Competitions in the 2016-17 Season
Torbay Chess League
In the 2016-17 season, we are entering teams in the Torbay Chess League Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4, and also the Rapidplay League and the Knockout competition. Fixtures, match results and reports are posted on this website.
Click here to view the Torbay Chess League Competition Rules in Adobe Reader format (.pdf).
Internal Club Leagues
The Club runs two league divisions. The top division is the Homan League; the second division is the Dunleavy League. Both divisions are named after former club members who did great service for the club. In each division, the format is all-play-all (twice in the Homan and once in the Dunleavy) during the September - December period, after which there is relegation from the Homan and promotion from the Dunleavy. From January until the end of the season the all-play-all format is repeated. At the end of the season, the winner of the Homan League is the Club Champion and wins the Homan Cup. There is also a trophy for the player coming second on the Homan League. The winner of the Dunleavy League wins the Dunleavy Cup.
The M. Wray Shield is a leagues in which two members can play each other on nights when they are not involved in a club match and are unable to arrange a game in the Homan/Dunleavy leagues.
The players participating in the Homan and Dunleavy leagues are set out in the pages describing these competitions. Promotion and relegation works as follows at the end of each half-season:
- The bottom two players in the Homan League are relegated to the Dunleavy League.
- The top two players in the Dunleavy League are promoted to the Homan League.
- The 4th placed Homan player has a play-off against the 3rd placed Dunleavy player; in the following half-season the winner of this play-off plays in the Homan League and the loser plays in the Dunleavy League.
The Club Champion for the season will be determined by a play-off between the players who finish first in the September - December Homan League and first in the January - May Homan League. If the same player finishes first in both periods, then that player will be Club Champion without a play-off.
The allocation of players to the Homan and Dunleavy Leagues in the 2017-18 season will be determined by final standings at the end of the 2016-17 season (not by grades), with promotion and relegation as above.
Cookworthy Cup
In addition to the leagues, our usual knockout competition, the Cookworthy Cup, will take place; details will be posted on this website once the first round draw has taken place.
ECF Grading
Games in the Torbay Chess League, Homan League, Dunleavy League, M. Wray Shield and Cookworthy Cup will all be graded.
Time Controls
For all graded games, each player must complete the first 35 moves in 75 minutes. After Black's 35th move, 15 minutes is added to each player's clock for a Quick Play finish.
Colours
In each half season of the Homan and Dunleavy Leagues, when opponents first play each other colours will be determined by toss. When the same two players meet for the second time, colours will be reversed.
In the Cookworthy Cup, for the first round of both the preliminary competition and main competition, colours will be determined when the draw is made. For subsequent rounds, colours will be determined by toss "on the night".
Administration
- Club members should wherever possible arrange their games in the internal club competitions in advance - ideally a week beforehand. Arranging games in the Homan and Dunleavy leagues takes priority over the M. Wray Shield. You can record a pre-arranged game, and view all pre-arranged games, in the Members Area of this website.
- If any new members join part way through the season, Clifford may, at his discretion, allocate them to play in the Homan League or Dunleavy League.
- If your opponent requests a late start due to work commitments, please accommodate this request.
- Do not start an M.Wray Shield game before 7:15pm, as the other internal competitions take priority; if a member arrives after 7:00pm, it is possible that his arrival will enable a game in one of these other competitions to take place that evening.
- A result book will be at the club, and results should entered into the book before players leave in the evening.
- Don't forget to check the website regularly for results!