British Esports Student Champs

Tournament Rules

Champs Tournaments (Specific Rules)

GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES

This section of the tournament website is dedicated to the general rules of all tournaments. For game-specific rulesets, please click the hyperlinks above.

1. Eligibility

1.1 School Eligibility

1.1.1. To enter a team into the British Esports Student Champs, schools must be registered with the relevant educational authority: Department for Education (England), Department of Education (Northern Ireland), Department for Education and Skills (Wales), or Education Scotland (Scotland). They must be accredited to deliver Level 2/GCSE and/or Level 3/A-Level (SCQF Level 5 and/or Level 6) qualifications.

1.1.2. Schools must be able to provide a unique reference number (URN) if requested.

1.2 College Eligibility

1.2.1. To enter a team into the British Esports Student Champs, colleges must be registered with the relevant educational authority: Department for Education (England), Department of Education (Northern Ireland), Department for Education and Skills (Wales), Education Scotland (Scotland), or Colleges Scotland. They must be accredited to deliver Level 2/GCSE and/or Level 3/A-Level (SCQF Level 5 and/or Level 6) qualifications.

1.2.2. Colleges must be able to provide a unique reference number (URN) if requested.

1.3 Player Eligibility

1.3.1. Players must be students of the same school or college in the UK.

1.3.2. Players must be registered full-time or part-time students of the institution their team is registered under.

1.3.2.1. Part-time students must study a minimum of 4 hours per week at their institution. For eligibility concerns regarding academic hours or course type, contact your institution. Staff members are ultimately responsible for this decision.

1.3.2.2. Students enrolled in online courses provided by their institution are eligible.

1.3.2.3. Higher education students at a college are eligible.

1.3.2.4. Students on apprenticeships are eligible only if affiliated with a college. Staff members are responsible for this decision.

1.3.3. Individuals cannot play in both the Nationals and the Open. However, they can compete in the cups as well as the Open and National titles, except for the Women in Esports’ Cups. Individuals cannot play more than one title per day, even when rescheduling is necessary.

1.3.4. The following players are ineligible for participation in fixtures:

British Esports Student Champs Admins
Staff members (including part-time) at any institution
British Esports staff
Coaches at any institution

1.4 Accounts

1.4.1 Students must use their own individual player account, and cannot share their accounts with other players. If a player is using a school-specific account, that account will be considered the player account, and must be continued to be used by that player for the duration of Champs.

1.4.2 Teams must report all account names and tags on the platform. This is mandatory and can result in a team strike if the tags are not listed, thus the roster being incorrect.

1.4.2.1 A Players account name should not be offensive and if the British Esports Student Champs considers this to be the case, that player will be required to change their name. Offensive account names include but are not limited to those containing profanity, hate speech, or personal attacks.

1.4.2.2 If a tag is reported as being inappropriate or violating the Code of Conduct, the institution will be notified and the player will have one week to update their account name. Failure to update the tag, will result in suspension until the player has a new tag.

1.5 Communication

1.5.1 All primary tournament and fixture communication must be handled through the Champs website. The Champs Discord server will be used only as a community Discord.

2. Nationals

2.1 Match Requirements and Commitments

2.1.1. Nationals matches (OW2/LoL/RL/VAL) will take place at 4 pm each Wednesday during the academic term. Games must start by 4 pm + 20 minutes no show time, unless a reschedule is agreed upon in advance.

2.1.2 Teams must communicate effectively and promptly with their opponents to start games on time.

2.1.3 Teams have a grace period of 20 minutes from the match start time to join the fixture. If there is no communication and a no-show after 20 minutes, the waiting team can claim a default win with screenshot evidence.

2.1.4 Teams cannot play without a missing player (for example 4v5).

2.1.5 To encourage a team environment, students in the National league should play in a supervised classroom. This is recommended but not mandatory. If players must be remote, notify an admin and the opposition in advance.

2.1.5.1 All players, even if playing remotely, must be supervised by a staff member.

2.1.6. All National matches need to have screenshots submitted of the end game screen of all games. Teams will be unable to confirm scores until screenshots are submitted.

