Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Chess League Charter and Rules [revised 8/22/2024]

Bruce Leverett 412-561-3972 (h), 412-328-4107 (c)

1. Purpose:� The purpose of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Chess League (WPICL) is to provide a mutually beneficial structure whereby schools in the Pittsburgh area may meet, compete, learn, and promote chess in a friendly manner and atmosphere.
2. Role of director:� The league director tracks results, settles disputes, etc.
3. Mode of play:� Matches may be played in person, or online.� If a match is in person, the home team must designate the location, and the away team must travel to that location.� If the match is online, captains must designate an online platform, such as chess.com.
4. Number of games:� Each team will play each other team twice*, once home and once away (*once if the league is large).
5. Number of boards:� Teams consist of five boards each.� A win counts as 1, a draw as �, and a loss as 0.� If the match ends up 2 � - 2 �, it is a tie.� A forfeit loss counts as 0.� Teams with fewer than five players forfeit on the lowest boards.� To enable teams to play in person even if their only transportation is a sedan car with a non-playing driver, the following exception is noted:� the captain of the away team may designate a match as being on only four boards.� The match will be scored as if there were a fifth board on which the game was a draw.
6. Color:� The home team has White on boards 2 and 4; the visitors White on boards 1, 3, and 5.
7. Schedule:� There will be one scheduled match per week.� Scheduling of the day, time, and location of the match is done by the captains, who must contact each other, possibly by telephone or email.� If both captains (sponsors) agree, a match can be played on a different week, so long as it is played as soon as possible.� The overall league schedule (including entry fee and prizes) will be determined each year by email among the director and all captains.
8. Reporting results:� Both captains should report all board results and any problems directly to the league director, either by phone (412-561-3972 h, 412-328-4107 c) or e-mail (e-mail address omitted from website) within 48 hours of the end of the match.� This dual reporting prevents errors and helps ensure that matches will be reported in a timely manner.� The director will post all results to the league website.�
9. Playing rules:� Unless otherwise noted below, the WPICL will use all official US Chess Federation (USCF) rules of play (note: the rulebook can be obtained from USCF at (888) 512-4377 or online at https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/us-chess-rule-book-online-only-edition-chapters-1-2-10-11-9-1-20.pdf).� If a match is in person, the two exceptions to the USCF rules are:� 1) a player does not have to keep score (although players are encouraged to do so), and� 2) The �insufficient losing chances� rule will only be enforced if a USCF TD is present.� For example, all games are touch-move, and no spectator, teammate, nor captain (sponsor) can interfere with a game (call illegal moves, flag falling, etc.) without a player initiating a rules request.� If there is any dispute that cannot be resolved by the captains, the league director will make a ruling based on the USCF rules and this charter.� Players in the league do not have to be USCF members and games will not be rated.
10. Use of clock:� When possible, games should be played with time limits for both players.� If the match is in person, players should use a chess clock.� If the match is online, the online platform�s timing should be used.� Time control should be agreed upon by the captains, depending on the circumstances.� For example, if the match starts at 4:30 and captains would like the match to finish by 5:30, then each player should have a half hour for all his moves.
11. Board order:� The home team should announce their lineup first if there is a dispute.� There may be no �stacking� of boards:� teams should play in approximate order of strength.� If the coach wishes to move a player one board to get a color, that may be allowed, except as follows:� for players with established USCF ratings (>19 USCF-rated games), a player rated more than 100 points over another must play a higher board (i.e. moving a board to get a color is not allowed).� Provisional (<20 USCF-rated games) and unrated players may play any board, so long as they are in approximate order of strength compared to other players.� It is suggested that coaches use one of the following criteria to help determine the order for provisional or unrated players:� a club ladder, a challenge system, or informal ratings from Internet play.
12. Forfeited and Late Matches:� Captains should use common sense to avoid forfeited matches.� If the captains have agreed on a match schedule, but then one team must reschedule, that team�s captain must make every effort to contact the other captain as soon as possible to reschedule.� If the away team does not call or show up at all (or shows up more than 75 minutes late), the home team will be designated the winner by a score of 5-0.� If either team cancels a match on the day of the match, or after the end of school on the day before, the other team is designated the winner by a score of 5-0.
13. Eligibility:� The league will allow any K-12 student in a district to play on a team.� It is up to each school to decide if they wish to allow students in their district, but not in the school (e.g. talented middle school players) to play.� Non-HS teams may join.� The league encourages any policy that promotes chess and helps a team avoid forfeit losses.
14. Sections and Playoffs:� If the league has many teams, it may be divided into multiple sections.� If there are multiple sections, the director and the captains of the leading teams may schedule playoffs, to enable teams from different sections to play each other.
15. Coordinate!:� Please return all calls or e-mail in a timely manner!� Please honor your commitment to play.� Thanks!