[blind-chess] Chess Article #111: USCF Rules for Correspondence Chess
- From: Roderick Macdonald <rmacd@xxxxxxxx>
- To: Blind Chess Mailing List <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 20:29:38 -1000 (HST)
Chess Article #111:
USCF Rules for correspondence Chess
The United States Chess Federation
USCF Correspondence Chess Rules - 2004 Revised Edition
These rules superseded previous versions and apply to all
Correspondence Chess tournaments and matches starting
after December 31, 1991.
Your Pledge:
I undertake to conform to the rules and objectives of USCF
Correspondence Chess, to respond promptly to all chess
correspondence and to maintain a high standard of courtesy,
sociability, and good fellowship at all times in my contacts with
other members. I also understand that I have a responsibility to
complete my games.
Your Responsibilities as a Player:
1. You must be a USCF member for the duration of your play in any
tournament.You must abide by the latest edition of the U.S.
Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess, except when
inappropriate for correspondence play. In case of conflict,
correspondence rules take precedence. You are responsible for
knowing the rules. By entering correspondence events, you
agree to follow directions of the correspondence chess
director (CCD), to respond to any legitimate inquiry, and to
provide requested information. Players must enter tournaments
only in their own names, unless approval for other action is
granted by the CCD. A player who withdraws may be denied entry
to new events. If you withdraw without proper notice to your
opponent and the CCD, it will be the decision of the CCD as to
whether or not you will be allowed to play in another CC
event.
2. You are expected to act courteously toward opponents. The CCD
will forfeit players who use abusive or insulting language or
who are disruptive. In case of conflict, you should try to
come to an agreement with your opponent.
3. You may consult chess books and periodicals but not other
players. You cannot use a computer or computer program
(chessplaying algorithms) to evaluate a game, but you may use
computers for record keeping and databases.
4. In case of appeals, retain all game records (including move
cards) for at least four months after receiving notice of a
game result. Otherwise, you may find yourself without a
defense to an opponent's claim.
Reflection Time:
5. Every day counts as reflection time including Sundays and
holidays. For each 10 moves (1-10, 11-20,...) you have 30 days
of reflection time. You may carry unused time over into the
next 10-move series. Reflection time is calculated from the
date your opponent's posts his/her move to the date you post
a reply. You are charged a day of reflection time for each 24-
hour period from the time the move was posted. Example, if
your opponent posts a move at 11:50pm on March 22nd, you have
until 11:49pm March 23rd to post a reply without being charged
a day's reflection time. If your reply is posted at 11:55pm on
March 23rd, you are charged with one day of reflection time.
If you post a reply at 11:55pm on March 24th, you are charged
with two days reflection time, etc. If you post or send your
reply at 11:48pm March 24th, you are charged with one day of
reflection time. There is no transit time in email games.
NOTE: It does not matter when a player logs on to a network.
If your opponent posts or send his/her move at 1:33pm April
13th and you log on April 16th at 2:23pm and send a reply at
3:33pm the same day, your reflection time is three days.
6. You must advise the CCD and your opponents of address changes
in advance or at the latest within seven days of vacating
previous premises. Also email address changes. If you don't,
five days will be charged as reflection time.
Transmitting Moves:
7. You must use English algebraic notation unless you and your
opponent agree on another system. All games shall be conducted
using written or typed correspondence unless otherwise
otherwise indicated. Transmitted moves, including conditional
moves, are binding if the moves are legal. If an illegal or
ambiguous move is transmitted as part of a conditional move
set, the moves immediately proceeding the illegal or ambiguous
move are binding. Missing or mistaken announcement of check,
capture, or "e.p." does not invalidate a move. Diagrams or
commentary have no significance in disputes over move
legality.
