Format
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Whenever practical, separate tournaments will
be held for secondary and primary students as team events. The
number of players per team is normally four, but teams of less than
four may enter. The number of teams is unlimited.
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Dependent on numbers, tournaments will be split
into premier and open divisions. Open divisions may be further split
into grades.
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Premier divisions are restricted to the top
teams, to a maximum of twelve, with the proviso that unless
otherwise impractical no more than two teams may represent any one
school. A promotion and relegation system will operate between
premier and open divisions, whenever practical. Premier divisions
will be played as fixed roster events (ie team vs team).
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If premier divisions are run in Round 1 (Term
1), teams will be selected based on the average rating of team
members. In the absence of ratings, any other known information
about the teams may be taken into consideration by the organisers.
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Open divisions will be played as individual
Swiss tournaments, open to all other players, with the provision
that players from the same team shall not play each other.
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The arbiter may vary the playing conditions if
deemed necessary to take into account all practical considerations.
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The winning premier teams in the final round
(Term 3) for each zone qualify for the Queensland Interschool
Championships in Brisbane in October. Where there are more than 100
players in the final round, premier and open, the number of
qualifying teams per zone will be one team per 100 players or part
thereof, to a maximum of four.
Time controls
Time controls are 30 minutes per game, using
chess clocks where possible and adjudication if necessary (see
below) after
approximately 25 minutes in other games to decide game results.
The number of rounds shall be as many as time
permits. All players compete in every round.
Scoring
Players will score one point for a win, a
half-point for a draw and zero for a loss. Team scores are the
totals of points scored by team members, accumulating each round.
Prizes
Team prizes
– Medals and/or ribbons for members of each team finishing
first, second and third.
Individual
prizes – Medals and/or ribbons for best individual
performances
Tie break methods
Fixed Roster
Tournaments - Ties between teams
1. Match
encounter result between tied teams, aggregated for multiple
ties
2. Individual
match results with preference given to victory on the highest
board
3. Match
Points Match results, scoring 2 points for wins, 1 for draw
and 0 for losses
Fixed Roster
Tournaments - Ties between individuals for board prizes
1. Individual
encounter result between tied players
2. Sonneborn-Berger
Scores Sum of scores of opponents beaten plus half the scores
of drawn opponents
3. Number
of wins
Open Swiss
Tournaments - Ties between teams
Sum of team members' tie-break scores
1. Median
Buchholz Scores Sum of opponents' scores discounting highest
and lowest scoring opponents
2. Buchholz
Scores Sum of opponents' scores
3. Sum
of Progress Scores Sum of progress scores after each round
Premier Swiss
and Open Swiss Tournaments - Ties between individuals
1. Median
Buchholz Scores Sum of opponents' scores discounting highest
and lowest scoring opponents
2. Buchholz
Scores Sum of opponents' scores
3. Sum
of Progress Scores Sum of progress scores after each round
If ties
remain unbroken further tie-break methods will be applied at the
arbiter's discretion.
(Note:
There is a glitch in the Swiss Perfect 'club standings' listing.
There is no tiebreak method applied, so in the case of ties, the
countback has to be checked manually).
Ratings
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For pairing purposes the most recent issue
of the Queensland Junior Rating List will be used, published on
the Ratings page of the Gardiner Chess web site at
www.gardinerchess.com.
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All results in the inter-school
competitions are sent to the Queensland Junior Ratings Officer
for rating. There are well over 2,000 students listed on the
Queensland Junior Ratings List. The rating for a player is an
indication of their playing strength in comparison to all other
players on the list. It is a remarkably accurate predictor of
results between two players on the list. Playing in a rated
event does not guarantee the player will receive a rating. The
minimum rating of 500 equates approximately to being able to do
some basic checkmates.
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To achieve a rating a player has to play 10
games against rated players in rated tournaments and achieve a
minimum performance of 500.
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We have found that playing in inter-school
chess events and having a rating are two of the biggest
motivators for juniors playing chess.
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Age is no barrier to achieving a rating. It
is not uncommon for five-year-olds to have a Queensland Junior
rating.
