A. The W.O.L.C. will from time-to-time sponsor and promote the following type of competitions:

1. Swiss-pairing events

a. Where number of players justify such and/or if announced in advance, a regular "Swiss-pairing" event may be held (where players are paired according to descending order of rating, with similarly cumulative-scored players contesting against each other).

i. The number of rounds of such an event shall be the amount announced in pre-tournament publicity.

ii. However, for events which are held with less than 7-days' advance notice, the number of rounds should be a number which equals the smallest power of 2 which is equal to or greater than the number of players competing, with a minimum of 4 rounds (e.g., 16 or fewer players - 4 rounds; 17-32 players - 5 rounds; 33-64 players - 6 rounds; etc.). This rule does not prevent a majority of the participating players from voting on a greater number of rounds so long as the number is no more than twice the number as would otherwise be prescribed by this paragraph.

b. When announced in advance, a WOLC-modified-Swiss-pairing system will be used whereby the players are paired according to the UPSCL swiss-pairing system with the following modifications:

i. Each round, opponents contest a multiple number of games (say, e.g., 3, 5, or 6), depending on the announced event, with the color due of the higher-rated player (based on pre-tournament official-WOLC-rating or estimated rating) predominating in all rounds, except in a final round against a "paired-up" player [color due at start of tournament, as always with Swiss events, is determined randomly of first player, then it alternates among top players, as they are paired against opponents from the bottom half.]

ii. In successive rounds, players are paired as if in a regular Swiss event, to contest only one game (though each round may consist of several games).

iii. Unless numbers justify a greater amount of number of rounds, such events should be limited to 4 rounds.

c. In a Swiss event (or any WOLC-rated event), the player contesting with Black is to match the opponent for the match (if played over the internet). Where an automated color-choosing system is relied upon and the wrong colors are given, the players should immediately resign or abort the game and match each other with the correct colors.

d. There should be no delay in excess of 1 minute (for matching an opponent) during the on-going games of a round, nor more than a 3-minute delay between the posting of matches and start of games (on the internet; 5 minutes, over-the-board (and, then, up to 1½-minute delay between games of a match)). Also, if a player (during a match on the internet) disconnects during a game and does not return within 2 minutes, then that player is forfeitted for that game; and, if s/he does not return within 5 minutes is forfeitted for the round.

1. Whether via the internet or in OTB competition, White may not lose on the first move of a game; Black can lose on the first move of a game.

2. During a WOLC-rated game contested via the internet, if the player of Black issues a challenge to White, the player of Black agrees to be ready for the match. If that player is not ready, s/he may withdraw the challenge before it has been accepted, or refrain from issuing the challenge. However, an acceptable challenge must be available to the player of White within 60 seconds from the start of the round and/or the completion of the previous game of the current round.

3. In accepting a challenge for a game contested via the internet, White agrees to be ready to contest the match immediately; and, may abort an internet game only if no more than 2 seconds have elapsed, or else be subject to forfeiture of the contest by resignation.

4. In OTB competition, once Black has started a game, White may only stop it for a claim of win and/or other rule violation as set forth in these rules.

e. In matches contested over the internet, players should communicate with each other about problems concerning matching the other to begin any game of a round. Only if they cannot work out a problem after trying to do so themselves should they communicate with a TD/arbiter to help resolve any controversy/problem. Otherwise, players should not communicate with each other once the first game of a round has begun until the end of the last game of that round between them has been completed.

1. If a player claims a win by lag-forfeit in any but the last game of a multi-game match, that player must wait until the TD has had an opportunity to speak with the violator which will be made known to the claimant by being told to proceed with the match after speaking with the violator.

2. Failure to wait until being told to "proceed with the match" by the TD may preclude the claimant's ability from claiming another win by lag-forfeit until the TD has been given an opportunity to speak with the violator.

3. Players contesting any WOLC-rated match via the internet in the absence of an arbiter waive claims to lag, no-kibbitzing rules, and may affect prizes earned during a tournament as set forth in the publicity for the event.

f. Players are responsible to police their own lag (to avoid any unwanted forfeit) and to be aware of unrated nature of challenge (or play rated (on some other rating system) at own risk if not otherwise agreed).

g. If a TD or announced arbiter kibitzes that either player has forfeitted a game by lag, the players should resign at that time (unless there is some agreement between the players to the contrary under such circumstances, which prior agreement MUST be made known to the TD).

