Important changes to ECF Membership & Game Fee. What s changing?

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1 Important changes to ECF Membership & Game Fee Introduction After many years, the ECF is no longer in receipt of a Government grant to help fund its activities on behalf of English chess. In response to this significant development, the ECF s member organisations decided to make major changes to way that the Federation is funded through individual membership and charges per graded game. These changes come into effect on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2012 and will affect everyone who plays or organises graded or rated chess in England. On this page, you will find links to detailed information about these changes. Work is continuing, and the guidance will be updated and added to over the coming weeks. If you have any unanswered questions, please contact the ECF office using the contact details at the foot of this page. The main changes in a nutshell New membership levels (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum) based on the type of event you play in will be introduced, replacing the existing membership types Different membership benefits, based on membership level Fixed membership year running from 1 September to 31 August Increased charges for grading the results of non-members The changes in brief What s changing? New membership levels (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum) based on the type of event you play in will be introduced, replacing the existing membership types Different membership benefits, based on membership level Fixed membership year running from 1 September to 31 August Increased charges for grading the results of non-members The changes in detail: 1) New membership levels With effect from 1st September 2012, a new type of membership scheme will apply throughout England (and North Wales), based on different levels of membership. The existing categories of membership will cease and be replaced by the new levels described below. Players are invited to become members of the ECF in one of the following categories: BRONZE: Members in this category will be entitled to have an unlimited number of games in club, league and county competitions graded in return for a one-off annual subscription. In practice, in areas not currently covered by a Membership Organisation, this should result in a significant reduction in club subscriptions, league and match fees (although this will depend upon the current funding arrangements in your area). Bronze membership will cost 13 for adults, 9 for juniors. SILVER: Members in this category will be entitled to all of the benefits of Bronze membership, plus they should receive a discount of up to 6 for adults ( 4 for juniors)* on the entry fee for each

2 graded congress in which they play. Silver members will also be eligible for inclusion in the ECF Grand Prix. Silver membership will cost 19 for adults, 13 for juniors. * The pricing of congress entry fees is determined by the event organisers. The amounts indicated are the fees payable to the ECF by the organisers for each non-member or Bronze member participating. It is a commercial decision for the organisers to what extent this is reflected in discounts on the entry fees offered to Silver members or above. GOLD: Members in this category will be entitled to all of the benefits of Silver membership, plus they are entitled to play in FIDE-rated events such as the 4NCL, British Championships and many other congresses. It is an ECF requirement that English-registered players in FIDE-rated events must be ECF members at Gold or Platinum level. Also included in Gold membership are the costs of the annual FIDE rating registration fee (currently 1) and the FIDE rating fees for Swiss system events and leagues (currently 1.50 per event entered). Gold membership will cost 28 for adults, 22 for juniors. PLATINUM: Members in this category will be entitled to all of the benefits of Gold membership, plus they will receive an ECF diary and a copy of the ECF Yearbook. This category is aimed at those players who wish to provide extra financial support for the work of the ECF and can afford to pay extra. Approximately a third of the cost of membership will be available for the ECF to invest in the development of chess in England. Platinum membership will cost 60 for both adults and juniors. 2) Changes to membership benefits The benefits per membership level are set out in the table, ECF Membership Benefits. 3) Fixed membership year Memberships will run from 1 September until 31 August each year. This means that players joining in (say) April will be entitled to have their club, league and county games graded for free for the entire year from the preceding 1 September. SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW MEMBERS! New members joining from 1 July 2012 will have the option of purchasing a membership from the date of joining to 31 August 2013, i.e. up to 14 months for the price of 12. 4) Increased charges for grading the results of non-members If a player chooses NOT to join the ECF in any of the above categories, a charge will be levied against the event organisers for each graded result by the player. In league, county and club competitions not restricted to juniors only, a Game Fee will be charged of 2 per result (Standard play) and 1 per result (Rapid play). Each game consists of two results (also sometimes referred to as half-games), i.e. a Standard play game involving two non-members would attract a charge of 4. Non-members should therefore expect to pay a match fee sufficient to cover the cost of these Game Fees. For congresses not restricted to juniors only, non-members (and Bronze members) will be charged a Pay to Play fee of 6 for adults ( 4 for juniors) for each event entered. NB. In practice, this is likely to appear as the full entry fee, with a discount of up to 6 ( 4 for juniors) available to ECF members of Silver level and above. In junior-only events, a Game Fee will be charged of 50p per result (Standard play) and 25p per result (Rapid play). This applies to all graded events restricted to juniors only, including league and club competitions and congresses.

