Child Safety and Behaviour Policy


By entering the Australian Junior Chess Championships 2024 or attending as an accompanying person, you are agreeing to abide by the rules and policies published on this page, elsewhere on this website or posted at the venue. This event is also governed by the South Australian Government’s regulations on Child Safety. As this event is being organised by the South Australian Junior Chess League, this event will be adopting their “Child Safe” and “Code of Conduct” policies which are posted below.

Child Safety and Abuse Prevention Policy

The SAJCL promotes the enjoyment of chess for all members, visiting participants and supporters. A safe and supportive environment is an essential component for the enjoyment of chess. Of particular importance is the safety and care of the many children who attend. This environment must at all times remain free from abuse.

Abuse can occur in many forms:

  • physical (eg. smacking or any action that has the potential to injure or cause pain regardless of how minor that injury or pain may be);
  • sexual (eg. inappropriate comments, suggestions or touching);
  • emotional (eg. unsupportive chastising following a non perfect outcome or move);
  • neglect (eg. failure to provide appropriate shelter, food, clothing and hygiene necessities).

The SAJCL has ZERO TOLERANCE to any form of abuse.

To monitor child safety and prevent abuse, the SAJCL will:

  • ensure adults overseeing activities involving children hold an approved “Working With Children” clearance;
  • review child safety matters at each Committee meeting;
  • take appropriate actions where upon review it is deemed this policy has been breached (actions may include counseling, informal or formal warnings, club bans or referring a matter to the police or other relevant authority).

Any behavioural concerns should immediately be raised with the arbiter in charge of an event or any committee member.

Code Of Conduct

The SAJCL promotes the enjoyment of chess for all members, visiting participants and supporters. All involved (participants, supporters or spectators) are required to behave
appropriately including:

  1. Compliance with the “Child Safety and Behaviour Policy”;
  2. Not seeking assistance or providing any outside assistance to chess games in progress either through comment, discussion, electronic device or any other means;
  3. Agreeing to abide with any decision or direction from the Arbiter of an event;
  4. Not discussing or agreeing the outcome or the direction of any chess game prior to or during the game, except with an offer or acceptance of a drawn game;
  5. Not causing any distraction to participants, through noise, proximity or any other action.
  6. Respecting all in attendance (eg. observing common courtesy);
  7. The SAJCL has implemented a “nut free” policy. Nuts of any type must not be consumed on the premises. This includes snacks with a nut component.

The “Code Of Ethics” for the Australian Chess Federation can be found on its website under “By-Laws”.

Any concerns should immediately be raised with the arbiter in charge of an event or any committee member.

Breaches of this Code of Conduct may be addressed by counseling, informal or formal warnings, club bans or referring a matter to the police or other relevant authority.

Tournament Rules


All games are played under the guise of the ACF Code of Ethics and the FIDE Laws of Chess.

For the event’s Terms & Conditions and Tournament Policies, please click the download button. The main points are paraphrased below.

Download

Time controls:


All tournament games will be played with a time control. The time control will alter from tournament to tournament, but will always have an initial allotted time for each player plus an increment that will be awarded at the completion of each move made. Please refer to the Time Control section in the terms and conditions section for more detailed information.

Byes:


If a player cannot attend any round in a tournament they are registered for, they should request to take a Bye/s for those rounds by contacting an Aus Chess Champ official. All requests for Byes should be given with as much notice as possible, and at least before the pairings have been made for the round the Bye is requested for.

Forfeits:

  • The forfeit time for all Classical tournaments – where players start with one (1) or more hours – is thirty (30) minutes from the commencement of play.
  • There is no forfeit time for all Rapid and Blitz tournaments – where players start with less than one (1) hour – instead, a player forfeits if the time on their clock eclipses without them arriving at the board.

Electronic devices:


Players are not permitted to have any electronic devices on their person if their game is in progress; unless prior approval was given to them by an Aus Chess Champ official. This is not limited to only mobile phones, but any device that can receive external transmissions. If a player is found to have such a device on their person whilst in a game may be issued a penalty, which could include but not limited to; deduction of their remaining thinking time, additional thinking time for their opponent, forfeiture of their game.

Photography and Videography:

  • Only authorised photographers may take photographs within the playing venue. All other photography can only be taken with prior consent from the Aus Chess Champ organisers.
  • Official event photographers as designated by the Organiser shall be allowed to take photos at any time during or in between each round – without the use of a flash.