1. Failure to resign/abort at the time of the kibbitz of "lag forfeit" consitutes a waiver of the claim for the duration of the current game.

2. Double-Round-Robin and Multiple-Round-Robin Events

a. In a Round-Robin event, all players contest each other according to a pre-determined method of pairings (for which purpose the USCF Official Rules, 1999 edition will be followed).

b. The number of games to be contested each round between players in such event shall not be less than two, nor more than 10.

3. Elimination Events.

a. Annual WORLD LIGHTNING-CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

i. Once annually, the WOLC shall host and conduct a World Lightning-Chess Championships.

ii. The number of entrants shall be limited to a pre-determined number, and/or to those who have entered on or before a date in advance of the event, which shall be announced at least 2 months in advance of the start date, at which time the prizes for the event shall be announced.

iii. The event shall officially commence on 1 January of a new year, with 1st-round pairings to be posted on a special page on or before that date; each round should be concluded within a 2-week period, and successive rounds' pairings should be posted as soon as they are available, to give a full 2-week playing window to remaining players.

iv. While matches are "officially-WOLC-rated" games, they need not, but should, have an arbiter present at the time of the match if possible (especially to handle any disputes that may arise).

v. Players shall report their results by message to a noted person at the Internet Chess Club, or e-mail to the WOLC (wolc@pacbell.net).

vi. Any person who enters this event, or any WOLC event, with more than one "account" (i.e., pairing spot in the event) shall be forfeitted from the event, and risks suspension from all WOLC events for one month, one year, or a lifetime, at the discretion of, and after discussion and by a collective agreement among the president, vice-president and secretary of the W.O.L.C.

vi. The event should be concluded before the end of March, of that same year.

vii. In all but the final round, the format for the World Championships shall be a best-of-10-game match between players, with the player achieving the superior score advancing to the next round. The final round shall consist in a best-of-20-game series.

A. A tie at the end of any 10-game series (or 20-game match) shall be broken by the first player who has a greater than 1½-point lead in score.

B. In case of a tie at the end of any 10-game series (or 20-game series in the final round), the players may have up to 10 minutes for a break between the regular and tie-breaker games, and after every 10 games; but, otherwise, each game within a match should have no more than 1 minute delay between the ending of one game and the beginning of the next game.

viii. Colors shall alternate each round, with the lower-rated player having choice of color in the first round. In the event of a tie in the championships, after 20 games, a flip for color for tie-breaker matches will be had, with the lower-rated player calling the flip.

ix. To accommodate a greater number of participants and to ensure in any event a workable number for eventually, through elimination, arriving at only two contestants for the finals, an undetermined number of participants, approximately 20, will receive a bye of the first round of matches, and be seeded into the second round, usually but not necessarly due to demonstarted playing strength and similar factors, including all players qualifying for the previous year's championships' quarter-finals.

A. The list of seeded players is made by the "tournament commitee" [made up of president and vice-president of WOLC, or (a) representative(s) selected by either/each] and their selection(s) need not be based solely on current ranking, but may also include (but not necessarily limited to) such factors as: results in previous tournaments, title, repuation, etc.

b. Tennis-Lightning-Chess

i. As may from time-to-time be announced, the WOLC will host a Tennis-Lightning-Chess ("TLC") event in which an elimination format of pairings will be used.

1. This includes, but is not limited to, an annual "Open" TLC World Championships ("TLCO") and a bi-annual "Closed" TLC World Championships ("TLCC").

2. For the "Closed" TLC World Championships, participation is by invitation only, based on:
(a) last TLCC World Champion,
(b) the TLCO World Champions from the present and the previous seasons,
(c) top-rated players who have played during the current season, and
(d) and possibility of wild-card from special tournament or highest GPP earner not yet invited.

3. Commencing with the 2001-2002 seaon, the annual TLC "Open" will be considered as the "main" World Championshiop event for the WOLC.