3 In FIDE-rated events, the ECF requires that players not registered with another country must be Gold or Platinum members. In the event of any exceptions, the organisers will be charged the FIDE rating fee payable and the player concerned will be de-registered on the FIDE rating list. ECF Membership Benefits MEMBERSHIP LEVEL BENEFIT BRONZE SILVER GOLD PLATINUM Cost to Non- Members Free grading of results in: Club competitions Each Standard Play result will incur a Game Fee of 2 (junior-only events 50p). Rapid Play results will each incur a Game Fee of 1 (junior-only events 25p). Leagues County championships Congresses (excl. FIDErated) 6 per event (adults); 4 per event (juniors). Applies also to Bronze ECF members. In junior-only congresses, there is a Game Fee per result of 50p (Standard Play) and 25p (Rapid Play). FIDE-rated events N/A Membership at Gold or Platinum level is mandatory for these events. Cost of annual FIDE rating Yes Yes N/A Only

4 registration fee ( 1) included with membership Gold or Platinum members will be registered for English for FIDE rating purposes. Cost of per-event FIDE rating fee ( 1.50) for Swiss system events and leagues (i.e. excluding all-play-all events) included with membership Yes Yes N/A Membership at Gold or Platinum level is mandatory for these events. ECF Yearbook Discounted price ( 13.50) Free month ECF Diary Discounted price ( 2.50) Free 4.00 Eligibility for inclusion in the ECF Grand Prix Yes Yes Yes N/A Eligibility for ECF Master Points Scheme Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A Access to online newsletter ChessMoves (six issues per annum) Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A Discounted subscription to British Chess Magazine Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A Discounted rates with HMCA Insurance Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A Notes 1. New Concessionary members (Juniors) will also be entitled to a free Certificate of Merit credit upon joining. 2. For Game Fee purposes, each graded game comprises two results, and Game Fee is payable for each result. Membership fees On 1st September 2012, the ECF membership will change in two important ways:

5 There will be a fixed membership year from 1st September to 31st August; The membership categories will change. As a result, there will be a transitional period when current members will have old-style memberships which extend past 1st September 2012 and other memberships will expire between now and the start of the new scheme. Cost of annual membership for the period from 1st September 2012 Annual subscription for the year to 31st August 2013 Bronze (Concessionary rate for Juniors 9.00) Silver (Concessionary rate for Juniors 13.00) Gold (Concessionary rate for Juniors 22.00) Platinum (No Concessionary rate for Juniors) A discount of 1 will be available to all members joining or renewing online via the ECF website. This facility will be available shortly. The concessionary rate for Juniors is available to persons aged under 18 years as at the 1st September of the membership year in question. SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW MEMBERS! New members joining from 1 July 2012 will have the option of purchasing a membership from the date of joining to 31 August 2013, i.e. up to 14 months for the price of 12. Three-year membership rates You can protect yourself against future increases in the membership rate by purchasing a three-year subscription as follows: Bronze (Concessionary rate for Juniors 27.00) Silver (Concessionary rate for Juniors 39.00) Gold (Concessionary rate for Juniors 66.00) Platinum (No Concessionary rate for Juniors) Existing members Existing members whose membership expires before 1st September 2012 will have two renewal options: 1. Renew for a part-year, expiring on 31st August 2012, with the option to purchase a new-style membership at that time; 2. Renew for a longer period, up to 31st August The first option will no longer be available from June 2012(*), when subscriptions will only be taken for the period ending 31st August (*) An exception is being made for Family, Vice President and Corporate President members. These categories are ceasing to exist with effect from 31st August Existing members in these categories will be able to renew for the period up to 31st August 2012, by paying the relevant prorata monthly equivalent rate. The pricing of these options is based on the annual subscription rates applicable from 1st September 2012 and a pro-rata monthly equivalent rate for the period prior to this. Old-style memberships (period to 31st August 2012) Full per month (or part-month) Standard per month (or part-month)

