The Club Ladders are perpetual ranking competitions played throughout the year leading to the annual Club Championships. There are different ladders for Quick and Blitz play, and once the club is large enough, separate ladders will be established for different skill and experience levels. In all cases, the goal is to climb a ladder and stay as high on it as possible. Each members position on a ladder at the end of the year helps determine their seeding for the actual championship matches.
The ladder process is pretty simple; a lower-ranked player may challenge someone above them; if the challenger wins, they swap positions with the opponent, while a win for the higher-ranked player results in no change of positions. A draw allows the challenger to move up to one spot below the person they challenged. This process is the same regardless of which ladder a member is competing in (Quick or Blitz, Veteran or Novice).
How Many Ladders Do We Have?
Currently there are only two, following USCF time standards for Quick and Blitz games:
Note – as club membership grows, additional ladders will be established to account for different skill and experience levels. This will foster a more equal and competitive landscape for all of our members with the ability to advance through levels as their skill and capability improves. Until those separate ladders are created, a handicap system will be developed and used to help equalize play. This system may include differences in material, extra moves and/or clock times.
Ladder Rules
When and where are Ladder games played?
Games can be played in any location as long as they are face-to-face over the board.
Online play is not allowed for ladder matches.
Most matches will be played at one of our schedule Weekly Play venues where an Event Director is present. Matches played elsewhere have additional reporting requirements and draw restrictions (see below).
Active Play Requirements
By signing up for a ladder(s), members are expected to actively play in those ladders!
Unless a player is at the top of a ladder, the expectation is that they will play a minimum number of matches over any two week period:
At least (1) Quick game.
At least (3) Blitz games.
Players may ask for and receive play exemptions from the Event Director for periods of illness, travel, alien invasions, etc. Approved exemptions will be posted on the page for each ladder.
Without an exemption, players who do not meet the active play requirements will automatically drop one rung in the ladder for each week of play past the initial two weeks.
Making a Challenge
You may challenge anyone who is above you on the ladder and “in reach” of you. How far your “reach” extends is determined by the the total number of players in that ladder:
Total players = 0 to 11, reach equals “2” rungs.
Total players = 12 to 15, reach equals “3” rungs.
Total players = 16 to 19, reach equals “4” rungs.
Total players = 20 or more, reach equals “5” rungs.
A challenge is considered valid if it meets the following conditions:
The person being challenged is not already playing in a different challenge.
The person being challenged has at least 10 minutes to prep for the match and there is sufficient time available to complete the game in a single sitting:
20 minutes for a Blitz game.
130 minutes for a Quick game.
The player being challenged has not exceeded their ladder limits for the day – (1) Quick and/or (3) Blitz matches.
All valid challenges must be accepted – refusing a challenge is counted as a loss for the person being challenged.
Once accepted, playing a Ladder match may be deferred for up to (5) days, but only for play outside of a Weekly Play event.
Two players may not challenge each other in back-to-back games. At least one of the players must play against someone else first.
Challenges Outside of Weekly Play
For the convenience of our members, ladder matches may be scheduled and played outside of a Weekly Play event:
The time and location must be mutually agreed on, with details posted in the corresponding ladder chat.
The match must be played and concluded in a single sitting.
Blitz games may not end in a draw. If that happens, replay the match.
Players are NOT required to accept any challenge for games outside of our Weekly Play events.
Playing the Game
The player making the challenge plays White. The person being challenged plays Black.
Ladder games must be played with a clock using the time controls designated for that particular ladder.
Recording games:
Blitz games played at any location – NO recording required.
Quick games played at any of our Weekly Play venues – no recording required (since an Event Director is on site).
Quick games played outside of a Weekly Play venue must be recorded and included when results are submitted.
Results of a Challenge
If the defender wins, there is no change in player positions.
If the challenger wins, the two players swap positions on the ladder.
If the players draw, the challenger moves up to the spot just below the defender.
Example – if #7 challenges #4 and draws, #4 stays at #4 and #7 moves up to #5. Positions #5, and #6 would be bumped down in the process.
All draws by agreement must be reviewed and approved by the Event Director.
Housekeeping
Each ladder will have a dedicated standings page and chat in Samepage.
When a game is finished, the players must post the results in the Chat for that ladder.
The Event Director will then update the standings table based on those results and any other results in the order posted.
All disagreements and questions will be resolved by the Event Director.