8. The USCF sells convenient postcards for sending moves but you
may use something else. Your move card must contain:
a. Names and addresses of both players;
b. Section and game numbers;
c. The previous move sent and your response;
d. For conditional moves, the move sent immediately prior to
the conditional move(s), all conditional moves you
accept, and your response;
e. Receipt and postmark dates of your opponents previous
move and the date of your reply;
f. Time used on current move by you and your opponent;
g. Current reflection time totals.
If you do not include "f." and "g." with your moves, you
cannot claim a win on time.
In the Golden Knights Finals, Absolute Championship, and other
events deemed appropriate by the USCF, there is also a five-
day penalty for:
a. Impossible, ambiguous or illegible move(s);
b. Failing to confirm your opponent's last move.
An impossible move is a move which cannot be played as
recorded.Notify your opponent immediately of your finding. An
impossible move or an illegible move in no way obliges the
player to move the piece in question. In a case of an
ambiguous move, the ambiguous move must be clarified and
executed. For example, if your opponent writes Nd2 and either
Nbd2 or Nfd2 can be made, the person writing the ambiguous
move must execute Nbd2 or Nfd2. Clerical errors are binding
and once posted, can in no way be taken back.
9. To offer conditional moves, send them as a series of
consecutively numbered moves. To accept conditional moves,
acknowledge them as you would other moves. You can accept a
series of conditional moves in whole or in part. Conditional
moves are binding only until the next reply.
Example: you are responding to your opponent's second move, 2.
Nf3. You want to reply 2. ... Nc6 and offer two conditional
moves. Your card should have the following appearance:
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
If 3. Bb5, then 3. ... a6
If 3. Bc4, then 3. ... Nf6
A typical opponent's reply might be:
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Bxc6 ...
(or 4. Bc6 ...
or 4. B:c6 ...)
There is no penalty for misrecording an "if" move by the
sending player.
10. If you intend to use more than 10 days on a single move, you
must tell your opponent within one week of receiving his move.
If you don't receive your opponent's reply within normal
transmission time plus 10 days, send a repeat. Repeat moves
must be labeled as such and must include all information from
the original move. If no reply after one repeat see Rule 13.
Loss on Time Overstep:
11. In Golden Knights Finals, the Absolute Championship, and other
events deemed appropriate by the USCF, if a player oversteps
the time control (rule #5), he or she will forfeit the game.
In Golden Knights Preliminary and Semi-final rounds and all
other USCF Correspondence Chess events (excluding the Golden
Knights Finals, the Absolute Championship, and other events
deemed appropriate by the USCF), a player who oversteps the
time control on the first occurrence will be given a warning
and penalized five days reflection time on the succeeding 10
moves/30 day time control. If a player violates the time
control the second time, he or she will forfeit the game.
The following is an example of calculating a player's
reflection time after a time control overstep: A player has 30
days to make moves 1-10 inclusive, 60 days to complete moves
11-20, 90 days to complete moves 21-30. A player makes move 18
but uses 61 days, thus overstepping the second time control.
He or she is penalized five days reflection time. The five
days are added to the reflection time he or she has used
(61+5) and the player has 24 days to make moves 19-30.
Excused Time:
12. You may take up to 30 days of excused time a calendar year.
Additional emergency time may be granted at the discretion of
the CCD.You must take excused time for all games in a section.
To take excused time, simply notify your opponents and the CCD
in advance. If you send a move, your excused time ends
immediately. If your opponent takes excused time, you should
respond to unanswered moves normally because your reflection
time is still counted.
Submitting Time Complaints:
13. You may submit a time complaint when your opponent has
exceeded his or her allotted reflection time or has failed to
respond to a repeat move within 10 days, excluding
transmission time. Time complaints should include a full
explanation of the facts.
14. Any dispute you cannot resolve or any claim of repeated or
willful rule violation must be submitted to the CCD. Relevant
evidence must be included. Whenever possible, continue play
while the complaint is being considered. Your complaint should
include:
a. Section and game numbers;
b. Names, ID numbers, and addresses of bothplayers;
c. Game score;
d. Supporting documentation (photocopies are acceptable
unless the CCD asks for originals).