6 Junior 2.00 per month (or part-month) Family per month (or part-month) Vice President per month (or part-month) Corporate Vice President per month (or part-month) A table setting out the costs of renewing memberships during the period April to August 2012 is may be found here. Converting old-style memberships to the new membership categories On 1 September 2012, the current membership categories will cease to exist. Any unexpired memberships will be converted to the new-style memberships on the following basis: Full = Platinum Standard = Gold Junior = Gold Family = Gold (for each named individual) Life members will be entitled to lifelong benefits of Gold membership. Honorary Life Members and Honorary Life Vice Presidents will be entitled to lifelong benefits of Platinum membership. Vice President and Corporate Vice President members will be contacted individually about the changes. Old-style memberships expiring after 31st August 2012 A discount on the cost of a new-style membership will be available, based on a pro-rata monthly equivalent rate for the new categories. Old-style memberships expiring after 31st August 2013 Some members who purchased 3-year memberships may have a current expiry date after 31st August These memberships will be converted to the appropriate new category as set out above and this will apply for the remaining membership term. Upon expiry, the same approach will apply as for those whose memberships expire during the year to 31st August 2012, i.e. a discount on the cost of a new-style membership will be available, based on a pro-rata monthly equivalent rate for the new categories. Upgrading to a higher membership level At any time, members will always have the option to upgrade to a higher membership level by paying the difference between the annual membership subscription for their current level and the desired level. For example, if a Bronze adult member was planning to enter a graded congress, he or she will be able to upgrade to a Silver membership by paying 6, i.e. the difference between the 13 Bronze subscription and the 19 Silver rate. Joining the ECF / Renewing Your Membership You can join the ECF directly or, if you are in an area where your local chess organisation (league or county association) collects memberships in bulk and deals with the ECF, via your local organisation. Joining or Renewing Directly You can join the ECF or renew your membership directly with the ECF in three ways:

7 Online A simple and secure process is being introduced shortly, in good time for the start of the new membership scheme on 1st September 2012, which will enable you to join the ECF or renew your membership securely via the ECF website. Payment is by credit or debit card. By joining or renewing online, you will obtain a 1 discount on your membership subscription. By phone Just call the ECF office on Payment is by credit or debit card. By post Complete the membership form and send it with payment (cheque, credit or debit card) to: The English Chess Federation, The Watch Oak, Chain Lane, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 0YD. Joining or Renewing via your Local Chess Organisation If this option is available in your area, your local league or county association will make you aware through your chess club. Organisations which are members of the ECF are able to register with the Federation and sign a framework agreement allowing them to collect memberships in bulk. To do so, the organisation will require brief details of each member and the membership level required (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum; Concessionary if applicable). The organisation will collect the membership fee from you through your club it may, depending upon the local approach adopted, be included in your club subscription and submit a schedule of members and block payment to the ECF. Provided payment is received by the ECF by 31st October, the local league or county association is entitled to retain 1 of each membership fee. This may be used to fund the activities of the league or county association or passed on to the individual members as an upfront discounted rate. The choice rests with the local league or county association. The 1 retention is only available to organisations which are themselves members of the ECF and have signed a framework agreement. Informally, if for example a club in an area not covered by framework agreement wanted to collect payment and membership forms from its members and submit them to the ECF en bloc, they would be accepted for processing but the retention of 1 per member would not be available to the club concerned and the full membership subscription would be paid to the ECF. You will always have the option of joining directly as an individual, if you prefer. In this case, you will simply need to advise your local league or association of your membership number. The same principle applies if you are a member of more than one club or league: once you have become a member, simply advise any other relevant leagues or associations of your membership number when asked. Leagues & County Associations With effect from 1st September 2012, a new ECF membership scheme will come into effect. This will change the way that the ECF charges to grade events. The present situation Currently, the way that the ECF charges for grading registered club, league and county competitions varies according to the local organisation: Membership organisations (MOs) In MOs, players are strongly encouraged to become ECF members. For those who do, all of their results in registered events are graded at no extra charge. For any players who do not become members, results are charged a Game Fee at various rates, depending on the nature of the event.

