall

‘Flag-fall’ means the expiration of the allotted time for a player. If a player’s flag falls the game is lost by that player. However, the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot deliver checkmate by any series of legal moves. If both flags have fallen and it is impossible to establish which flag fell first the game is drawn. Our DGT digital clocks display a black flag against the player whose time expired first. A flag is considered to have fallen under the Tournament rules when either player has made a valid claim to that effect.

Illegal moves

If you make an illegal move your opponent can claim an extra two minutes time. If you make a second illegal move in the game you lose provided your opponent can deliver checkmate by any series of legal moves. If this cannot be done the game is drawn. The Fide Laws provide a number of circumstances where an illegal move can arise. See Article 7.

Claiming a draw under the rules of our tournament

If you have less than two minutes on your clock and your flag has not fallen you can claim a draw if you think your opponent is making no effort to win by normal means or that it is not possible to win by normal means. For the ladder competition any member of the Committee who is graded above 125, if available to do so, should act as an arbiter to determine such a claim on the spot applying Article 111.5. To claim a draw you should stop the clock saying why and summon an arbiter as defined above.

A. If the arbiter is satisfied the opponent is making no effort to win the game by normal means, or that it is not possible to win by normal means, then he shall declare the game drawn. Otherwise he shall postpone his decision.

B. If the arbiter postpones his decision, the opponent may be awarded two extra minutes thinking time and the game shall continue in the presence of the arbiter.

C. Having postponed his decision, the arbiter may subsequently declare the game drawn, even after a flag has fallen.

The decision of that arbiter is final under the Tournament Rules.

If there is no eligible Committee Member available when you stop the clocks to claim the draw the game is concluded at that point and there can be no further play. Article 111.6 will then apply. You should then submit the claim to the Tournament Secretary with supporting evidence to support the claim being made. This will usually be one or more scoresheets.

A. If your claim is on the basis that your opponent cannot win by normal means then record the final position verified by your opponent and submit it straight away to the Tournament Secretary.

B. If your claim is on the basis that your opponent has been making no effort to win by normal means you will need to submit evidence to support the contention. You must then record the final position and submit evidence, which will usually be a scoresheet verified by your opponent, straight away to the Tournament Secretary.

The Tournament Secretary’s decision, acting as an arbiter, is final.

For any claim under the two minute rule: if the claim is successful then the game is drawn and if it is not then the claimant loses.

Disputes

Where at least one complete record of the moves is available any dispute shall be referred to the Tournament Secretary. Where there is no record of the moves available any dispute should be referred to any member of the Committee present. Any decision made in respect of a dispute is final.

Contact details for Tournament Secretary,

Mark Murrell

T: 079 7377 3786

E tournaments@wansteadandwoodfordchess.club