Logos, Banner by KaitlinB and Tom45.

Steering Committee members:

Permanent Members: chesskix, DaveTheRook (chair), rgadoury, SandiaCaveMan, SeniorCitizen. General Members: bmw2002, Bosqueverde, Gomer, grabapawn, Kingofknights, twinders.

Standing Subcommittee (Rules): bmw2002, bosqueverde, chesskix, Kingofknights, rgadoury (chair), twinders

Item 1.a. ICC Tournament T26 parameters-
Time Control: 45 45
Sections: 5 (U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1300)
Rounds: 6 - (possibly 7) followed by Playoffs
Team entries accepted: May 24 to June 7, 2005
Team Entry Deadline: June 7, 2005
Ratings "fixed" starting May 24.
Round 1 Posted: 10 pm Server time June 14, 2005

Approved 11-0

Item 1.b. FICS Tournament parameters-
Time Control: 45 45
Sections: 5 (U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400)
Rounds: 6 - (possibly 7) followed by Playoffs
Team entries accepted: May 24 to June 7, 2005
Team Entry Deadline: June 7, 2005
Ratings "fixed" starting May 24.
Round 1 Posted: 7 pm Server time June 14, 2005

Approved 11-0

Item 2. FICS Cheating Policy.

1. The players of our FICS Conference have requested that a committee be established just for our FICS Conference to review games and weed out cheaters in the FICS conference. This is an FICS issue, not a problem on ICC, and needs to be addressed only on FICS. ComputerAbuse on FICS has been ineffectual. ComputerAbuse has been down at FICS for over a month and so nothing has been done about it. In the past, we have accepted the word of outside groups that players are a cheat. Specifically, when OCL flags a player as a cheat, we accept that and double-red card the player. We have an outside group (no players from current League teams) reviewing games and telling us when a player cheated. This may not require a statute change, just that we be proactive about it and accept the input from a 3rd party. Not Approved 9-1, 1 abstention

Item 3. FICS 30 minute grace policy.

Section 15A.i.a. - 30 minute grace period and automatic forfeit. - The overwhelming feeling of the FICS players is this need to be changed. FICS players want to play. They want this to be changed to allow the offending player to decide to take the forfeit or reschedule. One concept discussed is this:

Once a game time has come, if one opponent is not online a 30 minute grace period will be given. After the 30 minute period an automatic warning will be given to that player. Two warnings in the same or sequential tournaments are equal to a yellow card. The game can be rescheduled at the discretion of the offended party. The game does not HAVE to be rescheduled. The offended team may accept a win in this circumstance.  Tabled

Item 4. Item 4. Shall the league adopt Interim Rule 1, passed by OC26, regarding players who withdraw from a tourney? Revise Section 16.B.i. to read "If games are outstanding, the player will receive forfeit(s) or set game(s) for outstanding game(s) in accordance with Statute Section 15."  Approved 11-0.

Item 5. Section 9 (A) Remove Time Zone display at the pairing/round pages. Now says in part, "Information to be included in this public display shall be the ICS handle of the players, their fixed ratings and their color allocation as specified in subsection (C) of this section. ¶ SC 22-23

Reason. We use server time at the forums as an aid to the players. We post the gametimes at Pending Games. This GMT related piece of data is unneeded and often confusing, especially to new players since the advent of teamchess. Approved 6-5

Suggested by Rgadoury and Yippeed by Bosqueverde

Item 6. Add to Conduct of the Game. "Players may not play simuls during their league games." Not Approved 10-1

Item 7. Section 4.E.ii now reads, "At the end of the adjournment period for the last round of regulation play the ratings of all players in that tournament will be retrieved. Incoming ratings for the next tourney can be no lower than the retrieved ratings." Change the timing to be "At the end of the adjournment period for round 6 of regulation play..." Reason: There is rarely a round 7. It is better to estabish the base ratings at the end of the last round that almost everyone competes in. Approved 11-0

Item 8. Clarify the absoluteness of the Contact Forfeit Deadline of 10 pm Friday.

