Home | Fixtures | Clubs | Handbook | Games | Archive | Links | Statistics
Cup Rules
Rules of the Bonar Law Trophy
1. General. The competition shall be conducted under the jurisdiction of the London Civil Service, Post Office and Municipal Chess League.
2. Entry and entry fee. Any club affiliated to the London Civil Service, Post Office and Municipal Chess League may participate in the competition by notifying the Senior Recorder by 15th June. The entry fee for each team entering the competition shall be £5.00 and this sum shall become due for payment before 1st October. Any club failing to make payment by 1st November in the current season shall have the said fees increased by 20 per cent, and incur further penalties at the rate of 10 per cent of the original debt for each completed month payment is delayed after 1st November.
3. Conduct of the competition. The competition shall be played on the Knockout principle and the initial draw shall be made by the Senior Recorder. In all save the final round of the competition, the following rules shall apply:-
(i) A match may be played at a mutually agreed place and time before the date set for the completion of play in that round.
(ii) Failing such agreement, the first named team in each pairing shall be regarded as the 'home' team and the match shall be played at the usual premises of that team and on that team's normal club night during the final week allowed for play in that round.
In the final round of the competition, the following rules shall apply:-
(iii) The final match shall, if possible, be played at a neutral venue designated by the Senior Recorder.
(iv) When such arrangements cannot be made, the date and venue of the match shall be determined in accordance with paras. (i) and (ii).
4. Rules of play. Each match shall be of eight boards. Rules 2, 9, 10,14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26 & 27 of the London Civil Service, Post Office and Municipal Chess League shall apply. When a new member joins a club after nominations have been submitted, the Secretary of the club shall inform the Senior Recorder of the name and playing strength of the new member. The Senior Recorder shall signify for which team the new member should be nominated. The Secretary of the club may then, in agreement with the Senior Recorder, amend the club’s list(s) of nominations. A player nominated for a league team may not play for a team lower than that for which he was nominated. A player will also become barred from playing in a team if he makes 5 or more appearances in league matches for a higher team or teams and shall be barred from the date of his 5th such appearance.
Adjudications. When the result of an unfinished game cannot be agreed by the captains, each club shall send a diagram of the final position with a definite claim to the Senior Recorder so as to reach him within ten days of the match by either email or first class post. If only one club has made a claim within this time limit, the claim made by that club shall be accepted without adjudication. If any information other than the claim, regarding a position for adjudication differs, the correct position only shall be adjudicated but the club(s) submitting the incorrect information shall be fined £3.00. All diagrams must be sent with the score of the match. If the games for adjudication do not affect the outcome of the match the Senior Recorder shall send each position to a single adjudicator, and Rule 24 of the League Rules will apply if there is an appeal. But where the result could affect the outcome of the match, the Senior Recorder shall send the position to three adjudicators. The majority decision shall decide the result. If three different decisions are given, the result is a draw. There shall be no appeal against adjudication. A fee of £7.50 will be paid by the club whose claim is not substantiated and should that claim be declared frivolous by the single adjudicator where adjudication does not affect the outcome of the match, or by at least two adjudicators where adjudication does affect the outcome of the match, the fee will be £15.00.
5. Drawn matches. Where a match stands drawn, the result shall be determined by board count and where this is equal, by the elimination of successive results from bottom board upwards until a result is obtained. If all the games are drawn, the team who had the black pieces on odd numbered boards shall be deemed to be the winner.
6. Any team in Division 1 and all first teams in Division 2 of the League may enter the Bonar Law Trophy providing that where two or more teams from the same club participate they shall be mutually exclusive. The team winning the Post Annual Cup may enter the Bonar Law Trophy in the following season if so desired.
Rules of the Post Annual Cup
1-5. Rules 1-5 inclusive of the competition shall be the same as the corresponding rules of the Bonar Law Trophy competition except that in Rule 4 the words ‘eight boards’ shall be replaced by the words ‘six boards’.
6. Any team not obliged to enter the Bonar Law Trophy may enter the Post Annual Cup providing that where two or more teams from the same club compete they shall be mutually exclusive.