Chess Ladder Rules

1. Initial positions on the ladder are determined randomly but in the order they join the ladder. 
2. You may challenge anyone who is one, two, three, or four spots above you on the ladder.  If you are challenged to a ladder game, you must play within one week. (A refusal to play or no show is treated as a loss).
3. You may play challenge games any day of the week that is agreeable to both players.
4. The player making the challenge plays White.  The person being challenged plays Black.
5. If the lower-ranked player wins, the lower-ranked player takes the higher-ranked player’s spot on the ladder, and the higher-ranked player moves down one spot.
6. If the higher-ranked player wins, there is no change in the players’ rankings.
7. If the game ends in a draw, the lower-ranked player takes the spot just below the higher-ranked player.  
8. After a ladder game is played, at least one of the players must play a ladder game against someone else before they are allowed to play each other again.
9. Chess ladder players who do not play at least one challenge game each month will go down one place on the ladder for each month they don’t play.