8 Non-MO areas A Game Fee is charged for each result (half-game) played in registered club, league or county competitions, regardless of whether the player is an ECF member. The rate of Game Fee varies according to the nature of the event. From 1st September 2012 With effect from 1st September 2012, the same approach will apply to all league, club and county competitions (*): For ECF members of any type, all results from registered club, league and county events will be graded at no extra cost. There is no limit on the number of graded games that will be accepted for each member within the cost of membership. For those who are not ECF members, each result from a registered club, league or county event will be charged a Game Fee. The Game Fee rate will be 2 per result (half-game) for Standard Play events and 1 per result (halfgame) for Rapid Play events. In the case of junior-only events, the applicable Game Fee rates will be 50p and 25p per result for Standard and Rapid Play respectively (*) Please note that, in common with other events organised directly by the ECF, Game Fee is not payable on the national stages of the County Championships. It is payable on the results of nonmembers in the regional stages. Decisions required Each league or county association will need to choose its approach as a result of these changes. Broadly speaking, the key decisions are as follows: Membership requirement, i.e. to what extent is ECF membership considered a requirement by the league or county association in order to play in graded events under the organisation s auspices? This is a decision for the league or county association to make. The choices could be summarised as: ο MANDATORY The organisation decides that anyone playing in a graded event run by the league or association must be an ECF member at Bronze level or above; ο ENCOURAGED Participating clubs are strongly encouraged to promote ECF membership amongst their members, but it is not obligatory for competitors to be ECF members; ο LAISSEZ FAIRE The organisation leaves players to join or not as they see fit. The first option is arguably the simplest, in that the payment to the ECF should consist of membership subscriptions, without the added complexity of Game Fee. Organisations may not wish, however, to limit participation or freedom of choice to this extent. In the end, it is a local decision. Collection method (Membership) Broadly, the choices are: ο BULK PAYMENT Existing Membership Organisations tend to prefer to collect memberships via their participating clubs. A single payment is then made by the member league or organisation to the ECF; ο INDIVIDUAL PAYMENT Each player is asked to join directly via the ECF. In practice, the former method is preferred, because it gives the league or organisation a clearer idea of the take-up rate. It may be the best approach for those leagues and organisation who adopt the mandatory or encouraged line towards ECF membership. It should be noted that individual payment is always an option for the player, even in areas where bulk memberships are submitted. In such cases, the individual would simply need to advise the local organisation when asked that he or she was already a member and provide his or her relevant membership number.

9 ECF member organisations will be invited to sign a framework agreement with the Federation enabling them to collect memberships from their players and pay the ECF en bloc, providing a schedule of member details in a prescribed format. Organisations which have signed a framework agreement will be entitled to retain 1 for each membership collected provided that payment to the ECF is made by 31st October of each membership year. This may be used to fund the activities of the league or county association or passed on to the individual members as an upfront discounted rate. The choice rests with the local league or county association. The 1 retention is only available to organisations which are themselves members of the ECF and have signed a framework agreement. Informally, if for example a club in an area not covered by framework agreement wanted to collect payment and membership forms from its members and submit them to the ECF en bloc, they would be accepted for processing but the retention of 1 per member would not be available to the club concerned and the full membership subscription would be paid to the ECF. Collection method (Game Fee) In respect of the results of non-ecf members, Game Fee per result is payable by the league or county association concerned. Full details of the timing and process involved will be confirmed shortly. In the case of the residual Game Fee payment for the results of non-members in leagues covered by a framework agreement (see above), payment will be due towards the end of the membership year. The ECF will identify the results of non-members based on the grading submissions, calculate the Game Fee due and invoice the organisation. Since organisations which have signed a framework agreement with the ECF will have committed to achieving as widespread take-up of membership as possible, this residual Game Fee payment should be relatively small. In the case of organisations NOT covered by a framework agreement, the arrangements will be similar to the current situation, as set out in the ECF Game Fee Bye Laws: Each organisation [...] shall register any graded events which it proposes to organise and shall at the same time furnish the designated officer with an estimate of the expected number of grading results. Chess Leagues and Chess Congresses shall do so at the time of first applying for membership and annually thereafter no later than 31st October. Constituent Units, County Associations and Other Organisations shall do so not later than 31st October, and annually thereafter. Each organisation shall also provide the designated officer with an estimate at any such time as he may require, and shall when requested explain the basis for calculation of the estimate. Based on this estimate, Game Fee for winter leagues will be payable by 15th December and for summer leagues by 30th June. In the case of other types of event, payment is due within 30 days of the conclusion of the event. In estimating the Game Fee payable, account may be taken of the number of ECF members (whose results are exempt from Game Fee). At the end of the membership year, the ECF will identify the results of non-members based on the grading submissions, calculate the Game Fee payable and identify the amount of any under- or overpayment. This should normally be reflected in an adjustment to the following year s payment, as now, but settlement of relatively large amounts may be sought immediately. Practical issues What information needs to be collected? The player s name, address, address, date of birth and (for existing members) membership number. The chosen level of membership Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum and whether the player is a junior (i.e. eligible for the Concessionary rate) also need to be stated.

