As part of an initiative to increase the number of games available to players who want them, Leicestershire Chess League is introducing new League Cup competitions for the 2008/9 season.  These will run alongside the League matches over the autumn and winter periods.

There are two League Cups in the 2008/9 season, provisionally named D12 (for players in Divisions 1 and 2) and D34 (for players in Divisions 3 and 4).

The basic rules are:

• Five-round handicapped Swiss tournament.  The handicap system differs from that used in the Chapman and Birstall Cups, and allows drawn matches.
• Matches played over four boards, with time controls of 30 moves in an hour with a 20-minute quickplay finish (matching the Chapman and Birstall Cups).
• Grading and board order rules identical to those used for League matches, using the new grades calculated by ECF or (for ungraded players) assigned by the League Secretary.
• A player who has played for one League Cup team may not play for a weaker team or another club in the course of the season.  No player may for more than one team in the same round.
• Fixture dates to be arranged between clubs within the deadlines that will be set (similarly to the Summer Cups).