Logos and Banner by
KaitlinB and Tom45.

Team 45 45 League
Serious Chess and Team Spirit on the ICC
Latest League News

1 - Do I have a chance at playoffs?

 2 - Do you play on two or three teams?  Be careful with your offers.

3 - New bot functions!
 

We have begun Round 6 of our tournament.  This is the exciting last pre-playoffs round! We hope you continue to enjoy your T38 games. Whether your team is still in the race for a title or not.  Remember, there are no meaningless games, as long as the games are hard-fought!  It's not about titles, but about long games and friendships.

Some answers to questions frequently asked at this time:

=============================

WHEN, WHEN, WHEN?

Aug  26 (Tue): Round 6 begins.
Sept  2 (Tue): Round 6 normal week ends.
Sept  7 (Sun): Round 6 adjournment period ends.
Sept  9 (Tue): Playoffs begin.
Sept 30 (Tue): T39 Team Entries Open
Oct  21 (Tue): T39 Round 1 begins

=============================

PLAYOFF CHANCES?  You might be wondering about your team's chances for making the playoffs, which will begin on Tuesday, Sept 9.  At the completion of round 6, the top team in each Division advances to the playoffs, and will compete against the other Divisional champs in their ratings Section. In some Sections, one to three "Best Second Place" (wild card) teams will also advance.

-- > MOUNTAIN (U2200): Four divisions = Four playoff teams (the top team from each division) advance to the playoffs.

-- > ARBOR (U2000):  Seven divisions = Eight playoff teams (top team from each division plus one wild card).

-- > AQUATIC (U1800):  Eight divisions = Eight playoff teams (top team from each division).

-- > ERG (U1600): Seven divisions = Eight playoff teams (top team from each division, plus one wild card)

-- > PLANETARY (U1400): Four playoff teams (the top team from each division).

-- > GALACTIC (U1300):  Two divisions = Two playoff teams (the top team from each division).


=============================

TIE ?  What if there is a tie for a Playoffs spot? Standings (playoff advancement and seeding) are determined in this order: Match Point, Game Points, Head-to-head Results, Fewer RR reductions, recalculation after removing board 4 results.  See Statute 13.B.ii for the full list of tie-breakers. http://team4545league.org/statutes.html#S13

=============================

ROSTER CHANGE RESTRICTIONS FOR PLAYOFFS:  Captains who have a chance at the playoffs should see http://team4545league.org/sc35-36.html#I7  No roster changes above fourth highest rating once Round 6 begins.

=============================

THE ROUND 6 ADJOURNMENT PERIOD IS SHORTER than for other rounds. Games must be started by 22:00 Sunday Sept 7.  See the schedule at: http://team4545league.org/t38dates.html

=============================

Looking ahead already to T39?  Watch the Announcements page for information coming soon regarding fixed ratings.  Tell your ICC friends about Team 45 45 League!  We also trust that you will cheer on the playoff teams when they begin!  And please thank your TD's for a great job!
 

Caution:  The risk of offering the same time to two opponents

Some players on multiple teams offer the same game times to 2 (or even 3!) opponents. This is risky!  If both players accept the same time, it is your responsibility to honor both agreements.   An offer made, until it is removed, can be accepted, and is considered binding on both players. You do not have the right to expect either of the players to renegotiate.

The league does not recognize conditions placed on offers (such as "I am playing on two teams - please await confirmation of time before posting”).  People may say something about confirming, but it carries no weight in any judgment we may have to make.

Preventing the problem:

1 - Don't offer the same times to multiple opponents. For example, if the time zones of your opponents are different, offer early times to one and later times to the other.

2 - One player’s strategy: “I no longer offer the same times to two people. If I have 3 or 4 times that work for me -- I offer some to one opponent and some to the other. If neither one 'bites', then I retract them and offer the other way around.”

3 - If offering different times to different opponents is difficult for you, play on only one team per tourney, or coordinate with your captains, so that you aren't in the lineup for both teams in the same week. Tell one you can't play if the other one needs you.

4 - If you do offer the same times to multiple opponents, and they both chose the same time, ask both if they can reschedule. But if they decline, please remember that they have lives to schedule too.  Do not call their sportsmanship in question - that only makes yourself look bad.

5 - If all else fails, be prepared to play a simul if they accept the same time. See "help simul" and "help simulize". The league allows the playing of simultaneous games (not recommended, of course, but is allowed) to solve just this problem of double booking.