How to Enter
First choice—enter names via the online portal; for
information, please go to
www.gardinerchess.com and click on the link in the
schools’ section.
Second choice— enter names in Excel or Word and send via
an email to
entries@gardinerchess.com
or
third choice—fax your entry to 07 5522 7760, with the
following information:
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Name and
Address of School (with
phone, fax and general email address)
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Name of
Chess Coordinator (with
mobile phone and personal email address)
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List of
entrants with dates of birth for each player
(dates of birth are
necessary for identification), sorted into teams of four and
any extras into part teams.
Please note that
every student
plays in
every round of a
tournament, win or lose. If there is an odd number of players,
the lowest ranked player receives a 1 point bye. All schools can
play on regional finals day, even if they missed previous
rounds. However, premier divisions are decided by promotion and
relegation in rounds one and two.
Entry fee
$12 per player including GST. A discount of
10% applies to entries of ten teams (40 students) or more for a
one-day event..
Schools will be invoiced for fees payable
after the event.
Schools unable to pay the full entry fee
may apply in writing for a reduced fee, according to
circumstances. No teams will be turned away because of cost.
Session times
Roll call commences at 9.00am; play
commences at 9.20am or as soon as possible thereafter.
All events should be completed by approx
2.00pm, with prize presentations by 2.15pm – the aim is finish
no later than 2.30pm
Lunches
Players should bring their own lunches and snacks. Tea/coffee
facilities will be available for adults. Canteen facilities will
be available at many venues.
Closing date for entries
Closing date
for entries is not later than seven days before each event.
Late entries may be accepted up to the day before the event but
only by email. Entries cannot be accepted at the venue.
Chess Clocks and Adjudication
There are far too many students at most
events to consider using chess clocks for all games. However,
for regional and state finals it is common for clocks to be
used, and clocks are often used on the top boards in other
events to give students experience. In games where clocks are
not used, we use a system of adjudicating the few remaining
unfinished games after approximately 25 minutes of play.
This involves the arbiter stopping play,
assessing the position and announcing the winner (or draw) based
upon the position and who the arbiter believes to be winning.
The loser may appeal the decision on the spot, but will need to
show the arbiter that the arbiter has erred (and give reasons).
The decision is not based just on who has
most pieces ( eg
the player with fewer pieces may have a forced checkmate on the
board).
Rules
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The high schools
competition is defined as students from grades 8-12, and the
primary schools competition is defined as students from P-7.
Primary students may not play up in the high schools
competition.
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The official FIDE (World Chess Federation)
rules of chess apply to all of our competitions. Interfering in
games by other players, parents or teachers is not allowed.
Stalling is a tactic occasionally used by players who can see
they are winning, and deliberately stall so that they win on the
adjudication. This tactic is strictly against the rules.
Annoying or intimidating one's opponent is also strictly against
the rules.
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Inter-School chess events are a total
learning experience for all students. Not only do they learn to
be better chess players, and learn the rules, but they also
learn how to find their correct board from a list of names, the
correct etiquette and ethics, good sportsmanship, and
importantly the need to stand up for themselves. When they have
any problem at all with their game, including breaches of the
rules, they must put their hand up and wait for an arbiter to
arrive and solve the problem or dispute. It is no use leaving it
until after the game when it is too late.
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Spectators, including players, parents and
teachers, are not allowed to interfere at all in the game.
Advice after the game is fine of course. Spectators cannot even
remind players to push their clock. The game is strictly between
the two players, and if necessary the arbiter.
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Remember, the only person who can deal with
a dispute is the arbiter, and students must call an arbiter
immediately if there is a problem.
General
information
The organisers retain the right to vary conditions if
necessary, taking into account all practical considerations.
Schedules
for each region of Queensland
Greater
Brisbane - Primary Schools
Round 1,
Term 1
Brisbane Upper North and Brisbane Lower North each
one Open Division, possibly sub-divided into grades if
warranted by number of entries. Top four placings in each
qualify for Northside Primary Premier Division in Round 2.
