INFORMATION FOR AND ADVICE TO TEAM CAPTAINS
IN THE MANCHESTER CHESS FEDERATION LEAGUE

These notes have been prepared to be of particular help to captains newly in their role, yet to be useful also to long-serving captains in preventing or dealing with some of the awkward situations that sometimes arise.

Before the match
Ensure that all the players who might be needed to play and who are eligible to play for your team are provided with a list of all known fixtures.

• Ensure that you have contact details (email addresses, home, and mobile phone numbers) for all the likely players.
• Select your team from board 1 downwards. Try to give at least a week’s notice (two weeks would be better). Some captains find it useful to arrange for at least one reserve to be on standby – most players find this acceptable if it is explained to them.
• It is sometimes possible to make all the arrangements by email, but some players do not check their email regularly; if in any doubt, it is better – and often much quicker – to text/WhatsApp or phone.
• Know your players – some will be more reliable or forgetful than others, so issuing a reminder closer to the match day can be advisable.
• If you know in advance that your team will have to default on one or more boards, you should try to inform the opposing captain with as much notice as possible (please see MCF Rule 11 Reserves and Defaults).
  

For an away match

• Make the necessary transport arrangements. (Over the course of the season transport should be shared out as fairly as possible, but individual circumstances will need to be taken into account).
• Beforehand make sure that anyone travelling separately knows where the venue is and how to get there; give that person your mobile number in case of emergency.
• Postcodes, useful for any driver using a sat nav and can be checked online at the LMS.
• Take your mobile phone and the telephone number of the away venue (or the mobile number of the opposing captain), in case you are delayed during your journey.
• It is the good practice of a number of captains when going away to a fixture to ring/text/email their opposite numbers a few days before to confirm the time and place of the match. This is recommended, particularly when the fixture is a cup match or has been re-arranged.
• Check that the home club uses the standard time control of 80 mins + 15 sec increment, and if not, inform your players accordingly (see under Clocks below).

For a home match

• Ensure that the venue is available on the night in question and make any necessary arrangements for opening and locking up.
• The playing conditions should be the best that you can manage, well lit, ventilated, clean, quiet, and comfortable. Tables and chairs should be spaced to allow easy access and to minimise spread of any infection. It is taken for granted that there is no smoking in the building.
• Set up the equipment etc, before the official starting time (7.30 p.m.).
• There should be sufficient sets, boards, clocks of appropriate design, score sheets, and pens or pencils. Ensure that spare clocks are available in case any should prove faulty.
• Ensure that players with colds or sore throats are asked not to play (or even be in the match room)
• You are not obliged to provide refreshments, but this is always appreciated, and at least tap water and glasses or cups should be available.

Clocks
As the home captain you will need to check the clocks and set them.

Incremental time limits are the default

Matches are now typically played under a time control of all moves in 1 hour 20 minutes with a 15 second increment per move starting at move 1 (G80’ + 15”).
By agreement between the captains the match may be played at a faster rate of play than the norm for MCF matches, but the total playing session for a standard play match must be at least 2 hours (a requirement for standard-play rating), e.g. G45’ + 15”.

Arranging your team’s board order
Write down the names of the players on your team and their current rating for MCF purposes, in board order. You have some flexibility in this, enabling you to take into account factors such as team tactics and players’ form.

Note that MCF Rule 4c.1 states:
“A team’s players do not have to play in strict grading order, but where there is a difference of more than 100 ECF rating points between two players, the lower-rated player must play on a lower board than the higher-rated player. The August ECF rating list shall be used throughout the season to allocate a player’s rating, unless modified in accordance with the MCF Memorandum on Ratings.”

Well before the match, a diligent captain will have already checked his/her players’ ratings and decided on the board order. It’s important to keep in mind that a player’s rating for MCF purposes is the one in the August ECF rating list. This rating will be used throughout the winter season, unless
modified in accordance with the MCF Memorandum on Ratings.