4. The TLCO will commence each season in October, and run through November; the TLCC will be held bi-annually during July and August.

ii. Pairings initially will be established, based on pre-tournament rating of participant, with top seed at top, and bottom seed at bottom, 3rd seed at bottom of top 1/2 and 4th seed at top of bottom half, and alternating (keeping seeds as far away from next nearest seed) to fill in brackets, which eventually could lead to 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4 in semifinals, etc.

iii. This event shall be limited in participation to a number of players which is an even multiple of 4.

iv. In tennis chess, each game is officially-WOLC-rated; and, the players are responsible for scoring each point, including colors of players for each point, or having an arbiter available during tourney to keep score.

v. The server begins each game with White (the server for the beginning of the match is determined by choice of the lower-rated player). The non-server must match the server for all "points" of the server's "game."

vi. While draws are rated as draws for purposes of WOLC ratings, for purposes of the match, in the absence of agreement (if not otherwise announced in the pre-tournament publicity) to have a draw count as a win for Black, for purposes of tennis-scoring four consecutive drawn/stalemated games are to be considered as a double fault (loss of point against server).

vii. In tennis chess, the score is kept as in tennis (i.e., point-system of Love-15-30-40), including dueces, until one player has won 6 games, with a 2 game lead over the opponent, or 7 games where the opponent has won no more than 5. But in the event of a 6-6 score, tennis tie-breaker rules are followed (including changing of serve) until tie is broken (by at least 7 points with a minimum of 2-point margin of victory).

A. In other words, the players are scoring with tennis, but each "point" of the "tennis match" is decided by the result of the chess game, either with draws counting as a win for Black (though, this does not affect the WOLC-rating as a draw), or 4 consecutive draws counting as a double-fault by the "server," according to the pre-tournament publicity. If a set reaches a score of 6 games - 6 games, then a final, tie-break "game" of points is played, all according to the rules recognized by the USTA.

B. In a tie-break, as in any "game," the serve alternates and scoring is had as in regular tennis, with the point-scoring, and determination of game and set winner the same as with "regular" tennis.

viii. Unless otherwise noted in pre-tournament publicity, TLC competitions are for "best-of-3 set" matches, with the player who wins the first 2 sets advancing to the next round. When conducted over the internet, the winner of a TLC match shall be the player who wins the first "set," unless the players have agreed, or tournament publicity announces otherwise.

c. The WOLC may from time to time conduct other elimination events as announced in pre-tournament publicity.

4. Team Events

a. This paragraph may be modified without need for approval by "active" members in order to establish rules and formats concerning the conducting of team competitions, as appropriate to advance the interests of our members and their enjoyment.

5. Over the Board Events

a. This paragraph may be modified without need for approval by "active" members as advances the goals of the WOLC in promoting G/1min. chess world-wide in live, over-the-board action and the establishing of WOLC-affiliates who are authorized to conduct such events. Events may be held under any type as described in these rules, or otherwise as announced in advance publicity at least one calendar month in advance of the date on which the event starts.

b. Unless specifically stated below, WOLC rules are equally applicable to over-the-board ("OTB") competitions and those conducted via the "internet" [i.e., any rule not covered here, but found elsewhere, is applicable for OTB, and vice-versa].

c. In OTB G/1min. competition, the hitting of the clock when the position on the board is not the current legal position, or the causing of the position on the board not to be the current legal position at any time during the game when the opponent's time is running (i.e., their clock is losing time) shall immediately entitle the opponent to claim victory of that game, even if the opponent has no more time remaining (but in such case, the first claim made will take precedence).

i. If a player leaves 25% or more of a unit on more than 1 square after completing his move, the opponent (after the player, who leaves more than 25% of unit on more than 1 square, hits his/her clock) may press his/her clock and request the player to place the unit on the square which the player intended the unit be placed on on the player's time; and if the player refuses, then the opponent may claim victory by forfeit at that time due to the above paragraph (c).

d. In OTB competiton, a player may not touch any unit on the chess-board before the opponent has touched the device on the clock used to stop the opponent's time from running and to start the player's time (i.e., can't touch any unit while the opponent's time is running). Violation of this rule after a verbal warning has been given by the opponent may subject the violator to being forfeitted for the game, at the discretion of the arbiter for that game. If a player does touch a unit before the opponent (whose time is running) has touched the clock to press the time-toggling device, the player must fully release that unit before retouching the unit to move the touched unit on the player's next turn to avoid the penalty of this paragraph. A player may not "adjust" any unit on an opponent's time; and, the doing of this after once being warned during the same game may subject the violator to forfeiture if claimed at the time of the second violation (because of the risk to interference with possible move by the player whose time is running).

