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These rules are a snapshot of the rules at teh time of creation of this page. The latest version of the Grand Prix rules can be found here - and the rules relating to the junior sections here.
Purpose

1	Purpose To stimulate the development of the tournament circuit. To provide another benefit for Chess Scotland members who play chess regularly.
Target group
2	Members of Chess Scotland, 17 years or over as at 1 January during the grading season, with gradings of 2150 or less (To qualify for inclusion in the Grand Prix players must have taken up membership by the same date. Players outwith Scotland (of any nationality) are eligible provided they become members by the due date.) Juniors up to 16 years old and graded below 1350 have their own Grand Prix
	a	Juniors with a published grade of 1350 or more (all grades refer to the current Main Grading List): The highest placed junior in the four Main Grand Prix sections (ie Candidates, Challengers, Major and Minor) will win a prize. Juniors will not be eligible to win the main prizes
Categories
3	Chess Scotland Members with start of season grading in the Main List within the following limits (the allegro grade is not used in deciding for which GP category you are eligible) : Grading limit 1901-2150 - Candidates Grand Prix Grading limit 1701-1900 - Challengers Grand Prix Grading limit 1451-1700 - Major Grand Prix Grading limit 0-1450 - Minor Grand Prix
	Ungraded players will be placed in the appropriate category according to their unofficial grading covering all events played up to 1 January. Initially, they will be placed in the Minor Grand Prix. No concessions have been made for players 'playing up' eg a 1600 in an Open.
Rules
4.	To score points in the Grand Prix simply enter a chess tournament (normal time rates or allegro) and score well! Points scored at congresses and allegros will be accumulated throughout the season
	a	Only performances of 50% or more will count. e.g. 2.5/5 or 3½/6 or 4/7
	b	Half point byes and defaults will not count. However, discarding byes and defaults, a score of 2/4 would count, or 1.5/3.
	c	Points scored at the Scottish Championships and the large weekend congresses will be doubled.
	d	You must play a minimum of three games in an event for your score to be eligible for GP points.
	e	Player GP totals are based on the 10 best GP scoring events The idea is to address repeated concerns that players unable to participate in every congress had little chance to catch a runaway leader. This way more players should be in contention for prizes throughout the season. The more active player still has something to aim for since they can try and replace lower scoring events.

Criteria used to formulate the rules:

5	The rules must be simple to administer, meaningful to players and, above all, must not add anything to the burden of Tournament Directors.

Season

6	The Grand Prix season will be the same as the grading year commencing on 1st July and ending on 30 June. (Tournaments in early July may be included - an appropriate announcement will be made). The Scottish Championships in will count for Grand Prix purposes as the both the final event of the season and also as the first event of the following season. The idea is to boost the status of our flagship event and make the event a fitting climax for GP contenders who will hopefully be encouraged to play.
Tournaments
7	Swiss tournaments including congresses, championships and allegros, listed in the Calendar of Events will be eligible for inclusion provided all their results are submitted for grading. Domestic Club events are not eligible. Where conditions of entry restrict the event to players from a certain area eg Lothians, Lanarkshire, West or East of Scotland etc, scores will count unadjusted (ie no multiplier will be applied).. Scores in the Grand Prix are calculated as soon as the results of an event appear on the Chess Scotland website. Only if the computer itself so instructs him may the operator offer a draw, or claim a draw by repetition.
Publicity
8	Information about the Grand Prix will appear in Scottish Chess magazine, on the Chess Scotland website and on leaderboard notices at tournaments. It would be helpful but not essential if the Scottish Grand Prix could be mentioned in entry forms.

Organisation

9	Chess Scotland reserves the right to take measures to facilitate the smooth running of the Grand Prix and to ensure that the rules and conditions are applied fairly. The organiser cannot be a beneficiary of the prize fund.
Notice of events
10	New events should give at least six weeks notice before an event will be deemed eligible for GP inclusion. Notice can be given by any of the following methods: inclusion in the printed CS calendar, by providing event details for the website Noticeboard, Calendar or tournament advert page; Scottish Chess magazine; a published entry form available at other events, or posted directly to potential participants.


Junior Grand Prix
1	Juniors ie those J16 or younger (as per the grading book listings - ages gives as at first of January in the middle of the grading season, juniors J17 and above are considered as adults for GP purposes) are eligible for one sort of Junior Grand Prix or another. Ages will be verified and corrected if appropriate. A junior whose age is not known will not appear in the Grand Prix until their age status is known. And we reserve the right to check ages before prizes are awarded!
Juniors with a published grade of 1350 or more (all grades refer to the current Main Grading List):
2	The highest placed junior in the four Main Grand Prix sections (ie Candidates, Challengers, Major and Minor) will win a prize. Juniors will not be eligible to win the main prizes.
Juniors with a published grade below 1350
3	Will be eligible ONLY for the Junior Grand Prix in the appropriate age section [Pawns, Knights, Bishops or Rooks]. The Junior Grand Prix will operate a different points system from the main Grand Prix There will be one prize for the top player in each of the following age ranges. PAWNS: J5-J9 (covering roughly up to Primary 5) KNIGHTS: J10-J11 (covering roughly Primaries 6 & 7) BISHOPS: J12-J13 (covering roughly Secondary 1 & 2) ROOKS: J14-J16 (covering roughly Secondary 3 - 5)
Junior Grand Prix points
4	All congresses including one day allegros will be included in the Junior Grand Prix but local and domestic club events will not. Team events will not count. An "adult" event is one in which adults or juniors may participate - a "junior" event is exclusively junior. Byes and defaults will not be counted Scores of 25% or more will be eligible for inclusion Junior GP Multipliers Scores in junior one day events will be unadjusted Scores in junior two day events (non allegro) will be doubled Scores in adult weekend events will be quadrupled Scores in adult allegro events will be doubled Scores in adult one round a week events will be doubled
Cut off date
5	To be consistent with the Main Grand Prix, only Chess Scotland members as at 1st January of the grading season are eligible to win prizes. Members will appear in bold in the leaderboards.
Eligible events:
6	Swiss tournaments including congresses, championships and allegros, listed in the Calendar of Events will be eligible for inclusion provided all their results are submitted for grading. NB Domestic Club events are not eligible. Scores in the Grand Prix are calculated as soon as the results of an event appear on the Chess Scotland website. New events should normally give at least six weeks notice before an event will be deemed eligible for GP inclusion. Notice can be given by any of the following methods: inclusion in the CS calendar, by providing event details for the website Noticeboard, Calendar or tournament advert page; Scottish Chess magazine; a published entry form available at other events, from the CS Office in Glasgow, or posted directly to potential participants. This notice period will be waived where it is impractical because of the late publication of these details.