*** Please do NOT rely on the League Management System (LMS)
to check the ratings to be used in MCF matches! ***

Instead, the correct rating to be used can be checked in various ways:

1. Before the start of the season the MCF will have issued to all clubs a spreadsheet or document listing the ratings to be used for all the players that have been registered to play.
   Club secretaries should ensure that their team captains each have a copy.
2. This document will remain available for download from the MCF website. It may be revised from time to time as appropriate (e.g. by the addition of new players during the season).
3. Failing that, the August rating of an individual player can always be checked online at the ECF Grading website
   (Enter the player’s surname, identify the correct player in the list, click on the player’s ECF code, scroll down to Rating History, then click on the button marked Original Ratings; the ratings in the list then turn blue, and that gives you the August 1st rating normally used for MCF purposes (unless it is a P rating, in which case the MCF and the club will have agreed an estimated rating for MCF purposes, which you can check on the MCF spreadsheet/list.

Talking to the opposing captain
Before the official starting time of the match each captain should (separately) have written down the names of their players and their current “MCF rating” (see above), in descending board order. (If the team captain is not present, any team members present should nominate an acting captain, in order to facilitate a prompt start to the match at 7.30.)

Then the captains should:

• exchange team lists and pair the players accordingly. When a team knows it is going to default one or more boards, it must do so from the bottom board upward (please make sure you are familiar with MCF Rule 11 Reserves and Defaults);
• It’s advisable for any query about the opposing team’s board order to be settled as quickly as possible before the start of the match (although as the rules stand this does not preclude the matter being referred for dispute settlement later); that’s why it’s useful to have written down each player’s “MCF rating” on the team list;
• arrange for the away team to take White on the odd-numbered boards;
• inform the players (some of whom may play in different leagues) of the rate of play that is to be used.
• inform the visiting players of any refreshments available and of the location of the toilets;
• Advise players to switch off all mobile phones (please see MCF Rule 7).

At the official starting time

• MCF matches start at 7.30 pm, unless an earlier time was agreed in advance.
• The players present under instructions of the captain(s) shall start the clocks. Any delay in starting the match should be subtracted from the clocks of the team responsible for the delay.
• An away team arriving late should not expect the home team to have delayed starting the clocks.
• Delay in starting the clocks is not recommended, as it tends to lead to a later finishing time, which will be inconvenient for many players, such as juniors and their parents or drivers, or adults who need to get up early for work. This should be regarded as an issue of practicality, rather than (misplaced) sportsmanship.
• in the case of a genuine emergency, such as the away team being held up for a considerable length of time in traffic, it would be appropriate to ring the opposing team captain. If the delay in the away team arriving is likely to be considerable, and is due to circumstances outside the away team’s control (so-called force majeure), the best course might be to abandon the match and ask the Fixtures Secretary to reschedule it.

Reserves and defaults

• A player who does not arrive within one hour of the official starting time (7.30 pm or earlier by agreement) defaults the game.
• A reserve may be substituted for an absent player up to one hour after the official starting time, but the clock cannot be reset.
• Match rule 11 states:
  “The individual game will count towards the match result only if the reserve fulfils all the relevant MCF conditions for eligibility to play on the board in question, i.e.: 
  1. the player has been registered for the club as per Rule 3 and
  2. the player is not seeded for a higher team and
  3. the substitution complies with rule 4 c) i)
• A club may put forward an ineligible player as a reserve but while the result of the game will be submitted to the ECF for rating purposes, the game will still be awarded to the non-offending team for match purposes. However, the non-offending player will have the right to decline to play an ineligible opponent but while in that case the game point will still be awarded to the non-offending team, the offending team will not incur a penalty point for defaulting a board.”

Postponements

The Manchester Chess Federation League fixtures calendar is always very crowded and postponements and re-arrangements need to be kept to an absolute minimum, since the knock-on effects can be very disruptive. The league rules therefore state: 

“A club may request the postponement of a fixture by giving at least ten days’ notice to the Fixtures Secretary and providing justification. If the Fixtures Secretary allows the postponement, the Fixtures Secretary shall arrange the date and venue of the match, in consultation with the two clubs involved. (Note that consultation does not necessarily mean agreement.) The new date shall be binding on both clubs and no further postponement of the same fixture shall be permitted. No fixture shall be postponed at less than ten days’ notice except in an emergency.
By “emergency” is meant an “act of God”, such as the club room suddenly becoming unavailable, or severe weather (or an official warning of such) making travel hazardous, etc.”