10 What if the player is already a member or represents more than one club or participates in more than one league? Payment only needs to be made once. If a player is already a member, having joined directly as an individual, or has paid via a different club, he or she should simply provide their membership number when asked. What happens with players joining mid-year? The membership year is fixed, running from 1st September to 31st August. If a player joins in (say) February, the full membership fee will still be payable. The membership will, however, apply retroactively to the preceding 1st September, and Game Fee will not be payable on the results of the individual in question for the entire membership year. Graded Congresses With effect from 1st September 2012, a new ECF membership scheme will come into effect. This will change the way that the ECF charges to grade events. NB. The following guidance applies to graded congresses open to adults and juniors alike. See the note at the end of this section for guidance on Junior-only events. Game Fee per result will no longer exist for congresses. Instead, the ECF will charge the event a Pay to Play fee of 6 for each adult congress participant ( 4 for juniors) who is not an ECF member or who is an ECF member at Bronze level only. There will be no charge at all for ECF members at Silver, Gold or Platinum level. The 6 ( 4 for juniors) fee is the same regardless of the number of rounds in the event and of the rate of play (i.e. it is the same for Standard Play and Rapid Play). Organisers and participants are accustomed to seeing a discount available to ECF members on their congress entry fee. This previously reflected the fact that there was no Game Fee charged on the results of ECF members, so the cost to the congress organisers was lower for ECF members. It is recommended that the entry fee for participants be set at a level to cover the 6 ( 4 for juniors) Pay to Play fee, but with a discount available for ECF members at Silver, Gold or Platinum level. A suggested form of words for the entry form is as follows, but organisers may of course vary this as they see fit: This is a registered ECF Game Fee event. Players who are current ECF Members at Silver, Gold or Platinum level on the date of the congress may deduct [6] ( [4] for Juniors) from their entry fee It is recommended that congress entry forms should request the following information: Whether the player is an ECF member; If YES: o ECF Membership number o Level of membership (i.e. Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum) As is the case now with Game Fee related discounts for ECF direct members, it should be stressed that the availability and amount of any discount is entirely at the discretion of the congress organisers. Silver, Gold and Platinum ECF members will naturally tend to be aware that the cost of their participation is 6 ( 4 for juniors) less than for non-members and Bronze ECF members, but the pricing of entry to the event remains the decision of the organisers.

