CHESS
The rules contained on this page only cover this specific game, please review the MSEL General Competition Rules for information covering all official tournaments.
1. Anti-Cheat
No additional anti-cheat is required for official matches.
2. Match Procedures
Supported Platforms
- PC
2.1. Series Lengths
Matches are played as a best of 3 series during the regular season and as a best of 5 series in the playoffs and finals.
2.2. Game Lobby
Matches will be played on chess.com, the home player will create the lobby and share the invite link with the away player.
- Played on Chess.com
- Setting: Custom Game
- Time: 10 min Standard
- Game Type: Standard
2.3 Draw Game
If the match ends in a draw, a new match must be played until a winner is decided. Draw games will not count towards the matches of the best of series.
3. Tournament Rules
3.1. Game Connections
All players taking part in High School Esports League tournaments are required to have an active game account for the tournament they’re participating in connected to their Generations Esports account. All game connection information shown on a team’s roster must match with the accounts in game. Players using different accounts or those not officially on the roster are prohibited from playing in matches. Only one account connection is allowed per game, the use of alternate accounts is prohibited. All account connections are prohibited from being changed after the team has participated in its first match of a tournament’s regular season.
If a player’s name does not match what is shown on their roster, please reach out to a MSEL Administrator through the live chat service for assistance while the game is still being played. Name discrepancy reports will not be accepted after a match has been completed.
3.1.1. Account Ownership
Game accounts used in official tournaments must belong to the student participating using that game connection. At no point in time may players share accounts with each other or use an account of another person, regardless of if they are in the tournament or not.
3.1.2. School-Purchased Accounts
Schools may create accounts or purchase game licenses for their students participating in a tournament if they do not already have an active one. These accounts will be considered the students’ personal account and may only be used by one student each. These accounts and licenses may not be transferred to another student upon the previous student’s graduation or leaving the team, as this would be against any publisher’s Terms of Service or End User License Agreement.
3.2. Match Streaming
3.2.1. Spectators
Spectators are prohibited in the game lobby for any reason during official matches.
3.3. Playoff Qualification
Teams must compete in and complete 75% of their Regular Season matches in order to be considered for playoff qualification. Teams who do not meet this requirement will be removed from qualification consideration regardless of their final record.
3.3.1. Unplayed Matches
Any match or queue that a team misses or does not complete will result in the match being counted as a loss against the team's record at the end of the regular season.
3.4. Playoff Qualification Tiebreakers
The tie breaker system will be run as a tiered protocol that will be used if multiple teams finish the regular season with the same overall record.
- Wins. (Forfeit wins and bye wins are scored as a 0-0 win)
- Head-to-head record. (If the two tied teams have played each other, their match record against each other is compared)
- Overall game win percentage. (e.g. winning a match 3-0 is better than 3-2)
- Higher opponents’ game win percentage. (e.g. it is better to beat an opponent who consistently won 3-0 than 3-2)
- Fewer forfeit losses.
- Fewer bye wins.
- The team which had a higher number of wins before their first loss.
- If the first loss is received after the same number of wins, then the team which lost to the stronger opponent (as defined by game win percentage) will be ranked higher.
4. Stoppage of Play
If a player were to disconnect from the match at any time they will be issued a forfeit for that round. If a player is unable to play all the required rounds for whatever reason, they will forfeit the remaining rounds.
5. Team Rosters
Only one roster is required for all Chess players on a School Team. Each player on the roster will be given their own match when they queue up at the designated match time. No player substitutions can be made at any point during the match, as the matches are set to be played 1v1.