4NCL - The Four Nations League - www.4ncl.co.uk/pre2010

4NCL Qualification Weekend

Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd June 2002

1	Format and Schedule
1.1	Teams shall consist of eight players and include at least one male and at least one female.
1.2	The event will played over four rounds, with Swiss pairings.
1.3	The playing schedule will be :- Round 1 Saturday 1st June 2 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. Round 2 Sunday 2nd June 1 p.m. - 5.30 p.m. Round 3 Sunday 2nd June 6.30 p.m. - 11 p.m. Round 4 Monday 3rd June 11 a.m. - 3.30 p.m. The Sunday schedule has been arranged so it does not clash with the 10.30 a.m. kick-off of the England v Sweden match in the soccer World Cup.
1.4	The rate of play will be 40 moves in 2 hours with an additional 15 minutes to each player for the Quickplay Finish.
1.5	The event will be decided on match points with ties being broken by game points, then by the results of the matches between the remaining tying teams.
2	Applications for Entry
2.1	Applications from new teams should be received by 30th April.
2.2	Teams finishing in the last three places in Division 3 who seek to reclaim their place, must submit their applications by 19th May.
2.3	The entry fee, payable with the application, is Ł50 per team. This covers up to 16 players. There will be a charge of Ł5 for each additional player.
2.4	Each team shall submit its list of players by 19th May.
2.5	Applications, fees and team lists should be sent to the Finance Director Mike Truran at The Old Farmhouse, 7 Church Street, Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7UA with cheques payable to 4NCL.
3	Prizes
3.1	The teams finishing first, second and third in the Qualification Event will be granted places in Division 3 for the 2002-03 season and Ł50 will be deducted from their entry fee for the new season.
4	Eligibility of Players
4.1	New Clubs should submit a list of players who are prepared to play for them during the 2002-03 season.
4.2	Clubs entering a Second Team : the eight highest-rated male players and the highest-rated female player in their squad for 2002/2003 will not be eligible to play for a new entrant second team in the qualifying event.
4.3	Clubs entering a Third Team : the sixteen highest-rated male players and the two highest-rated female players in their squad for 2002/2003 will not be eligible to play for a new entrant third team in the qualifying event.
4.4	Players registered for a team entering the play-off weekend will be committed to that team for the 2002/2003 season - subject to the League’s normal transfer rules - if that team qualifies.
4.5	One wild card per team per round will be allowed but will be restricted to players eligible to play on boards 5-8 on the basis of the usual rating rules.
5	Team Lists
5.1	Team lists must be submitted to the Arbiter at least one hour before the start of each round.
5.2	Where there is a difference of more than 80 FIDE rating points (10 BCF points), the higher-rated player must play on a higher board.
5.3	Known defaults must be on the lowest board.
5.4	Team lists will be published 30 minutes before the start of play.
6	Division 4
6.1	In the event of there being sufficient entries, the 4NCL Board has put in place plans for a fourth division for season 2002-03. This division will be played at the West Bromwich Moat House Hotel where the following weekends have been reserved : 9th/10th November, 11th/12th January, 14th/15th February, 12th/13th April, 24th/25th/26th May. Division 4 will require a minimum of six teams and will consist of 9, 10 or 11 rounds depending upon the number of teams.

18th March 2002