The MCF Fixtures Memorandum also advises:

“Clubs are asked to do their best to fulfil all their fixtures. Not being able to field one’s best team is not a valid reason for postponing or defaulting a match.  When a team is unable to fulfil a fixture, or is unable to field a full team, it is courteous to inform and apologise to the opposing club with as much notice as possible.”

Reporting of results

Results are reported via the ECF League Management System

1. Team captains need a login; if you haven’t got one, apply via https://ecflms.org.uk/lms/contact and then let the MCF know your details (the MCF will need to add you as a “User” of the MCF part of the system, and as an “Owner” for your club, so you can enter match results)
2. Login using your Username and Passwor
3. Go to the relevant Match via the Results tab (or, up to midnight following the end of the match, via Today’s Fixtures on the Menu on the left of the screen)
4. If the Match Result has not yet been entered, please do so carefully using the drop-down tabs, including making sure the Colour is correct for each board, as well as each result
5. For a Match where players play each other twice (once with each colour), please enter the first half of the match in the top four places, with the second half of the match in the bottom four; please be especially careful to check the colours are correct for each of the boards, particularly in the second half of the match
6. Note that Defaults need to be entered as follows: the player defaulting should be put down as Default, but their “opponent” as Not Named; the result should be entered as e.g., 1-0 (def) not as 1-0
7. Submit the Result
8. If the opposing captain has already entered the result and you agree with it, please use the Verify tab to verify the result
9. If you disagree, please enter a Comment as to what you disagree with, and the Results and Registrations Secretary will get back to you.
   If you have any problems or queries, please contact the friendly and helpful MCF team via the Contact form.

The FIDE Laws of Chess and the MCF Rules
Games must be played in accordance with the FIDE Laws of Chess, unless modified by the MCF League rules. The FIDE Laws of Chess are revised from time to time.

Communication between captain and players

• a player may not speak about his/her game while it is in progress.
• In MCF matches a captain is entitled to advise a player on his team whether to make or accept an offer of a draw or to resign a game; the captain must confine him/herself only to brief information, based solely on the match situation.
  For example, if asked by a player on his/her team whether he/she should accept an offer of a draw, the captain should answer “yes”, “no”, or delegate the decision to the player him/herself.
  The captain may show the player the match card, indicating the score so far in the match, but must convey no information or opinion concerning the position on the chess board and/or the clock times, nor consult any other person and/or electronic device as to the state of the game.
• a player must have the final say over the conduct of his/her own game. Although the advice of the captain should weigh heavily with the player, the player is not compelled to accept that advice. Likewise, the captain cannot act on behalf of a player and his game without the knowledge and consent of the player.

Mobile phones
In MCF matches these are allowed in the playing area. However, they must be switched off for the duration of play (this applies to spectators as well as players).
Match captains should remind players of this requirement immediately before the commencement of play.
If a player’s phone rings audibly during his game, then s/he automatically forfeits the game. If the position on the board is such that the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal moves, it will be declared drawn.
In the hopefully rare case of a genuine need to use a mobile phone occurring while a match is still in progress, the two team captains should be jointly consulted and their prior agreement obtained.
Otherwise, in the event of a dispute arising, the MCF is likely to take the view that FIDE Rule 12.8 has been breached:
“Unless authorised by the arbiter, it is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone or any kind of communication device in the playing venue or any contiguous area designated by the arbiter.”
Any disruption caused to the match by this should be kept to a minimum.

Disputes
All disputes in MCF matches should be reported to the secretary of the Disputes Committee and will then be referred to this committee for an independent decision.
A fee of £15 shall accompany each dispute. The fee will be returned to the successful claimant. (For the full disputes procedure, consult the MCF Memoranda, available here at the MCF website.

Finishing
Clubs’ playing sessions are often subject to, and limited by, the regulations in force in their venue; if so, a club must state the time that home matches need to finish in the club directory. If a temporary earlier finish is required then as a courtesy this should be notified, preferably before the day of the match

As noted earlier, by agreement between the captains the match may be played at a faster rate of play than the norm for MCF matches, but the total playing session must be at least 2 hours (required for standard-play rating).

Team captains are joint arbiters and have all the duties and responsibilities of arbiters under the Laws, unless those duties and responsibilities clash with their role as team captain. For example, they must call flag falls, but they cannot, except by agreement, declare a position drawn.
However, as a playing captain, rather than continually hopping up and down to see what is happening on the other boards, the best thing you can do for your team will usually be to focus on your own game!

