Basic playing guidelines for Comrades Team Match
142 vs NATCOR starting on February 9th, 2018 

   I: Required pgn header
  II: Required algebraic notation
 III: Speed 10/30
  IV: Required time controls
   V: Repeat moves
  VI: First overstep
 VII: If ( conditional ) moves
VIII: Illegal moves
  IX: Time out
   X: Abandonment
  XI: Substitution
 XII: Rated results 

I. REQUIRED PGN HEADERS: 
Using data that is specific to you and this match, please 
include this 9-line pgn header on each outgoing email note: 

[Event "T142.xxxX"]         <= Line 1: Enter T142 gamenmbr ending in W or B
[Site "conradchess.com"]    <= Line 2: Enter conradchess.com.
[Mode "10/30 email game"]   <= Line 3: Enter 10/30 email game.
[Date "2018.02.09"]         <= Line 4: Enter Feb 9th, 2018 starting date.
[White "Last Name, First"]  <= Line 5: Enter name of person playing white.
[Black "Last Name, First"]  <= Line 6: Enter name of person playing black.  
[WhiteTeam "Team name"]     <= Line 7: Enter name of white's team.
[BlackTeam "Team name"]     <= Line 8: Enter name of black's team.
[Result "*"]                <= Line 9: Enter result 1-0, 1/2 or 0-1.

1.d4 d5 2 ..                <= enter all moves to the game in one paragraph
                               followed by the required time controls.

You sent on _____; I rcvd on _______ and I ansd on ______.
White used +_ days = __ of 30 allowed days to reach move 10.
Black used +_ days = __ of 30 allowed days to reach move 10.
Note: Change 30 to 60 allowed days on move 11; then 60 to 90
      allowed days on move 21, etc. 

II. REQUIRED ALGEBRAIC NOTATION: 
Below the 9-line required pgn header, include all moves of your game in 
algebraic notation. K = King, Q = Queen, R = Rook, B = Bishop, N = Knight. 

III. SPEED IS 10/30 CUMULATIVE: 
We each must reach move 10 in each game within 30 used days from start 
of game; then reach move 20 in each game within 60 used days from start 
of game, etc. Unused days from one time control can be used in the next 
time control just like a regular game of clocked chess. For example: 
If you only used 5 days to reach move 10, you have saved 25 days in your 
1st time control and will now have 25 plus 30 or 55 days on the clock to 
reach move 20 in your 2nd time control. 

IV. REQUIRED TIME CONTROLS: 
Below your game moves, include the "required" time controls for you and 
your opponent. If you are ready to reply in game one but need more time 
in game two, send your moves in separate notes. You are not required to 
send both moves in the same note. That's why each game has its own time 
controls. To clarify what 'used days' means, let's review the following
paragraph:

1. Received date:
   Your clock starts on the calendar day you see an unopened incoming 
   move has arrived in your email box. Due to uncontrollable situations, 
   this date may not always be the same date that your opponent expected 
   you to receive that move.

2. Sent date:
   Your clock stops on the calendar day your email is postmarked by the 
   internet provider. Due to uncontrollable situations, this date may not 
   always be the same date you answered your move. If your opponent claims 
   your move was postmarked a day or so later then you claimed, simply 
   adjust your answered date to reflect the true postmarked sent date.

3. Answering a move on the same date that you receive it counts as 'zero' 
   time used.

4. To compensate for differences in time zones, any moves received after
   8:00 pm (20:00 hours) can be dated as having arrived the next morning. 

V. REPEATS: 
If your opponent's move is due, send a repeat on the 5th day to make sure 
email was not lost. Send another repeat on the 10th day, carbon copy your 
Team Captain and think on our opponent's time. If your opponent is still 
out 10 days, send another repeat to your opponent, cc your Team Captain 
and be sure to include all repeat dates to support your time complaint.

   NOTE: If you have properly sent "5th day plus 10th day repeats" ..
         and it is obvious that your opponent used "more than 10 days" 
         to answer your move, without having requested time out days, 
         the Arbiter can "double" the number of days ( after day 10 ) 
         that your opponent used. 

VI. 1ST OVERSTEP: 
There are two ways to exceed the 10/30 time limit:
1. By using MORE than 30 days to reach move 10; using MORE than 60 days 
   to reach move 20; using MORE than 90 days to reach move 30; etc.
2. By playing LESS than 10 moves in 30 used days; playing LESS than 20 
   moves in 60 used days; playing LESS than 30 moves in 90 used days; etc.
If you exceed a time limit, you will receive a 1st lateness. Please note,
   two documented oversteps usually result in game forfeiture! 

VII. IF ( CONDITIONAL ) MOVES: 
You may include 'if' moves when you feel the reply is obvious ~ or when 
you want to put time pressure on your opponent. When you include a legal
IF move that is accepted, your move is binding. Once you send email, it
is like playing touch move because you can't take the move back! 

VIII. ILLEGAL MOVES: 
All mailed legal moves are binding even if they are blunders! If you send 
an illegal move, or ambiguous move that has several interpretations, your 
opponent should send that move back to you for clarification. You will be 
charged 5-DAYS for each illegal or ambiguous move sent. If you send more 
than two illegal or ambiguous moves in one game, that game can be subject 
to forfeiture by the Arbiter. You can also include your played move in the 
email "subject" line to confirm the played move. If the subject line move 
differs from the played move, consider the played move to be ambiguous and 
ask the sender to clarify which of the two sent moves is the intended move.

   NOTE: If your opponent "accidentally or deliberately" alters a move 
         that was already played or alters the total number of days that 
         were actually used .. and no penalty or corrective action was 
         enforced by the designated Tournament Director of that match, 
         you will be declared the winner of that game on this website.

         Reminders:
       En-passante: must contain "ep" symbol. Example: cxd6ep 
          Castling: must contain "-" symbol.  Example: O-O or 0-0-0 
           Capture: must contain "x" symbol.  Example: Nxf3
             Check: must contain "+" symbol.  Example: Rxd8+ 

IX. TIME OUT: 
You may request up to 42 vacation days per game per year that must be told 
in advance. Failure to notify your opponent plus Team Captains can result 
in game forfeiture. Additional days are available in special situations. 

X. SILENT ABANDONMENT: 
You can't use more than 30 days to answer a move. If you go silent for 31 
or more days and your opponent sent you at least one repeat, your 'silent 
withdrawal' can be claimed as a forfeit by the opposing team. 

XI. SUBSTITUTIONS: 
If both players have not reached move 3,substitution can be made whereby 
both players begin new games. Once 3 or more moves are made, substitution 
can be made but both players must continue the already started game. This 
is done to prevent team players from withdrawing due to opening mistakes. 

XII. RATED RESULTS: 
All new players that completed less then 10 games in our data base, earn
+120 rating pts per win, +60 rating pts per draw and drop -20 rating pts 
per loss. Once a player reaches game 11, he/she earns +10 rating pts per
win, +5 rating pts per draw and drops -5 rating pts per loss. Our system
is an incentive for new strong players to rapidly achieve a high rating.
The more chess games that you play in our club ~ the better your chances 
are to achieve a very strong rating 

Finally, send completed games in pgn format to conradchess@aol.com so your 
game can be submitted for rating & web publication. Please let us know if
you have any questions regarding these guidelines. On behalf of our staff, 
players and Arbiter ~ we want to wish you all a very enjoyable team match.
Best regards, Conrad Goodman / Director / January 1st, 2018

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