Section 10.D.ii reads, "Contact-or-Forfeit Deadline = 10:00 p.m. Friday, server time If a player has neither posted offers of play times, nor accepted an offered play time by this deadline, he forfeits the game. The captain of the offended player will post a request for the dTD to declare the forfeit."

Section 15.A.iii, "...In cases of clearly established blame, the offended player may either insist on the forfeit, or play the game.

Comments. The first sentence of 10.D.ii says it is a forfeit. The next sentence and 15.A.iii seems to give options. Does the captain or player of the offended team have the option of voiding the forfeit with continued negotions? If the intent of the rule is to provide options, then the first sentence needs to be rewritten or a phrase added "...forfeits the game, at the option of the offended player or team."  Approved 10-1 to make missing the Friday deadline a forfeit or set game.

Item 9. Revise Section 12. B., Game Reporting, to conform to new procedures:

B. "Game scores will normally be posted in the game forum by the Automated Collection Program. Should Automated Collection not work, the players or team captains are responsible for retrieving them using the Get Played Game feature in the forum." Approved 11-0.

Item 10. Showing time. It has been suggested by twinders that all times be shown in server time, using 24 hour time only, not AM/PM.  Approved 10-1.

Item 11. A method of breaking ties for last playoff spots: "Round 6 adjournment deadline be moved back to 10 pm Friday (game has to start by then, could finish 3-4 hours later). Remaining time between 10 pm Friday and 7 pm Tuesday be available for any playoffs between teams tied for remaining playoff spots."

A motion was made to change the focus of the subject from an early game deadline to use of existing tiebreak rules.

1. When two or more teams are tied for a final playoff spot, the tie will be broken using the six game records of each team using the standard tiebreak procedure of removing board results as enumerated in Section 13.
2. In all tie breaks enumerated in Section 13, board 4 will be removed first (then 3 then 2) in even numbered tourneys and board 1 results will be removed first (then 2, then 3) in odd numbered tourneys.
   Approved 8-1 2 abstain

Item 12. In determining playoff team seedings, Section 6.C. reads:

All ‘Best Second Place’ teams shall be seeded below all Division Champions. However, no two teams from the same division shall play in the first round; seedings of Best Second Place shall be modified accordingly. Modified seedings will not be changed after the first round."¶ SC 21-22

I recommend either or both of two changes.

1. Rank all Best Second Place teams by their records, below all Division champs, regardless of what divisions the teams are in, or,
Selection 1 approved 8-3.

2. Rank all teams by their records. We have situations now where some division champions have a poorer record than the Best Second Place teams.

Submitted by rgadoury

Item 13. Add to Section 3.A.vii Any member actively using more than one human account in a Conference must use the highest of the ratings as the fixed rating. At the entry clerk's discretion, continued use of a lower rating handle may be permitted. Extra accounts must be identified in the player's profile, but will be held in confidence.  Tabled.

Item 14. Clarify the context of 15.A.iii.a by adding to make it say: The results of the game shall overrule any forfeit requested or granted DUE TO SCHEDULING ISSUES, so long as the game was completed prior to the Game Completion Deadline. (except as provided in 15.A.i.a)  Removed. Made moot by approval of Item 8.

Item 15: Absent a specific statute, the TD is authorized to make a ruling in consultation with the Chief TD.  Tabled. Already provided for in the Constitution.

Item 16: Proposed policy on kibitzing, as recommended by OC 26.

Non-league players:

1. Kibs by a non-league observer shall have no remedy to any team, since the players CAN turn off kibs and set quietplay if they so choose. If the occasion warrants, such observers may be banned from future league participation.

League players:

1. Kibs of a general comment are presumed inadvertent and receive a warning from an official, whispered in the game, or message or mail after the fact. No further action or any card.
2. A second kib of any kind in a game, or a second kib suggesting a move or line of moves in a tournament, yellow card to the offender. No change to any game outcome.
3. Persistent kibs by the same player, red card and immediate suspension from the tourney, regardless of status of any games by the offender in the round.

This final version of the text approved 8-2 with 1 abstain.

Previous SC Agendas: