Now THAT is a Ladder!
The Livingston County Chess Club meets every Monday night between 4pm and 10pm at the Buffalo Wild Wings in the Green Oak Mall in Brighton, MI.
Stop in for some friendly chess, good food and 'refreshments'. Everyone of all ages and playing strength are welcome to attend. And free lessons to all beginners!
For the 2nd year in a row, The co-champions of the 2023 Fischer Randon Chess (960) Tournament are Ken T and Pete B!
Not a surprise although they did have their struggles and challenges to win it. Their game in the 3rd of the 4 rounds ended in a hard-fought draw, so this result makes sense. Here are the top 6 finishers of the 16 entrants:
1-2 Pete B and Ken T
3-4 Curt S and Mike N
5-6 Charlie S and Vince V
Thank you all for participating!
Now, moving forward, the TD and President will establish a Club Tournament Schedule and it will be posted here when finished. COVID disrupted our normal schedule and we have been sort of winging it with our tournaments since re-starting the club OTB.
And the continually running Ladder Tournament will be in effect when other Club tournaments are not scheduled. Here are the Ladder Tournament Rules!
Chess
Ladder Rules (6-12-23)
1.
The Ladder Director (LD [Club President right now]) is responsible
for the updating the Ladder at the end of each week for the next week’s Ladder
posting.
2. The decision of the LD
on all Ladder games and issues is final.
3. New players joining
the Ladder Tournament are automatically placed at the bottom of the ladder.
4.
Time Controls for Ladder games; - G/15
minute or longer, with or without Delay/ Increment, are acceptable time limits
for ladder games. If the two players cannot agree on a time limit, then G/30 no
delay/increment is the standard.
5. For Ladder matches, touch-move is in effect.
6. If both players agree to play Fischer Random 960, that is also allowed.
7. CHALLENGES:
a. You may challenge any
player above you within 4 rungs.
b. If a player cannot
find a player to play in the next four rungs (absent or currently playing), then challenger is allowed to challenge the next player up the
ladder that is present at the club, and so on until an opponent is found.
c. You cannot play
consecutive Ladder matches against the same opponent.
d. All valid challenges
(listed with date and time of challenge) must be accepted and played within two
weeks (the week of the challenge and the next week).
e. If multiple challenges
are made to a player on the same day, a week is added for each additional
challenge, and the challenges are played in the order made.
f. Players are only
required to play one challenge game on the same club night, but playing multiple challenges is always allowed.
g. If this is the first time you have
played each other in the Ladder Challenge, the color will be determined by lot.
If you have played the opponent before then colors will be alternated
(challenger shows proof if necessary).
h. If the challenger WINS
the match, the challenger is moved to the rung directly above the challenged
player. If the challenger DRAWS, he is placed just below his opponent. If the
challenger LOSES there is no change in the ladder positions.
i. If a match has been
arranged without any signing up on the Ladder Sheet, both players must notify
the LD of the date, time and result for the game to count.
8. PENALTIES:
a)
Failure to accept or play a valid
challenge within the rules will constitute a forfeit and result in a win for
the challenger.
b)
After 3 consecutive weeks of ladder
inactivity, a player is removed from the ladder.
c) All infringements of rules as deemed by the LD will result in forfeit of match or removal from Ladder.
9. RECORDING OF RESULTS: Once a match is over, the winning player is responsible for filling in the results on the Ladder Sheet.
10. Players must be aware
of their appropriate (new) change in their rung positions on the ladder when
applicable. (end)
Any tournament needs rules, but the Ladder Tournament concept is just to make the casual chess games mean "something".
Ladder Strategy also comes into play for the keen Ladder watcher. Upsets happen and to get your challenge in at the right time could give you a chance to move up quickly. Also, if you look at rule 7B, challenge timing could get you a match higher up the ladder than Rule 7A directly allows.
It's a fun thing if people get involved and embrace The Ladder concept.
