2019-2020 Scholastic Regulations

The Scholastic Council and the Executive Board have approved the 2019-2020 Scholastic Regulations. This year’s regulations can be found here. Substantive changes to this year’s regulations include:

• Numerous updates to add the All-Girls Nationals to these regulations.
• Several updates to implement the new US Chess policy for Electronic Devices. Everyone should closely review Section 21.5 and Appendix G.
• Section 1.1: Introduces the principle that US Chess will use common sense to address circumstances when no existing regulations or rules directly address a situation.
• Section 13.2.4: Provides specific guidance on a player’s eligibility to play as a member of a School Team (includes public, private, home and virtual schools). Players who are considering changing schools for any reason need to read this closely.
• Section 18.3: Revises the sections in the Junior High (K-9) Championship by removing the K-8 Championship Section and changing the rating cut-offs for the Under sections.
• Section 19.1: Adds new guidance for chess notation requiring players to use the official scoresheets provided by the tournament. Players will not be allowed to use their personal score books or notation devices.
• Section 4.2.1: Reminds participants that persons under age 18 may not be allowed to check-in to their hotels unless accompanied by a responsible person age 18 or over.
• Section 12.4: Provides information on which US Chess Rating Supplements will be used for various scholastic national events.
• Section 12.5: Clarifies situations when US Chess uses other Over-the Board (OTB) rating systems to review player ratings. Section 12.5.2.7 notes that US Chess will review ratings and ratings histories for all events covered by these regulations, not just the events with Under or Unrated sections (as has been the past practice). Section 12.5.2.8 instructs that US Chess will notify a participant within 2 weeks of their registration date if there is a player eligibility issue based on another OTB rating.

If you have questions about the regulations, please contact Boyd Reed, Director of Events.