i. A move shall not be deemed completed until the player making the move has pressed the clock, stopping the player's time from running and commencing the opponent's time to run. Unless otherwise stated in publicity for an event, there shall be no "touch move" rule in any WOLC competition; rather, the standard rule is "clock move," as set forth herein.

ii. Any interference with a player's ability to complete any legal move, to press the time-toggling device on the clock or to remove and/or release their hand/arm from toggling the clock will, after a first warning issued by the player being interfered with, subject the opponent to forfeiture on the first cocurrence after being warned.

e. In OTB competition, preference shall be had for use of a digital clock over analog clock.

i. The player of Black may choose the clock as between 2 digital clocks.

ii. HOWEVER, the type of clock manufactured by Saitek is the least desirable digital clock of which the WOLC is presently aware, and its use shall be limited to such time, and only such time, when no other digital clock is available (even if it means Black must use White's clock). [This clause may be modified on agreement among WOLC Presdient, Vice-President and Secretary without need for approval by "active members" only as regards adding types of clocks to the list of "least desirable clocks" for use, or as regards any special preference(s) for use.]

iii. The players may agree before the game to have a sound-feature for pressing of clock and/or for notifying the expiration of one player's time. In the absence of agreement, no sound shall be allowed for each move, but sound-announce-end-of-game is the preference in absence of agreement (to make OTB competition similar to internet-competition where autoflag is generally used, as well as to provide additional evidence helping to avoid controversy in the case of "whose clock fell first?" on multiple-flag claims).

iv. In the event that both players have run out of time, the game is drawn even if neither player makes a claim [regardless if a checkmate position occurs on the board at anytime after the flag drops, or there is a checkmate position on the board with both flags having dropped (such as when a player (with time remaining) makes checkmate-move after opponent's flag is down and is unable to stop his/her clock before his/her own flag drops)].

v. A player may NOT touch the clock when the opponent's time is ticking, other than to stop the clock to make a game-ending claim [or to stop the clock so as to claim a defect with the clock]. Both players should exercise their utmost care NOT to knock down a clock while pressing it, and to use their best effort (if such happens) immediately to upright the clock and replace it in the same position as before it was knocked down. A player who knocks down a clock any 3 times during a game (not necessarily consecutively) shall forfeit that game if called at the time of the 3rd, or any subsequent violation. Also, players shall release their hand/finger from the time-toggling part of the clock immediately after depressing it [and, similarly, a player having been warned any three times during a game about not releasing hand/finger immediately after pressing may be subject to forfeit on the third claim].

f. In OTB competition, a player may claim a draw either by 3-fold repetition (on second repeat of position) after making verbal claim of first repetition after first repeat of position, by the "50 move rule" if a verbal count has been given throughtout the 50 moves, if a stalemate position has been reached, or if the player or the opponent has only a King remaining.

i. An official arbiter who notices a 3-fold repetition or a draw by 50-move rule, or otherwise, may be validly claimed may (but need not) make the draw claim for one of the players.

ii. For purposes of the 50-move rule, the "50-count" is restarted anew only on a capture of any unit, or promotion of any pawn.

g. In OTB competition, the WOLC shall make every effort to have no fewer than 1 arbiter for every 2 games [and, when circumstances permit, to video-tape games for purposes of resolving disputes and for creating permanent records of events].

h. In OTB competition, players MUST hit the clock with the same hand used to move [note: castling is a "King's move," so for castling the hand moving the King is the one which must hit the clock]; after a first warning of violation of thiis rule, a player subjects himself to forfeiture of the game [and, the first-warning survives only for the game in which it was claimed].

1. Thus, a player must hit the clock with the same hand used to move the King in castling, with the same hand used to move the unit capturing an enemy unit (regardless of which hand is used to remove the captured, enemy unit from the board), and the hand used to move a pawn to promotion regardless of which hand was used to place the promoted piece on the board.

i. If, upon promoting a pawn when the pawn reaches the 8th rank, a piece which the promoting player intends to promote into is available (including a Rook, to be turned upside-down, if necessary, to represent the Queen), that player MUST place the PIECE on the 8th-rank-square BEFORE pressing the clock to be a legal move; if not available, the player MUST announce to the oppponent which piece the pawn will be conisdered having promoted into BEFORE toggling the time-keeping device.