Do you play on more than one team?  Playing on more than one team brings extra challenges. Meeting those challenges will protect the enjoyment of the league experienced by your opponents, your teams, and yourself - and protect your privilege of playing in multiple teams in the next tourney.

Have you noticed any of these new functions by the bot, team4545? 

• "Tell team4545 games", and it will tell you the ongoing League games. 
   
• "Tell team4545 next", and it will tell you the upcoming League games.
   
• And best news of all....  when it is time for your game, the bot will give you a dialog popup box to click in order to match your opponent correctly!  Just click "OK", and you'll have the correct time control, color assignments, rated, etc!   Be sure to read the popup before clicking, just in case it is not from the bot. 

Reminders:

• Do not use noescape.  "set noescape 0 " ... notice the ZERO.  This turns noescape OFF. 
   
• Even after setting noescape to 0, if you have noescape in your formula, or if you otherwise have a restrictive formula, your league opponent might not be able to challenge you, with or without help from the bot.  "set formula"  will erase your formula to make life easier.

Thanks to fledermaus, who continues to make handy things for us!  

Play in Team 45 45 League T38
Sections: U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, U1200

T 38 Team Entries have closed.  Round 1 Begins Tues July 22, at 22:00 ICC time

ROUND 1 will following Tuesday (July 22) at 22:00.  Now you should, talk to your team, get to know each other, and tell your captain whether you can play this week.   Before Tuesday 22:00, he must submit your team's round 1 board lineup at the Captain Menu.  This means, it tells us which four of your team's players will play in round 1.   Round 1 Pairings then go up (Tue 22:00), your game forums will be opened, and you'll use the game forum to talk to your opponent to find an agreed game time. 

BE READY:

• Tell your captain if you can't play in round 1.
• Be ready to offer at least 3 different game times to your opponent.
• Ask your captain anything you aren't sure of, so you are ready for round 1.

LEARN ALL THE RULES FOR SCHEDULING YOUR GAME - This week would be a good time to re-read the Player Handbook and FAQ’s.  Find out what "3 distinct offers" means.  Find out the deadlines for making contact. 

LEAGUE CHANNEL ON ICC - You’ll want to be in the League channel 345 in order to stay informed, and to enjoy the community. To ask for admittance to channel 345, type: g-join Team4545League .

CONTACT YOUR TEAM in either of two ways.

1 - Use your regular email program (you received your teammates' addresses in your team entry mail);

2 - Log in to the Player Menu, where you will find functions to mail your team via the league website.  Note:  When you receive a mail sent this way, you CANNOT reply to it using regular email.  It will go to a dead address.   To reply to a message send from the website, you must log into the website and use the Player Menu. 

PLAYERS MAY CONTINUE TO JOIN T38 - Although no new teams can be formed after the entry deadline, individual players CAN still join and be added to teams.

INTERESTED PLAYERS PAGE - Teams are still looking for additional players, and new players continue to sign up.  Captains use the IPP to help them find players, and it helps if the IPP is accurate. If you are listed on the IPP, PLEASE UPDATE your profile if you're no longer looking for teams in the sections where you are listed.

GAME FORUMS will be up when round 1 starts, and you have an opponent (July 22).

TEAM ENTRIES CLOSE on Tuesday at 22:00. Changes to rosters of existing teams can continue after that time but no new teams can enter after that deadline. We might form “Duct Tape” teams from some of those players still waiting on the Interested Players Page, as needed to fill out divisions. 

DIVISION ASSIGNMENTS - As soon as possible after the close of entries, the teams in each ratings section will be divided into divisions. Division assignments are done purely by the numbers, based on seed order at the close of team entries, and are not adjusted if team averages change due to roster changes after that time. We cannot accommodate requests to be moved to another division to avoid competing against friends. See FAQ #32 to learn more about How divisions are made.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS NEEDED - HELP KEEP THIS GREAT EVENT RUNNING

dTD and SecTD assignments will be made in a few days.
Depending on how many teams enter, we might need more than 35 TD volunteers!

If you have played in the league for at least couple of tournaments, preferably as captain or assistant captain, can think objectively about both sides of an issue, have a respect for the rules, are at least 16 years old, and have the time to check a few game forums every day, please consider UPDATING YOUR PROFILE WITH A “YES” TO QUESTION #11, "I would like to volunteer as a dTD."

Not every volunteer will be assigned, largely because we assign TD’s to serve only in sections in which they are not playing. This can take some juggling, and it helps to have a large pool of volunteers to choose from.

