Ladder Rules

Basic ladder rules are simple. You challenge someone; you play a three game match; and if the lower ranked player wins, the players switch ladder positions. Now, to the details:

1. You may challenge anyone up to three spots above you on the ladder.
   [This number may change due to how many people are on the ladder at any one time.]
2. The lower ranked player gets white in the first game, then players alternate colors. If the match is decided in two games, the third game need not be played.
3. You may decline the challenge under the following conditions:
   1. You played the person in your last ladder match.
   2. You have already played a match in the past week.
   3. If the challenger is too far below you on the ladder - more than 3 steps.
   4. You have already accepted a challenge and are waiting to play that match, or are in the middle of a challenge.
   5. After a ladder game is played, at least one of the players must play a ladder game against someone else before they are allowed to play each other again.
   6. However, if you do decline a challenge under Condition B, you must accept no challenges for the rest of that week, nor challenge anyone else for the rest of that week.
4. New players start at the bottom of the ladder.
1. Alekhine
2. Bogoljubov
3. Capablanca
4. Reti
Reti challenged Bogoljubov and won. He reports the win by posting:
Reti 2, Bogo 1.
New Ladder:
1. Alekhine
2. Reti
3. Capablanca
4. Bogoljubov
5. How to Report Results:
   1. If the higher person wins or draws the three game match, there is no change.
   2. If the higher person loses, the players switch spots on the ladder.
   3. Report the result immediately by making a Facebook group post in the Ladder Announcement at the top of the page. Then copy and paste the ladder into your post showing the resulting new ladder. Ladder Link
   4. This is a manual "Do It Yourself" reporting system. We may move to an automated system if we get too many players for this.
6. For ladder matches, touch move is in effect. If you touch a piece and it can legally move, you must move it.
7. The default time control is Game in 15 minutes, with a 10 second increment each move.
8. Game may be played at the club or online.
9. You must play at least once every two weeks to maintain your position on the ladder; if you are inactive for longer (without cause) you may be demoted.
10. Players may declare themselves temporarily inactive. They will be deleted from the ladder during their absense, but can return at the same level.
11. Bill Orton is the Ladder Coordinator. Ask him questions, send him suggestions, and lodge any complaints to him. abcritter@yahoo.com