1. In order not to interfere with a player's ability to promote a pawn into a piece, all captured pieces must be placed on the table next to the board, so that the opponent has unobstructed access to any piece needed for promotion.

j. Any player who frustrates the attempt of an opponent to complete a move and/or press the clock on the opponent's turn risks forfeiture of the game, the games of the round, or the tournament, based on the facts and circumstances and at the discretion of the Chief TD of the event.

k. Any claim is deemed waived if not immediately raised at the time of the occurrence of the act giving rise to the claim. The only exception to this rule is a claim of illegal set-up of position at the start of the game (if such can be proved), or that the player raises a claim that the player was given more than 1 minute in which to play the game, or the player claims that the opponent was given less than 1 minute in which to play the game.

i. If an illegal move/position was made by one player and the opponent makes a move and presses his/her clock, then the "illegality" of the move/position is forever nullified by the pressing of the clock (acknowledging acceptance of the illegality) for any illegality except a board which is set up with a dark square in the bottom right-hand corner or "backwards" set-up of King and Queen (the latter of which, only if discovered and claimed within the first 5 moves).

ii. A claim that an opponent was receiving assistance, or any move played by the opponent was made by another and/or electronically by a decision not of the player's making, must be made within 24 hours of the game in which such occurs.

l. For purposes of board set-up, board and unit-sizes, and movement of units, all rules of the United States Chess Federation (1999 edition) shall be followed.

6. Annual Grand Prix

a. The WOLC will sponsor an annual Grand Prix, to commence with the first official event of a season (even if held prior to the start of that season due to timing of week-end dates and day on which 1 September falls) and concluding with the last official event of the season. This paragraph may be modified without the need for approval by "active" members for the purpose of describing how Grand Prix points ("GPP") may be won, what prizes are available and/or the methods of publicizing the Grand Prix.

b. The winner(s) of the Grand Prix will be the player(s) of each prize-winning category (announced before the beginning of the season) who has earned the most grand prix points during the course of the season and is part of the prize-winning category after the final event of the season.

c. For grand prix points to be awarded at an event, all prizes to be awarded must be guaranteed and at least 7 days advance notice of the event and amount of GPP available must be given by message to all WOLC members who have a current account at the ICC, and attempt should be made to notify others by e-mail or otherwise.

d. The number of Grand Prix Points ("GPP") available shall be noted on a special website devoted to listing standings for the current season's GPP race, or if different therefrom shall accompany the pre-tournament publicity when different.

e. In case of a tie for places, regardless of actual prize won or tie-breaks, all players tying will split the available GPP.

B. For any tournament at which prizes will be awarded, advance publicity to all WOLC "active" members shall be sent at least 7 calendar days in advance, generally by leaving a message at the Internet Chess Club (for members who are also members of that fine chess server, where many of our early tournaments will take place), by e-mail (for non-ICC members, where e-mail addresses have been supplied to the WOLC), or if none by mail (in which case 7 days advance notice cannot be guaranteed) -- to last known name/address provided to the WOLC by the member. Also, members should check the " Upcoming Events" page (on WOLC website) on a weekly basis, watch for announcements in Channel 21 at ICC and occasional shouts advertising such events, as well as occasional tournaments at which no prizes will be awarded (but where players will have the opportunity to compete at real lightning chess, without the interference of "laggers" and to practice and improve official-WOLC-ratings (which will affect pairings in WOLC events, such as the annual World Lightning-Chess Championships)).

1. To qualify for any offered prizes a player must complete all commitments to compete in the event to the best of the player's ability. A player who forfeits their remaining games in any event and/or withdraws from an event risks losing all claim to any prizes as is just in light of the circumstances under which the player withdrew/forfeitted, in the opinion of, after dicusision among and vote by the President, Vice-President and Secretary of the WOLC.

2. In any TLC match, a player not completing at least 3 "games" shall be considered as having forfeitted the event prior to completion for purposes of earning any benefits from competition.

3. Any player who has been deemed not to have completed their competition obligations may risk their privilege to participate in one or several subsequent WOLC-rated events.

C. For any pairing system used, except as otherwise noted within these rules, the pairing rules of the UPSCL will be used to determine the colors due and opponents of each round, unless and until some rule is set forth herein [and this paragraph may be modified without general approval by "active" members only for such purpose].




D. TIEBREAKS.



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(updated 5:45 PM (pdt) 16-jul-01)