SPORT – CHESS PRO

(Applicable for PRO Championships conducted in 2024 -2025)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SELECTION CRITERIA 3
PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR SFA PRO 4
GENERAL GUIDELINES 5
EVENT PROCESS & FLOW 8
POINTS SYSTEM 8
CHESS PRO - SPECIFIC RULES & REGULATIONS 9
PROTEST POLICY 10
PROTEST FORM 11
SANCTION GUIDELINES 13

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 CHESS PRO

SELECTION CRITERIA

Chess PRO

Weightage
Level Of Competition

Merit Certification (Top 3) Participation

Recognized International
Direct Qualification Direct Qualification
Events
SFA Championship Direct Qualification 15

Recognized National Events 15 10

Recognized State Events 10 5
Recognized District/Zonal
5 2
Events

FIDE RANKINGS WEIGHTAGE

2500+ ELO rating [Most Grand Master (GM) & Above] 50

2400 to 2500 ELO rating [Most International Master (IM) & few GM] 40

2300 to 2400 ELO rating [Most FIDE Master (FM) & few IM] 30

2200-2300 ELO rating [FIDE Candidate Masters (CM), most national masters (NM)] 20

2000-2200 ELO rating [Candidate Masters (CM)] 10

1800-2000 ELO rating [Class A, Category 1] 5

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PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR SFA PRO

● Participation in SFA PRO is based on outlined selection criteria and the number of
available slots in that particular event category.
● For Badminton, Table Tennis and Tennis, an athlete who is a part of the SFA PRO category
will be allowed to participate only in the doubles category in the general category of SFA
Championship.
● Registration Fees:
o Athletics, Basketball, Football and Swimming – Rs. 1799/- per athlete per event
o Badminton, Chess, Table Tennis and Tennis – Rs. 2499/- per athlete per event
● Final selection will be based on certificates provided, and weightage will be assigned
according to the same.
● The cash prize is subject to change depending on the participation.
● An athlete will not be able to participate in the same sport in both, the SFA Championships
general category and the SFA PRO category.
● An athlete can participate in only one sport in the SFA PRO category.
● SFA Championship is ready for you, whether or not you’re in SFA PRO.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES

● This SFA PRO Guidelines Document is a guide containing important information about
SFA PRO and its conduct with respect to:
o Age & Event Categories
o Rules & Regulations
o Protest Policy & Sanctions
● All participating students and their guardians/school authorities are requested to read
through this document and be aware of the updates posted on the City Specific
Championship website at www.sfaplay.com.
● The Age & Event Categories are decided in consultation with the respective Sport
Associations and the same will be strictly adhered to during the Championship.
● The sports and events mentioned are subject to change depending on the specific City
where SFA PRO is hosted.
o Students registering for SFA PRO are requested to check their respective city on
our website (www.sfaplay.com) for the availability of a particular sport or event.
o There is a possibility that different cities may have an alteration in the sport/
event / formats.
● Any protests regarding a participant's age & eligibility will be accepted or withheld
considering the Age & Event Categories and Tournament Rules & Regulations.
● Every Participant must always carry their School Photo ID along with a government-
issued Age Proof Photo ID during the Championship. No participant will be allowed to
play his/her match if they do not carry the same. Please note that details provided during
registration on sfaplay.com and the documents provided should match. All Participants
to always carry the following documents to verify their School and Age:
o Identity Proof: Original School ID card OR School-issued Bonafide letter on the
school letterhead, signed and stamped by the school authority (Principal/Head
Administrator/Headmistress). The letter should contain the full name of the
REGISTERED Participants (First Name & Last Name), their Date of Birth, their
Aadhar card number.
o Age Proof: ONLY with original Aadhar Card / Any central government document
or in exceptional cases the School Bonafide letter with proper details mentioned.
The School issued Bonafide letter on the school letterhead, signed and stamped
by the school authority (Principal/Head Administrator/Headmistress). The letter
should contain the full name of the REGISTERED Participants (First Name & Last
Name), and their full Date of Birth.
o School teams or Participants who have not carried the above documents partially
or wholly, will be required to sign a DECLARATION, stating that they will provide
the same by the next game. The participant will be disqualified if he/she fails to
present the same.
● The tournament formats, and age & event categories for each sport are subject to the