2.1.7 The National Champs year will culminate in a live Grand Final.

2.2 Rescheduling

2.2.1 Reschedules must be requested via the reschedule system on the website before the original fixture time, unless exceptional circumstances arise. Concerns should be raised with an admin.

2.2.2. Reschedules must be agreed upon and confirmed by both parties, and played by 6 pm on the Friday of each week.

2.3 Check-In

2.3.1 Each week, teams must check in to their fixtures. Checking in confirms that they can play the fixture at the set time. If a team cannot play at the original time, they should reschedule (according to 2.1.1.1) before check-in closes.

2.1.2.1. Check-in is open each Wednesday from 10 am to 3 pm.

2.1.2.2. If a team does not check in, the match will be forfeited to the team that did. If neither team checks in, it will be a default loss for both teams.

2.4 Roster Requirements and Substitutions

2.4.1. Institutions can enter only one team per title.

2.4.1.1. The selection of the roster is the responsibility of each institution.

2.4.2. Roster requirements must be in line with rule 2.4.2.4. There will be no roster changes, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Rosters will unlock between Winter and Spring for updates if needed. Make support tickets on the tournament website if you wish to make roster changes at this time and it is the responsibility of each team leader or staff member to do so. Each team is recommended to have 1-2 substitutes and a coach.

2.4.2.1. Coaches do not need to be listed on the roster.

2.4.2.2. Each team can have a maximum of 2 substitutes on the roster at once. A substitute cannot be used for multiple titles in Nationals.

2.4.2.3. If a team splits up, they forfeit their place in the Nationals tournament.

2.4.2.4 The core team is as follows: 3 / 5 for LoL, VAL and OW2 and 2 / 3 for RL. If a team is to change more than those core members, it will result in a forfeit.

2.4.2.5 As of Last Chance Qualifier and Play-Offs in Nationals, rosters will be locked. No changes are to be made beyond this point in the season (unless exceptional circumstances). This roster lock will run all the way through to the Grand Final at LAN where the team that played throughout playoffs is expected to play at the Final as well.

2.4.3. Individuals cannot play in both the Nationals and the Open.

2.4.3.1 National players can play in Cups, however if fixtures clash and no substitutes are available, National tournaments should be prioritised.

2.4 Format

2.4.1. Format and exact numbers progressing throughout are subject to change depending on sign-ups, but the basis will remain the same.

2.4.2. Teams will be split into North and South.

2.4.3. Teams must win a certain number of games in the swiss stage in winter to qualify for the playoffs in spring.

2.4.3.1. If teams have the same number of wins in the swiss stage, progression to the ‘Qualifier Bracket’ will be based on section 2.5 in the rulebook.

2.4.3.2. Remaining teams that didn't qualify in winter will battle it out in a Last Chance Qualifier across 3 stages in spring, the winner of which will advance to the Playoffs.

2.4.3.3 The teams that qualified in Winter for playoffs will have scrim matches in place until Playoffs later in spring.

2.4.4. Teams in Playoffs will be put into two groups to determine seeding for the elimination bracket, with the bottom team in each group being eliminated.

2.4.5. There will be a playoff elimination stage per region, resulting in a regional winner.

2.4.6. The regional winners will compete in the LAN Grand Final.

2.5 Tiebreakers

2.5.1 The swiss standings will use the following tiebreakers (in order of priority):

Median-Bucholz (Sum of score of all opponents faced excluding highest and lowest scoring opponents).
Head-to-head (Points earned vs tied opponents).
Round difference.
Bucholz.

2.6 Rule Strikes

2.6.1 Every team in the National tournament will be given a 1 strike policy. If a rule break was made, a strike will be given. If more rule breaks occur from a team with 1 strike, they will continue to take default losses and if not corrected could result in disqualification from the tournament.

2.6.1.2 Strikes are given, but not limited to:

IGN name changes throughout the tournament.
Student / Roster changes.
Late / No shows.
Failure to check in.
Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Failure to upload screenshots with match scores.
Poor communication with the opposing team regarding game setup.

