Format Dates/Times Details of the 2012 Chess Power Interschool National Finals can be found on our National Finals Tournament page. Starting time of the first round will be 9 am sharp (participating schools must arrive and register before then) and the Presentation of prizes will conclude at 4 pm. Games The “Swiss Format” ensures that all students will play against players of a similar standard; we expect both novice players and experts to enjoy a fun, learning and social experience. All players play 9 games, regardless if they win or lose.

If a player wins a game, they score 1.0 point. In the subsequent game they play against a harder opponent. If a player draws a game, they score 0.5 points. In the subsequent game they play against a similar opponent. If a player loses a game, they score 0.0 points. In the subsequent game they play against an easier opponent.

(Where possible) students from the same school will not compete against each other.

Each game will be timed, with a maximum of 15 minutes per player, per game (see Rules for Players).

Divisions

The Junior division is for players from Year 1 through to Year 6
The Intermediate division is for players from Year 7 - Year 8
The Senior (Open) division is for players from Year 9 – Year 13

Players in any division will not play any players from any other division. Each division is separated effectively into individual tournaments.

All qualified schools will be offered a place. Applications from teams that have failed to qualify may be considered

How To Enter

Your school must qualify to gain entry into the National Finals.

2012 will offer three divisions; Junior, Intermediate and Open. Qualfication for a division occurs by a school winning a Zonal Interschools Event

For all Zonal events, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each division will qualify for the National Finals. If less than 6 teams compete in a division only the top half qualifies. For example, if 4 teams compete in the Primary division, only 2 teams will qualify. If 3 teams compete in the Intermediate division, only 1 team qualifies.

A school winning a Zone Competition qualifies for the National Finals as follows:
1 zone qualified - 5 players
2 zones qualified - 6 players
3 zone qualified - 7 players
4 or more zones qualified - 8 players (max)

ie A school gains one additional player for the National Finals for each subsequent Regional Zone event that they win in the same calendar year prior to the National Finals event up to a maximum of 8 players. A school can play in events outside their zone.

Costs

Team Entry Fee for the Chess Power Interschools National Finals event is $200 (plus GST). A Team is deemed to consist of 5 to 8 players (based on the number of Zone wins) and 1 supervising adult.

All events are run by, and fees payable to, Chess Power Ltd, P.O. Box 199, Helensville 0800, Auckland.

When do we need to pay by, and how? Will we get a Tax Invoice?

You will receive an official invitation to compete if you have qualified. You will receive an official Tax Invoice from our office as soon as all your details have been finalized. You are required to pay this Invoice in full before the event. This can be paid by Bank Transfer or cheque (funds must have cleared before the event).

Late payments may result in your entry being refused and will incur a $25 penalty if accepted.

Withdrawals after September 18, 2012 will incur a $100 administration fee.

Bank Details: Chess Power Ltd
ASB 12-3139-0063691-00

Cheques can be posted to P.O. Box 199, Helensville 0840, Auckland

 

Terms & Conditions

Each school must provide parents or teachers (minimum 1 per team) who are responsible for supervision of participants for the duration of the event. Chess Power provides staff to organise the event, but not for child supervision.

Photographs may be taken of each event and published in the local or state media, website, newsletter, magazine or used in future advertising materials. Sometimes we’re even lucky enough to have TV cameras take footage for the news! By entering this event you agree that all students in your team understand and accept this condition.

Should any students NOT wish to be photographed we must be notified in writing prior to start of the event.

Subsequent to the event, results will be published on our website. These results display the name of each player, final score and school represented. By entering this event you are giving us permission to publish results online.

We will endeavour to comply with all privacy related requests.

Player Rules The Chief Arbiter for each day will clearly explain all rules before the start of play. In general, all FIDE Laws of Chess apply unless otherwise stated. FIDE is the world governing body of Chess. It is expected that there will be a significant proportion of players in every event who have minimal or zero tournament experience. At any time if a player has a question they should immediately Raise Their Hand and an arbiter will come and assist them.

Chess Clocks

Clocks put a limit on the maximum thinking time each player can use. If you do not have any clocks at school you can purchase clocks from us to practice with.

In Regional Zone events each player is limited to 15 minutes thinking time.

After each move the player presses the closest button of the clock. This pauses his time and starts the opponent’s time counting down. The opponent considers a move, makes the move and then presses their button. This starts the first player’s time counting down again.

You may use as little or as much time as you like on any one move.

If you time counts down to 0:00 then you automatically LOSE the game unless your opponent has insufficient material to checkmate, in which case the result is a draw. This means you need to pace yourself. The best strategy is to play slowly at the start and then sprint for the finish line once you have a winning position, or plenty more pieces.