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 Rules of the Sport as given by the Sport International Federation rules and adapted to
the Indian context as per discussions with National / State / District / Local Sports
Federation / Associations and Technical Officials.
● Sports at SFA PRO are liable to be cancelled based on the number of registrations
received. A sport event change or refund will be initiated in such case as long as the
request is placed within the registration deadline.
● The SFA PRO Sport wise schedule will be published on our website – www.sfaplay.com
10-15 days prior to the SFA PRO start date. Specific sport schedules will be published at
least 3 days before the commencement of the sport.
● Sports at SFA PRO will be conducted as per the schedule released upfront. It is the
responsibility of the participant / school coach / guardian / administrator to keep track of
the same. Requests for last-minute fixtures changes or walkover relaxations will not be
entertained and will only be permitted by the Tournament Committee on a case-by-
case basis.
● The Tournament Organizing Committee has the right to alter/postpone/cancel the
tournament or any specific sport event or category in case of unavoidable
circumstances. All schools and Participants are requested to co-operate in such case.
● In case of a player replacement at any time during the Championship due to a serious
injury a medical certificate and related reports have to be produced and submitted to the
Tournament Organizing Committee. Please note that this change will only be permitted
after scrutiny of medical documents and confirmation from the Committee.
● Deliberate and unfair attempts to cheat in SFA PRO will be penalized by the Tournament
Committee. All participants, coaches, and parents, are to uphold the spirit of
sportsmanship, fair play, orderly behaviour and conduct at all times.
● If any participant is found over age / ineligible or with any manipulation in his/her
documents, he/she will be disqualified without any kind of prior intimation. An ineligible
Participant is any student who is any of the following,
o Overage on the basis of fraudulent data submitted
o Impersonating another student
o An unregistered student at SFA PRO
o Or any other reason found valid by the Tournament Organizing Committee
● SFA will not provide any students with equipment required to play the sport. Each
student should carry personal equipment and sport-appropriate apparel for their
respective sport.
● In case of any dispute the decision of the Tournament Organizing Committee and the
Officials will be final and binding.
● Participants will only be allowed inside the field of play based on their schedule. No
participant will be allowed to use their mobile phones in the stipulated playing arena.
● Parents / coaches of any Participant should not enter the Field of Play at any point in
the Championship (unless specifically permitted).
● Parents, fellow schoolmates, friends, and other spectators are requested to view various

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 matches across sports outside the respective sporting arenas - seating arrangements &
holding areas have been made for the same.
● Provision for drinking water and energy drinks has been made at all sporting arenas.
Please note that SFA will not be providing food to participants. However, Food is available
for purchase at prior designated Sporting venues.
● Helpdesks and Notice boards are available across the venue and at the respective sporting
arenas. Players, Parents, Coaches are requested to contact the Helpdesk personnel or
view the same for information such as draws, schedules, etc.
● For any kind of further details on the tournament the School Authority / Parent / Player
can contact us on the SFA PRO specific Customer Care Number (+91 7977772991) or Email
address (pro@sfaplay.com)
● All protests need to be made to the Sport in charge at the particular venue following
due process laid out. At all times, it is expected that protests (if any) are to be made in
an orderly manner upholding the spirit of the Championship. Unruly behavior at the
Championship will not be tolerated.
● A Protest Policy is made in this regard where the representative shall have to fill in a
protest form and pay a certain fee to lodge the protest.
● Match Videography at SFA PRO is solely provided for Participants to have a look at their
performance / games once the Championship is over on their digital profile (conditions
apply). Match Videography will not be looked at during any Protest or will not be shown
to any school coach / parent / Participant at the venue. Participants / coaches / parents
are not permitted to approach the videography crew to view or request for any
recording.
● The SFA PRO is aimed towards giving every participant a chance and platform to play and
keep in mind the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play, and we expect the same from all
participants, coaches, parents, and schools participating at the SFA Championship.
● The Participants / parents / school coaches coming to the Championship venues are
expected to always take care of their belongings, SFA shall not be responsible for any loss
or theft of any personal belongings at the Championship.
● Every participant registering for SFA PRO understands the nature of the sport they are
registering for and SFA shall not be liable for injury caused during the Championship or
otherwise.
● If a school fails to meet the minimum requirements according to the sport's rules, the
team will be disqualified and barred from participating in the match.
● If any athlete has registered in one category but participated in a different category
during the event, they will not be included in the medal tally.