Any complaint must be postmarked within seven days of the time
a person becomes aware of the alleged infraction. Failure to
comply with the above, including a, b, c, and d, negates your
claim.
Reporting Game Results:
15. The winner must report the result to the CCD immediately upon
conclusion of the game. In case of draws, White must report
result. the It is a good idea for the other player to submit
the result, labeling it "duplicate report." Reports must
include section and game numbers as well as the names and ID
numbers of both players.
Thirty-Month Limit and Adjudications:
16. A USCF correspondence game must end after thirty (30) months
from when the event begins. Either player may submit the game
for adjudication postmarked one week after the tournament's
end date. The player submitting the adjudication must provide
the following to the CCD:
a. The score of the game;
b. Diagram of the position before adjudication;
c. Claim of win or draw;
d. Any analysis to support claim (optional).
If neither player submits the adjudication material within one
week after the tournament's end date, the game is scored as a
rateable draw.The CCD is not required to provide the basis for
the adjudication result.
Ratings:
17. Once play begins, games are rated whether they conclude
normally or by forfeit. If your rating decreases by one or
more rating classes as a result of forfeits or withdrawals,
you will be required to enter prize tournaments in the rating
class you occupied before the forfeits.
Penalties:
18. The CCD may assess penalties for violations of these rules.
Penalties include, but are not limited to, informal
reprimands, warnings, reflection time reduction, forfeitures,
or withdrawal. Warnings are usually issued before more severe
penalties but the CCD may skip this step. Smooth and timely
completion of games is the main consideration. Penalties will
be assessed as necessary to accomplish this purpose.
Appeals:
19. You may appeal the CCD's ruling to the Executive Director.
Your appeal must be made in writing within seven days of the
ruling. US Chess, Attn: Bill Hall, Executive Director, PO Box
3967, Crossville, TN 38557.
Player Replacements:
20. A withdrawn player may be replaced at the option of the CCD.
There will be no replacement for a withdrawn player against
whom a win, loss, or draw has been scored in actual play. A
withdrawn player will not be replaced 60 days after the
tournament start date.
GLOSSARY:
adjudication: A judge's determination of a game's result, based on
best play by both sides.
ambiguous move: A move in which two chess pieces of the same kind
can be transferred to a new square and the player does not specify
which chess piece. Example, knights on b1 and f3 can be moved to
d2. The move "Nd2" is ambiguous because it does not specify which
knight is being transferred. The correct transmission is either
"Nbd2" or "Nfd2."
conditional or "if" moves: An attempt to save time and postage by
offering a plausible continuation beyond the required response.
Conditional moves are binding if the recipient accepts the
continuations. The game must then follow the indicated continuation
or any part accepted in sequence.
correspondence chess director (CCD): Official responsible for the
supervision and direction of a correspondence chess tournament.
English algebraic: Conventional algebraic notation with
abbreviations of the English names for the pieces : for example,
Nf3 or Ng1-f3 or Bc1-f4; "x" or ":" for capture is standard. A full
explanation of this system is available from the USCF office.
Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
excused time: Time-outs when play is suspended for leaves or for
special circumstances with the approval of the CCD.
illegal move: A move which violates the rules of chess.
impossible move: A move which cannot be played as recorded.
Official Rules of Chess: Fifth edition, Chief Editor: Tim Just,
Editor: Daniel B. Burg
reflection time: The time between a player's receipt of a move and
the postmarking of his response.
time control: Each player must make 10 moves in 30 days of
reflection time. Time saved in a control carries forward. Unusual
delays within this limit warrant advanced notice to the
opponent(s).
transmission time: The time a move is in the custody of the Postal
Service, that is, from the postmark date to date of delivery at the
recipient's address.
Source: http://main.uschess.org/content/blogcategory/82/393/
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