2020 Grater New York Scholastic Chess Championships

Code Of Conduct For Players, Parents, Coaches And Spectators

To make our tournament a more positive experience for the many young players, your own child among them, and also to enhance the integrity of our game, we have adopted a Code of Conduct for our playing and non-playing participants (Updated 11/12/2019).

1. The games are between the two players only. Parents and spectators may not interfere with games in progress. They do not have the right to make claims of rules violations in games in progress. They may not implement penalties for violations of the rules or in response to behavior by another player.

2. Players may not receive assistance in their games from third parties or from chess-playing devices. Electronic scorekeeping devices are prohibited (special accessibility requests, accompanied by a physician’s statement, must be approved at least 3 days in advance).

3. Every person has the right to expect to be treated with respect-- from the opponent, the staff and from other parents and coaches.

4. Bullying, harassing, threatening or assaulting a player, especially by the opponent’s parents, coaches, teammates and/or associates, is unacceptable behavior.

5. Parents and spectators are not allowed in non-spectating areas, and may not remain in areas off limits to them when requested to leave by a staff member or official.

6. No players, parents, coaches or spectators may interfere with a tournament official in the performance of his or her duties.

7. Bullying, harassing, threatening or assaulting a staff member or tournament official is unacceptable behavior.

8. Players, parents, coaches or spectators may not undertake actions inimical to the best interests of the tournament. This includes attempting to claim eligibility for a section or prize for which their child is not eligible.

9. The penalties for violations of the above are at the discretion of the Tournament Director, and depending on the nature of the offense, may range from a warning or time penalty all the way to immediate forfeiture of a game, expulsion from the tournament and possible further sanctions issued by the U.S. Chess Federation against a player, parent or spectator after the tournament.

10. Players, parents or spectators who are expelled from the tournament do not have a right to remain the meeting areas of the hotel used by the tournament. If they are responsible for their own children or other minors playing in the tournament, they may be required to reassign those responsibilities to another responsible guardian; if they are unable to do so then they may be required to leave the tournament area along with any minors for whom they are responsible.

11. It IS ALLOWED for players, parents, coaches and spectators to encourage each other and be considerate, especially of those in special circumstances.