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EVENT PROCESS & FLOW

● The participant must report at the specific sport venue’s Verification desk 75 minutes -
60 minutes prior to his/her scheduled match and collect their Bib / verify registration.
● The team/player must report at least 30 minutes prior (or as mentioned on the Sport
Schedule) to their scheduled match time at the sports verification desk.
● Participants are requested to pay attention to Match Announcements / Call Room
Announcements / Reporting Calls, and respond accordingly.
● If any team/player fails to report within 10 minutes of the match being announced the
match officials will have full right to announce a walkover at their sole discretion.

POINTS SYSTEM
The points for the medals are mentioned below –

TEAM SPORTS INDIVIDUAL SPORTS

Gold – 15 points Gold – 5 points
Silver – 10 Points Silver – 3 Points
Bronze – 5 Point Bronze – 1 Point

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

● SFA PRO Tournament Director

● Sport Technical Official / Tournament Referee
● SFA Sport Representative

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 CHESS PRO

Age Group Event No. Gender Cut Off Dates

1 Boys
U-13 2 Girls Born on or After 1st January 2012
3 Boys
U-15 4 Girls Born on or After 1st January 2010
5 Boys
U-17 6 Girls Born on or After 1st January 2008
As per the guidelines, a player can participate in only ONE event category

SPORT RULES & REGULATIONS

 Writing every move in the notepad provided (“Notation”) is compulsory for all players.
 The number of rounds will be determined by the arbiter based on the
number of participation and will be mentioned in the schedule.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

 The tournament will be played on a ‘SWISS LEAGUE’ basis as per

the FIDE (International Chess Federation) guidelines
 A Participant is eligible to play all rounds, irrespective of win / loss / draw
 The decision of the arbiters will be final and binding on all
 Time control: 40 minutes plus 3 seconds increment / player (It can change
basis the Tournament Organizing Committee during the course of the
Championship)
 Tie break: In case of a tie, the tie will be resolved in the order
o Buchholz
o Median Buchholz
o Berger
o Toss
 Players may be warned and penalized for illegal moves
 If there is any dispute, the participant should report to the Arbiter
immediately. Once the game is over and the result is submitted, no dispute
shall be entertained
 Both the players are requested to submit their results to the Arbiter


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PROTEST POLICY
● In the event that a Participant wishes to lodge a protest against his/her opponent
with respect to age or any other unfair practices etc.; he/she will need to follow
the below mentioned steps:
● Contact the tournament director/SFA Representative
● Fill out the protest form within 15 minutes of the event
● Pay a protest fee of Rs. 1000/-
● The protest committee will arrive at a decision within the duration of the
tournament.
● An ineligible Participant is any student who is any of the following,
o Overage on the basis of fraudulent data submitted
o Impersonating another student
o Student playing in multiple teams in the same age group
o Student playing in multiple teams without registering for them all
o An unregistered student
o Student playing in doubles/teams not from the same school
o Or any other reason found valid by the Tournament Organizing Committee
● In the event that a student is found to be Ineligible has been disqualified, SFA will
not be liable to conduct a re-match of for any student/team who may have lost to
him/her in the interest of the time. However, the Ineligible student will be
disqualified. The player may also face a ban on participating at SFA PRO of up to 3
years. The same will be mentioned on his/her sporting profile on
www.sfaplay.com
● For Team Sports any ineligible player fielded by team means that the team loses
the match and points awarded to opponent. This includes previous matches
where this player has played, even though the protest occurred later.
● To entertain genuine protests, SFA has taken the decision of levying a protest fee.
Handling protests is a time-consuming process and has an impact on the schedule
of the other matches scheduled for any given day. Hence, it is critical for SFA to
entertain only the genuine cases to be able to provide a seamless sporting
experience.
● The SFA Protest Form is attached below, in the event of a protest the same will
have to be duly filled and signed by the protestor.