Brisbane South, Bayside, Moreton and Logan-Beaudesert
each one Open Division, possibly sub-divided into grades.
Top two placings in each qualify for Southside Primary
Premier Division in Round 2.
Round 2,
Term 2
Upper North and Lower North each one Open Division,
possibly sub-divided into grades, plus Northside Primary
Premier concurrent with Lower North Open – top six placings
in Premier qualify for Northside Premier Final in Round 3,
together with top placings from each of Upper North Open
and Lower North Open.
Brisbane South, Bayside, Moreton and Logan-Beaudesert
each one Open Division, possibly sub-divided into grades,
plus Southside Primary Premier concurrent with South Open -
top four placings in Premier qualify for Southside Premier
Final in Round 3, together with top placing from each of
the four Opens.
Round 3,
Term 3
One Northside Open Division, possibly sub-divided
into grades, plus concurrent Northside Primary Premier –
top two placings in Premier qualify for the state final.
One Southside Open Division, possibly sub-divided
into grades, plus concurrent Southside Primary Premier - top
two placings in Premier qualify for the state final.
Greater
Brisbane - High Schools
Round 1,
Term 1
Northside High Schools Open, possibly sub-divided
into grades, and Northside High Schools Premier concurrent
with Northside Primary Premier. Premier comprises top eight
teams based on average ratings.
Top six teams from Premier plus top two teams from Open
qualify for Northside Premier in Round 2.
Southside High Schools Open, possibly sub-divided
into grades, and Southside High Schools Premier concurrent
with Southside Primary Premier. Premier comprises top eight
teams based on average ratings.
Top six teams from Premier plus top two teams from Open
qualify for Southside Premier in Round 2.
Round 2,
Term 2
Eight-team Premiers as above, plus Northside and Southside
Opens, possibly sub-divided into grades. Top six Premier
teams plus top two Open teams qualify for each Premier in
Round 3.
Round 3,
Term 3
Eight-team Premiers as above, plus Northside and Southside
Opens, possibly sub-divided into grades. Top two teams from
each Premier (Northside and Southside) qualify for state
final.
Gold Coast
Primary Schools
Round 1,
Term 1
Three zones (Gold Coast North, Central and South) each with
an Open Division, sub-divided into grades if warranted. Top
four lacings from each Open promoted to Premier Division in
Round 2 (12-team Swiss).
Round 2,
Term 2
Three zonal Opens, sub-divided into grades, plus Premier
Division concurrent with Gold Coast South Open. Top six
Premier placings plus top two from A Grade in each zonal
Open qualify for Premier in Round 3.
Round 3,
Term 3
All three zones combined into one Open, sub-divided into
grades, plus Premier. Top four Premier placings qualify for
state final.
Gold Coast
High Schools
Round 1,
Term 1
One zone only with Open Division, possibly sub-divided into
grades, plus eight-team Premier based on average rating.
Top six Premier placings plus top two Open placings qualify
for Premier in Round 2.
Round 2,
Term 2
Open Division, possibly sub-divided into grades, plus
eight-team Premier. Top six Premier placings plus top two
Open placings qualify for Premier in Round 3.
Round 3,
Term 3
Open Division, possibly sub-divided into grades, plus
Premier. Top four Premier placings qualify for state final.
Coastal Queensland
Far North Queensland, North Queensland,
Mackay-Whitsunday, Central Queensland North, Central Queensland
South, Wide Bay North, Wide Bay South/West & Sunshine Coast Primary
and High Schools
Each as per Gold Coast High Schools, provided entry numbers
are sufficient for Open and Premier Divisions. Premier
Division for Round 1 based on average ratings of teams and
other data from previous year. Six top Premier placings plus
two top Open placings qualify for Premier in following
round. Winning Premier team in Round 3 qualifies for state
finals.
Western Queensland
North West Queensland, Central West
Queensland, South West Queensland, South Queensland & Southern Downs
Primary and High Schools
One round only, in Term 3. Separate primary and high schools
Open tournaments, combined as one tournament if insufficient
numbers for separate events. Winning (or top-scoring)
primary and high school qualify for state finals.
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