11 For example, some organisers with a significant participation from other parts of the UK have expressed concern that charging an extra 6 to such players (or not making available a 6 discount to them) could affect entries. In this case, an organiser might decide to limit the discount available to Silver, Gold and Platinum ECF members to 5, with the effect that six such ECF members would offset the cost of the Pay to Play fee for one non-english player. It should be stressed again that this would be a matter for the organisers to decide; the view of the ECF is that the most equitable approach is simply to offer the 6 discount ( 4 for juniors) to all Silver, Gold and Platinum members. Organisers will be able to verify the membership status of any player via the ECF website. This will show the membership level (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum) and membership expiry date. The information, which is currently available on the ECF website in a specific membership list, will be included with the player details on the Online Grading Database. This is intended to make it possible for organisers to verify membership details and grade in one place. In the event of any additional queries, the ECF office will be happy to help. Upon submission of the congress results for grading, the ECF will identify the number of nonmembers and Bronze members and invoice the designated contact for the event for the total fee due, i.e. the number of adult non-members and Bronze members x 6 PLUS the number of junior non-members and Bronze members x 4. For information only, organisers may wish to be aware that the ECF will, upon receipt of the congress payment and grading submission, centrally upgrade the membership status of Bronze members to Silver on the first occasion that they participate in a graded congress, i.e. the 6 Pay to Play fee, which is the same as the price differential between Bronze and Silver membership, will be applied to fund the upgrade ( 4 in the case of the Concessionary rates for Bronze and Silver available for juniors). NB. Although the ECF will upgrade Bronze members upon receipt of the relevant Pay to Play fee as indicated above, the timing of this will depend upon how quickly the congress results are submitted for grading and payment made. Bronze members may, therefore, prefer to upgrade to Silver membership in advance of the event by paying the difference between the Bronze and Silver membership subscriptions ( 6 for adults, 4 for juniors) direct to the ECF. This would be especially advisable if the member was planning to enter more than one congress in relatively quick succession. Members may upgrade their membership to a higher level at any time by paying the difference between the relevant rates. Junior-only Events In the case of congresses open only to junior players, the arrangements are largely unchanged from now, i.e. Game Fee is chargeable on each result (half-game) played by anyone who is not an ECF Direct Member. The one change is that this exemption will only apply to ECF members at Silver level of above. From 1 September 2012, Game Fee will be payable on the results of non-members and Bronze members. The Game Fee rates applicable are the same as for junior-only leagues and club competitions, namely 50p and 25p per result (half-game) for Standard and Rapid Play respectively. A Note on Timing As now, the Game Fee / Pay to Play fees are payable to the ECF within 30 days of the conclusion of the event. In the event of non-payment, results of future events from the same organiser will not be accepted for grading unless payment, including any outstanding amounts due, is received with the grading FIDE-rated Events

12 It is an ECF requirement that all English-registered players in FIDE-rated events must be ECF members at either GOLD or PLATINUM level. If English-registered players participate who are not Gold or Platinum members, they shall be deregistered from the FIDE rating list. Organisers will be able to look up the membership status of any player via the ECF website. This will show the membership level (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum) and membership expiry date. The information, which is currently available on the ECF website in a specific membership list, will be included with the player details on the Online Grading Database. This is intended to make it possible for organisers to verify membership details and grade in one place. In a FIDE-rated Swiss system congress, the situation will be as follows: Gold or Platinum ECF members Results will be submitted for FIDE rating and ECF grading at no additional charge. The previously charged FIDE rating fee will no longer apply, as it is a designated benefit of Gold and Platinum ECF membership. English players who are Bronze or Silver ECF members or non-members Such players should not participate in a FIDE-rated congress. If, despite this, there are exceptions, the FIDE rating fee will be charged (currently 1.50) and the player will be de-registered from the FIDE rating list. Players registered for FIDE rating purposes with a federation other than England A rating fee (currently 1.50) will be charged per player per event. It is therefore recommended that congress entry forms should request the following information: Whether the player is registered with a Federation other than the ECF; Whether the player is an ECF member; If YES: o Membership number o Level of membership (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum) It is further recommended that the pricing of the entry fees be set so as to offer a discount of 1.50 for Gold and Platinum ECF members, since this reflects what the organisers will be charged by the ECF. This is, however, a decision for the organisers. Entry forms should make it clear that English players must be ECF members at Gold or Platinum level. In a FIDE-rated All-Play-All Tournament, the situation will be as follows: All England-registered (including unregistered) players must be ECF members at Gold or Platinum level; The existing event charge (currently 70 per section) will continue to apply. Subject to these two points, the results of the event will be submitted for ECF grading at no extra charge. FIDE-rated Leagues & Other Events Again, with the exception of players registered with another federation for FIDE rating purposes, players in these events must be ECF members at the Gold or Platinum level. Provided this is the case, there will be no additional charge for the rating or grading of the games. Games involving non-members or Bronze or Silver ECF members (unless registered with another federation for FIDE rating purposes) will be subject to the FIDE rating fee (currently 1.50) and the players will be de-registered from the FIDE rating list.

13 There is one exception to the above: In the case of the 4NCL, designated Wildcards will be accepted and their games rated and graded, subject to payment of the 1.50 rating fee per player. This applies to players brought in to play for a single weekend, as defined in the 4NCL rules. If a Wildcard plays in a second 4NCL weekend, the player must become a Gold or Platinum ECF member. Payment The process for payment of the FIDE rating fees (i.e. for non-english players) is unchanged.