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 PROTEST FORM
SFA PRO PROTEST FORM

Protest Submitted by:

School Name:

Name of the Protestor:

Designation:

If a Participant/coach wishes to lodge a protest against their opponent, they/he/she will need to
follow the below mentioned steps:

Contact the tournament director/SFA Representative

Fill out the protest form below:

Pay a deposit of Rs.1000/-

Documents accepted as valid – Aadhar card, Passport, Birth Certificate, Government ID, etc.

In the event that a Participant is found to be overage/ineligible and has been disqualified, SFA will
not be liable to conduct a rematch of for any Participant/team who may have lost to him/her in the
interest of the time. However, the overage/ineligible Participant will be disqualified without any
prior notice. The player may also face a ban on participating at SFA PRO of up to 3 years. The same
will be mentioned on his/her sporting profile on www.sfaplay.com

Details of the Participant being protested against:

Participant Name:
School Name:
SFA ID / Team ID:
Sport:

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 Reason for Protest:

Signature Designation

Official Use Only:

Fees Paid
Date & Time Signature of person receiving
Yes No protest
Received

Outcome of the Protest:

Successful Unsuccessful

Result

Decision Given by: Decision Accepted by:

Name: Name:

Position: Position:

Signature: Signature:

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SANCTION GUIDELINES
ON BREACH OF AGE & ELIGIBILITY AND PROTOCOL FOR ADDRESSING AGE FRAUD IN SFA PRO

Dear Participants, Coaches, and Stakeholders,

We would like to bring to your attention the crucial protocols regarding age eligibility and measures
to combat age fraud in SFA PRO. These rules are designed to ensure fair play and maintain the
integrity of the competition.
1. Age Verification Process: If a protest arises concerning the age of an athlete, and the athlete's
age cannot be digitally verified through the system provided by SFA PRO, the athlete may be
required to undergo an on-the-spot E-Aadhar verification within a 30-minute window.
Failing to comply with this verification process will result in the athlete being considered in
violation of age eligibility. This measure is in place to prevent any falsification of information
and to maintain the integrity of the competition.
2. Penalties for Age Fraud:
a. Non-Registered School Athletes: If an athlete from a non-registered school is found
guilty of age fraud, they will face disqualification and a ban from participating in any
SFA Competition for a period of up to 2 (two) years. This penalty serves as a deterrent
against age fraud and emphasizes the importance of accurate age representation.
b. Registered School Athletes: If an athlete from a registered school is found guilty of
age fraud, the following protocol will be followed in addition to the athlete's
disqualification and up to 2 (two) year ban from SFA Competitions:
● For the first occurrence, the school will receive a penalty of 15 points. This penalty serves as
a stern reminder of the gravity of age fraud, and emphasizes the responsibility of schools in
ensuring the accuracy of athlete information.
● In the event of a second occurrence, the school will receive a penalty of 30 points. This penalty
escalates to reflect the repeated breach of age eligibility, underlining the need for stringent
measures against age fraud.
● For a third occurrence, the school will be deemed ineligible for inclusion in the ranking table.
This means that while other athletes from the school can continue to participate, the school
will not be considered for any ranking. Additionally, any cash prizes associated with the
Championships will not be awarded to the school. This stringent measure emphasizes the
seriousness of repeated offenses.
● Any subsequent occurrences will be considered a final incident. The entire school's
disqualification will be at the discretion of SFA’s Competition Committee, with a penalty of
barring participation for up to 5 years. This measure underscores the commitment of SFA to
maintaining the integrity of competitions and ensuring fair play.

We urge all participants, coaches, and stakeholders to familiarize themselves with these protocols to
ensure a level playing field for all athletes. Your cooperation in upholding these measures is crucial
in preserving the integrity and spirit of SFA PRO.
Thank you for your understanding and commitment to fair competition.

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