MCA SCHOLASTIC RULES
All MCA rules apply to MCA Scholastic Rules unless something to the contrary is specified.

1 - GENERAL RULES

(1.1) MCA membership is required for all entrants in scholastic state title tournaments.
(1.2) All MCA scholastic tournaments for state titles will be rated. (The US Chess Federation does not require USCF membership for K-3 competitions in order to rate them.)
(1.3) Out-of-state teams are excluded from playing in all MCA scholastic state title team events.
(1.4) Ties shall not be broken for purposes of title in any MCA state title scholastic event. Ties shall be broken for purposes of awarding non-divisible prizes. All those who tie for first place shall receive an appropriately engraved name-plate on their trophy.

2 - SCHOLARSHIPS AND STIPENDS (Sums do not include donations from outside sources)

(2.1) MCA representatives to the Denker Tournament of High School Champions shall be based on performance in the Michigan Junior Championship. The MCA Board reserves the right to alter its invitation for just cause.
(2.2) A “College Scholarship” with a maximum of $250 will be given to the winner of the Michigan Junior Championship, payable upon proof of enrollment in an accredited educational program beyond high school within one year of high school graduation.
(2.3) A maximum of $250 will be awarded to the Michigan Junior Champion (or replacement) to defray expenses of competing in the Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions.
(2.4) The Michigan Chess Association will provide financial support (as given in rule 2.2) for its representatives (as determined by rule 2.1) to play in the Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions. Requests of financial support for the purpose of playing in other invitational chess events will be considered by the Executive Board on a case-by-case basis. Requests for funding to play in open tournaments will not be considered.

3 - US CHESS FEDERATION RELATED

(3.1) The Secretary of the Michigan Chess Association will notify the United States Chess Federation of all State Champions for inclusion in the annual Chess Yearbook published in the April issue of Chess Life. Information should include: The full name of the event, plus the date and city; The full name and home town of each winner; and for scholastic teams include the full school name and city where located.

4 - TOURNAMENT DIRECTING

(4.1) All directors and floor officials will receive $75 per day pay for working at a tournament.

5 - SCHOLASTIC TEAM COMPETITIONS

(5.1) Advance entry is required for all MCA Scholastic Team Tournaments.
(5.2) All schools entering a team in a Michigan Scholastic Team Title tournament will receive a free Michigan Chess subscription for the school library.
(5.3) Players in the required grade level for an event may enter that event, regardless of their type of school. (Ninth graders from a high school may play as a team in a K-9 event.)
(5.4) Only students that are fulltime students at the same school building may be on the same team.
(5.5) Students who are not enrolled in an accredited Michigan educational institution outside of the home are not eligible to play in the Michigan Scholastic Team Tournaments.
(5.6) MCA scholastic team competitions will be contested on four boards. Four regular players plus an alternate are allowed (the alternate must play the lowest board). Team entries will be accepted with only three players, but no fewer.
(5.7) Board order: Rated players should generally be placed in rating order; unrated players may be placed anywhere. This should be done with fairness in mind: The strongest player on each team should play on first board, no matter whether he has a relatively high or low rating or is unrated. The tournament director has the discretion to change submitted player placements, after considering evidence from various sources (non-USCF ratings, other coaches, etc.).
(5.8) A team receiving a forfeit on the bottom board that is known to be occurring may alter its lineup by designating any player of choice to receive the forfeit, regardless of rating. The purpose of this rule is to allow a particular player normally on the bottom board the opportunity to participate in an actual game. The players actually playing games must be kept in the proper order.
(5.9) For pairings, teams in the same score-group will be ordered by their pre-tournament seeding (not game points).

Scholastic Code of Conduct

Click here to download the Code of Conduct in Word format

In this code, "coach" refers to coaches, school officials, parents, and spectators at a scholastic chess tournament. Players are also required to observe these rules.

1. Every coach, school official, parent, and other person attending a scholastic chess tournament should get a copy of this Code of Conduct, read it, and follow it.

2. A chess team coach has extremely limited responsibilities during a tournament game. Once a game is in progress, a coach cannot interrupt it or talk to that player. Only a Tournament Director (TD) or an assistant may intervene.

3. A coach should never directly assist any player. A coach who sees a player's hand raised should immediately try to obtain a TD, without investigating why the hand was raised.

4. A coach who observes an illegal move or position should not say anything, as it is the responsibility of the players to bring violations of this nature to the attention of the TD.

5. A coach should never say or do anything if a player oversteps the time limit, as only that person's opponent can make a time-violation claim.

6. Coaches should:
(a) View games only from behind their players, or in the aisle, so as to avoid eye contact.
(b) Not touch the table or chairs the players are using.
(c) Remain outside a "radius of distraction."
(d) Have each player leave the table when that person's game ends.

7. Players may leave their game for short periods. While absent from the game, a player must not consult any chess books, diagrams, or analysis. A player may not discuss a game in progress with anyone. Conversation with a teammate is forbidden except with a TD present.

8. A coach who sees a player or team playing the wrong opponent should notify a TD immediately.

9. Only tournament officials can record information on wallcharts; cvoaches or players should never write on them. A coach who notices an error on the wallchart should bring it to the attention of a TD only.

10. Coaches should make sure their players' results are reported in a timely manner.
(a) In team tournaments, results are recorded on the "Team card" at the playing table.
(b) In individual tournaments, a result is recorded on the "Pairings Sheet," or given to a TD.
(The TD will instruct players on how to report their results in individual tournaments.)

11. After the conclusion of a tournament, a coach who notices a prize was incorrectly awarded should bring this to the attention of a TD only.

12. Other coaching duties include:
(a) Helping their players find the correct table and boards.
(b) Supervising their players between rounds.
(c) Keeping their players from being disruptive.
(d) Modeling and encouraging good sportsmanship.

13. Attendees may be prohibited from bringing food or drink into the tournament room.

14. All scholastic tournaments are nonsmoking.