The biggest mistake new players make when using clocks is to play TOO FAST. On average a player can spend 20-30 seconds on each move and not run out of time. The limit of 15 min per player is a total half-hour game.

Touch Move

If a player touches a piece the “Touch Move” rule states that the piece Must Be Moved. While the player is still holding the piece it can be changed to a different square, but the first piece touched must be moved.

Touch move works on opponents’ pieces (called Touch Take). If you touch an enemy piece with your hand or your own piece and it can be captured you Must Take It.

The only time during a game when it is NOT touch move is when your King is in check.

A player forfeits his right to a claim against his opponent’s touch-move violation once he deliberately touches a piece. The arbiter shall make a ruling regarding the act of moving the pieces only if requested to do so by one or both players. If neither player makes such a request to the arbiter, the arbiter will undertake no action. A spectator (eg. a teacher or parent) who reports touch move violations to the arbiter would simply be told that no action can be taken unless either player requests for enforcement.

Check

If your King is in check you MUST get out of check. This can be by:

a) Killing the enemy piece

b) Blocking the check

c) Running your King away like a little chicken

If a player makes a move which leaves the King in check you MUST allow your opponent to retract that move, and give them the opportunity to get their King to safety.

The King is never ‘killed’, but only checkmated.

Checkmate is when the King is under attack and no matter what move is played there is no way out of check. This is when the game is won.

When a game concludes

If both players are in agreement that the game is over they should:

a) Shake hands

b) Reset the board ready for the next game

If one player is not 100% sure that the game is over then they should raise their hands to attract an arbiter. The arbiter may provide advice about how to get out of check, or declare the game over.

Once a game is complete and the board reset the WINNER is responsible for reporting his score. If the game is a draw then BOTH player must report their scores. A player losing a game is not required to report.

Interference

Players may watch their team mates playing games, but must be very careful NOT to interfere in any way!

Under no circumstances are spectators (parents or teachers) allowed to intervene or communicate with players. Spectators and players in other games are not to speak about or otherwise interfere in a game. If necessary, the arbiter may expel offenders from the playing venue. If someone observes an irregularity, he may inform only the arbiter.

Interference is any communication to players who are playing a tournament game. Communication is not only verbal, but also gestures and signals.

Players who interfere in tournament games may be forfeited a point.

At any time if a player has a question they should immediately pause the clock, raise their hand and an arbiter will come and assist them.

Technique

There are two aspects of technique which often come into dispute:

1. Pressing Clocks

2. Pawn promotion

There are rules governing the way in which you handle these situations; but generally Chess Power arbiters are somewhat flexible and these become recommendations rather than rules.

Clocks - You should press the clock with the same hand with which you moved the piece.

Promotion - It is the player who is promoting the pawn whose responsibility it is to change the pawn to clearly reflect the fact that it is now a queen or whatever they wish to promote it to. They should do this on their own time (although if there is no immediate way of doing so they can stop the clock and request an arbiter assist them).

The most common ways of indicating the pawn has changed to a queen are:

a) Replacing the pawn with a spare queen (or one from the next-door set)

b) Using a rook upside down

Appeals

Schools who are not satisfied with an arbiter's decision on the day may lodge a formal appeal. This must be in writing and come from the school teacher or chess co-ordinator in charge. Appeals for the National Finals must be post marked within 2 business days following the event.

When lodging an appeal please include:

a) Description of the situation

b) The decision that was made and how that affected you/your team

c) What actions you'd like taken to resolve the situation

d) Your contact details

Appeals should be emailed to appeals@chesspower.co.nz.

All decisions after appeal are final.

 

Prizes

Team scores are calculated by summing the points of the Top 4 scoring players from each school at the end of play. Ties are broken by including the 5th highest score, then the 6th and so on until the tie is broken. Teams finishing in 1st - 3rd place in each division will receive trophies. The winning team in the Junior division will be crowned the Chess Power 2012 Interschool National Junior Division Champions. The winning team in the Intermediate division will be crowned the Chess Power 2012 Interschool National Intermediate Division Champions. The winning team in the Senior (Open) division witll be crowned the Chess Power 2012 Interschool National Open Champions.

Each winning team will receive a trophy that can be proudly placed at the schools' premises. Each team-members names will be engraved on the trophy.

Individuals who finish in the top 3 places in each division will be recognised. Also the top girls in each division will be recognised.

Certificates

Certificates will be awarded to every player on the following basis:

Distinction 7.0 points or more
Excellence 6.5 or 6.0 points
Credit 5.5 or 5.0 points
Merit 4.5 or below

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