Looking after inexperienced match players and juniors/vulnerable adults

If you know you have in your team players who are fairly new to competitive chess, they might need advice and help. Some of the things about which you might have to remind them are:

A game of chess should be played in a sporting manner and, to avoid unnecessary incidents, players should become conversant with the FIDE Laws of Chess. The rules most commonly violated are as set out below.

Touch and move
If a player touches a piece with the intention of moving it, s/he must move it, if s/he can do so legally. When s/he takes his hand off the piece s/he is committed to the move and cannot retract it if the move is legal, even though s/he may not have stopped his clock.
A player who pauses to study the position before removing his hand from the piece is considered by most people to have “poor chess manners”, but this is not strictly illegal.

Adjusting the pieces
FIDE Article 4.2.1 states: “Only the player having the move may adjust one or more pieces on their squares, provided that he first expresses his intention (for example by saying “j’adoube” or “I adjust”)”

Castling
When castling, the king must be moved first. This is because a movement of the king two spaces to one side is unambiguous and commits the player to completing the full castling move. If the rook is touched first the opponent may insist that a simple rook move be made under the “touch and move” rule.

Clocks
A player must remember to stop the clock only after making a move and never to stop it before making a move, no matter how short of time. The clock must be operated with the hand which moves the chess piece.
Article 6.2.4 of the Laws states: “The players must handle the chess clock properly. It is forbidden to press it forcibly, to pick it up, to press the clock before moving or to knock it over.”

Recording moves
Each player is required to record his/her own moves and those of his opponent.
Note that it is forbidden to write down a move in advance of playing it.
Under the Laws of Chess, if the game is played with an increment per move which is less than 30 seconds, a player does not need to keep score once they have less than 5 minutes (In MCF games the increment is only 15 seconds).
Nevertheless, the MCF recommends that you keep recording at
all times. If you do not keep score you will be unable claim a draw under the 50-move rule, or by repetition etc., and the game may last an excessive time.
The game must be recorded on the score sheets provided. Personal “score books” must not be used for recording moves.

Offering a draw
FIDE Law 9.1.2.1. states:
“1) A player wishing to offer a draw shall do so after having made a move on the chessboard and before pressing his/her clock. An offer at any other time during play is still valid but Article 11.5 must be considered. No conditions can be attached to the offer.
2) The offer of a draw shall be noted by each player on his scoresheet with the symbol (=).”
Note that the offer cannot be withdrawn and remains valid until the opponent accepts it or rejects it, whether verbally or by moving (although it is considered more sporting to reply verbally,politely).
FIDE Rule 11.5 states:
It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever. This includes unreasonable claims, unreasonable offers of a draw or the introduction of a source of noise into the playing area.
To comply with this Law, as a rule of thumb, if a draw offer has been declined, the player should not make a second offer until and unless the position on the board (or on the clocks) has changed significantly.
It is worth reminding your players that, while playing individual games, they are also playing for a team and should therefore consult their captain regarding the match situation before agreeing to any result which might affect the outcome of the match.

Draw by repetition and other means.
A claim of a draw by repetition is based on the same position occurring 3 times, with the same player to move on each occurrence of the position. To make such a claim the player should inform his opponent of his claim and then stop both clocks.
The latest FIDE rules state:
9.2.1 The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by a player having the move, when the same position for at least the third time (not necessarily by a repetition of moves):
9.2.1.1 – is about to appear, if s/he first writes his move, which cannot be changed, on his score sheet and declares to the arbiter his intention to make this move, or
9.2.1.2- has just appeared, and the player claiming the draw has the move.
Positions are considered the same if and only if the same player has the move, pieces of the same kind and colour occupy the same squares and the possible moves of all the pieces of both players are the same.
Note that
a) the sequence of moves causing a repetition in position is of no significance. Costly surprises can occur if repeating moves are counted, instead of repeating positions, and
b) the intended move must be written down but not made on the board – that invalidates the claim.
The same procedure also applies to a draw claim based on Rule 9.3.2: the last 50 moves by each player have been completed without the movement of any pawn and without any capture
.

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Last updated 06.09.2024