Please don't fear that you would get in over your head. Start by checking out the TD handbook at the website.  Also, you will be supported by a team – the Section TD and the Supervisor of TDs. In particular, the Section TD provides supervision and guidance, and steps in if necessary.  Anything you can't handle, he is there for you!  Our Section TDs are real pros! 

Thank you in advance for considering serving in this important way.

Mailed to players on the IPP, July 14:

Hello to those on the IPP (Interested Player Page).  A few housekeeping things that will help you, and prospective teams.

1. If you are already on one or more teams and do not wish to be considered for any more teams, please remove your name from the IPP by updating your profile and unchecking all sections.

2. Team entries close at 22:00 Tuesday, July 15 (that's tomorrow). Teams may still need players and seek you out, but no new teams will be formed after that time. There is one exception:

3. At the close of entries tomorrow night, if any section has an odd number of teams, I as the entry clerk try to form "Duct Teams" from among the interested players. Unless we hear from you, we won't put you on a duct team. In most cases we only consider people who are not on any team yet. "Duct" teams have been known to win championships!

4. To be considered for a "duct team", you MUST tell us before 22:00 Tuesday. Send a mail to Entry@team4545league.org saying "Please put me on a duct team if you can."

Thank you
Rgadoury, Entry Clerk

T 38 Team Entries close Tuesday July 15, 22:00 ICC time!

Team Entries:  July 1 - 15 (Deadline 22:00).     Rounds 1-6, plus Playoffs: July 22 - Oct 7.

Profiles -  Sign up NOW at the  Player Menu ! 

Fixed Ratings -  Player who played in the league recently can see their  T38 Fixed Rating .

IPP - Players who have signed up and are looking for a team are on the  IPP .

Quick Info - Read the  Quick Guide    to see how to join.  

Captain - Read the  Captain Handbook  to be ready to enter your team when entries open.

T37 Playoffs information

PLAYOFFS will begin on Tuesday, June 10. At the completion of round 6, the top team in each Division advances to the playoffs, and will compete against the other Divisional champs in their ratings Section. In some Sections, one to three "Best Second Place" (wild card) teams will also advance.

When known, advancing teams will be listed here, and on the Playoff 1 page.  The programming will allow captains to submit board assignments as soon as the team is shown on the Playoff 1 page.  All playoff advancements, seedings, and team matchups are unofficial until Tuesday 22:00. The period between now and then allows for appeals, double-checking for errors, etc.

ROSTER CHANGE RESTRICTIONS FOR PLAYOFFS: Captains who have a chance at the playoffs should see http://team4545league.org/sc35-36.html#I7 No roster changes above fourth highest rating once Round 6 begins.

-- > MOUNTAIN (U2200): Three divisions = Four playoff teams, and two rounds of playoffs. The top team from each division plus one wild card team advance to the playoffs.
Romanian Kings, Forever Young Knights, Marvellous Moves Clique-I, To Be Determined.

-- > ARBOR (U2000): Six divisions = Eight playoff teams and three rounds of Playoffs. Top team from each division plus two wild card teams advance to the playoffs.
Team Voja II, Magnum Ignotum U2000, Forever Young Knights A, LeChess Magisters, The Peons, Keiki O Kilauea, Discovered Mates I, Young&Old Brilliants

-- > AQUATIC (U1800): Seven divisions = Eight playoff teams and three rounds of Playoffs. Top team from each division, plus one wild card team advances to the playoffs.
Team Voja I, Masagatsu Agatsu U1800, The Center, Marvellous Moves Clique-III, Magnum Ignotum U1800B, RedDeMate D, Keiki O Pele, Long Live the King U1800

-- > ERG (U1600): Seven divisions = Eight playoff teams and three rounds of Playoffs. Top team from each division plus one wild card team advance to the playoffs.
Jousting Knights, Pawnchains, STC1600, Magnum Ignotum U1600, Thugzwang, Chaturanga, Wood Army Warriors U1600, ChessWarriors Bandidos

-- > PLANETARY (U1400): Five divisions = Eight playoff teams and three rounds of playoffs. Top team from each division plus three wild card teams advance to the playoffs.
FileMates, ChessWarriors, The Beginning, The Queens Kings, Eds LeChess Cuttings, RollingRooks, Long Live the King U1400C ,

-- > GALACTIC (U1300): Two divisions = Two playoff teams and one round of Playoffs. Top team from each division advances to the playoffs.
The King Assassins U1200, Le Scrutinizers