MIDWAY CHESS CLUB LADDER TOURNAMENT
RULES OF CHALLENGE AND PLAY

The following procedures and rules apply to the perpetual ladder tournament of the Midway Chess Club.

1. Governing Rules:

1.1 The USCF Rules of Chess governs play with the following exceptions:

1.1.a. The game may be played without a chess clock.

1.1.b. If both players agree, the game may be played with a chess clock at a pace no faster than Game/20.

2. New Player:

2.1 Any new addition to the ladder populates a new rung at the bottom of the ladder.

3. Challenge Match:

3.1 A challenge match consists of three (3) games.

3.2 All games must be played in real-time either over the board, ICC, FICS, other any other live format.

4. Issuing a Challenge:

4.1 A player may challenge only the players on next two higher rungs.

4.2 A second challenge between the same two players cannot be held until each has played a challenge match against a different player.

4.3 Challenges may be issued verbally, by email or anyother electronic format. If you can't locate an email address, contact Club President.

4.4 In all cases, notification of a challenge must also be sent to Club President or the designated Ladder Tournament Monitor.

5. Challenge Results:

5.1 The match is won by the player who achieves at least a 2-1 score. A tie score is a drawn match.

5.2 The final match result must be promptly reported by BOTH players to Club President or the designated Ladder Tournament Monitor.

6. Mandatory Play:

6.1 A challenge may not be refused.

6.2 No player is required to play more than one challenge match concurrently.

6.3 Multiple challenges must be queued and played in the order received.

6.4 Resolution of challenge conflicts will be handled by Club President or the designated Ladder Tournament Monitor.

7. Ascending the Ladder:

7.1 The player who achieves at least a 2-1 score wins the challenge match.

7.2 If the lower-placed player wins the match, that player takes the rung of the other player, who then moves down one rung, possibly bumping another player down.

7.3 If the higher-placed player wins or draws the match, there are no changes in the ladder.

8. Duration of the Ladder:

8.1 The Ladder Tournament is perpetual. Standings persist across years.

8.2 A player may opt out of the ladder at any time. Placement upon re-entry is at the lowest rung of the ladder.

Holiday Greetings

Hello my Friends,

I want to wish you a
Happy Holiday Season
and a wonderful New Year.

May all your moves be brilliant
and your opponent's blunders.

Bishop Sacrifice Tactic

Lately it seems that the studies I have been doing are paying off! Our study group is coming along with Silman's Complete Endgame Course. My lessons with various NMs and Experts must be doing something. Below are a couple of games that I played this week and wanted to annotate them to share.

For the past year or so I have been studying two openings; the Vienna and the French Defense. The following examples are a good lesson in how they can be used. Yes, I know that my opponent may have found a way to stop me but he didn't. Enjoy.

Hope you enjoyed this little posting.

William

Book Club Meeting

Today we had our first international meeting to discuss Silman's Complete Endgame Course Chess book.

We decided to meet weekly and then if the section more difficult we will continue on that section. Next week we will be discussing section two. If you are interested in join send me an email.

We meet using Skype at 15:30 EST time that is -6 GMT.

William

Good Chess Concept

Tonight at my meeting with Chess Expert Jeff Caveney. We went over my games and we discussed one major item to remember.

"Look for ALL Checks and Threats after your opponents move."

Positions to show this tomorrow.

Tuesday Dec 8th Training

Today's training consists of making my moves on Chess.com, sending out my USCF correspondence games, making my moves on ICCF, continuing reading Silman's endgame book part two.

I also have a lesson with Chess expert Jeff Caveney tonight from 6-7pm.

Start of the Midway Chess Club Book Club

Hello all,

I conjunction with the Guru I am starting a blog to talk about the Silman Endgame book. We will be discussing it in detail and studying it together.