E. European Team Championship
The ECU organises the European Team Championship and the European Senior Team Championship, both with with an open competition and a women’s competition.
E.1. Participation
E.1.1 Each federation shall have the right to be represented by one team of four players and one reserve in the open competition and by one of four female players and one reserve in the women’s competition.
E.1.2 In the European Senior Team Championship senior teams from each federation shall have the right to participate. Each team consists of four players and one reserve.
E.1.2.1 In the European Senior Team Championship There shall be two categories; age 50+ and age 65+ with separate events for women. The player must have reached or reach the required age during the year of competition. There shall be separate Women’s Championships if there are at least 8 teams in one category. Otherwise the women’s championship is merged with the open respective category.
E.2. Organisation
E.2.1 European Team Championship shall be organised in the odd numbered years between October 15 and November 30. In exceptional cases the Board may accept other dates.
E.2.2.1 The European Team Championship shall be held on the Swiss system in 9 rounds, with one open section and one women’s section, considered as separate competitions.
E.2.2.2 The European Senior Team Championship shall be held in the Swiss system in 9 rounds, with one round per day.
E.2.3 The organising federation shall hold in reserve a second men’s team and a second women’s team (“B” Teams), which shall take part in the respective competition if, and only if, it is required to make even the number of teams in the first round.
E.2.3.1 Once a “B” team has played the first round it shall remain in the competition even if the number of participating teams is uneven.
E.2.4 One month before the scheduled start of the Team Championships, each participating federation shall send to the organising federation and to the ECU Tournament Director the basic team lists. It can be changed not later than one day before the Technical Meeting with a fee of 200 EUR per player payable to ECU, excluding confirmed in written form health problems or force majeure.
E.2.5 The ECU President is to be invited to attend the championships at the organiser’s expense for travel, hotel and meals.
.E.3. Tournament Regulations
E.3.1 Each match in the European Team Championship and in the European Senior Team Championship shall be played over four boards.
E.3.2 The playing conditions shall conform to the FIDE recommendations for the organisation of top-level tournaments.
E.4. Titles and prizes
E.4.1 In the European Team Championship the title of “European (or European Women’s) Team Champion 20.. (current year)” is bestowed on the winning team. In the European Senior Team Championship the title “European Senior Team Champion 20.. (current year) is bestowed on the winning team.
E.4.1.1 Each winning team shall receive a trophy from the organising federation.
E.4.1.2 In addition,
(a) the winning team in the open competition of the European Team Championship two years before the World Team Championship will represent Europe in that competition,
(b) the winning team in the women’s competition of the European Team Championship two years before the World Women’s Team Championship will represent Europe in that competition.
If, however, one of these teams will qualify through the next year’s Olympiad, the highest ranked not qualified in any other way, may represent Europe in the World Team Championship.
E.4.2 Each member of the winning team (players, reserves and captain) shall receive a gold medal. The members of the second and third placed teams shall each receive a silver and bronze medal respectively.
E.4.3 Prizes for teams, which get the same number of match points are distributed according to the Hort system (among such number of teams which corresponds to the number of advertised prizes).