2.6.2 The strike will ultimately be decided by admins and British Esports Student Champs staff, and their decisions are final.

3. Open

3.1 Match Requirements and Commitments

3.1.1. Open matches (OW2/LoL/RL/VAL) will take place at 4 pm each Wednesday during the academic term. Games must start by 4 pm + 20 minutes no show time, unless a reschedule is agreed upon in advance.

3.1.2. Teams must communicate effectively and promptly with their opponents to start games on time.

3.1.3. Teams have a 20 minute grace period from the match start time to join the fixture. If there is no communication and a no-show after 20 minutes, the waiting team can claim a default win with screenshot evidence.

3.1.4 Teams cannot play without a missing player (for example 4v5).

3.1.5 Playing from a supervised classroom is preferred, but students may participate from home if necessary. All students must be organised and supervised by a staff member, even if remotely. Notify an admin of the reasoning in advance if any member is playing remotely.

3.1.5.1 All players, even if playing remotely, must be supervised by a staff member.

3.1.6 The Open Champs year will finish with online finals. The Open Champs is intended to offer competition with lower stakes but can be used to scout students for promotion to their National team the following year.

3.2 Rescheduling

3.2.1 Reschedules must be requested via the reschedule system on the website before the original fixture time, unless exceptional circumstances arise. Concerns should be raised with an admin.

3.2.2 Reschedules must be agreed upon and confirmed by both parties, and played by 6 pm on the Friday of each week.

3.3 Check-In

3.3.1 Each week, teams must check in to their fixtures. Checking in confirms that they can play the fixture at the set time. If a team cannot play at the original time, they should reschedule (according to 3.2.1) before check-in closes.

3.3.2 Check-in is open each Wednesday from 10 am to 3 pm.

3.3.3 If a team does not check in, the match will be forfeited to the team that did. If neither team checks in, it will be a default loss for both teams.

3.4 Roster Requirements and Substitutions

3.4.1. Institutions can enter as many teams per title as they please.

3.4.2. Roster changes are allowed throughout the season. Keeping the roster correct and updated on the tournament website is the responsibility of each team leader or staff member. Each team is recommended to have 1-2 substitutes.

3.4.2.1. Coaches do not need to be listed on the roster.

3.4.2.2. Each team can have a maximum of 2 substitutes on the roster at once. A substitute cannot be used for multiple titles in Open.

3.4.3. Individuals cannot play in both the Nationals and the Open.

3.4 Format

3.4.1. Format and exact numbers progressing throughout are subject to change depending on sign-ups, but the basis will remain the same.

3.4.2. Teams will be split into North and South.

3.4.3. Teams must win a certain number of games in the swiss stage to progress to the ‘Qualifier Bracket’.

3.4.3.1. If teams have the same number of wins in the swiss stage, progression to the ‘Qualifier Bracket’ will be based on section 2.5 in the rulebook.

3.4.3.2. The top 15 teams from the ‘Qualifier Bracket’ will progress to the Elimination playoffs stage, subject to change depending on sign-ups (according to 3.4.1).

3.4.4. Teams that do not make it into the ‘Qualifier Bracket’ will drop into the ‘Wildcard Bracket’.

3.4.4.1. Only one team will progress from the ‘Wildcard Bracket’ to the Elimination playoffs stage.

3.4.5. There will be an elimination stage per region, resulting in a regional winner.

3.4.6. The regional winners will compete in the online Grand Final.

3.5 Tiebreakers

3.5.1 The swiss standings will use the following tiebreakers (in order of priority):

Median-Bucholz (Sum of score of all opponents faced excluding highest and lowest scoring opponents).
Head-to-head (Points earned vs tied opponents).
Round difference.
Bucholz.

3.6 Rule Strikes

2.6.1 Every team in the Open tournament will be given a 3 strike policy. If a rule break was made, a strike will be given. If more rule breaks occur from a team with 3 strikes, they will continue to take default losses and if not corrected could result in disqualification from the tournament.

3.6.1.2 Strikes are given, but not limited to:

Late / No shows.
Failure to check in.
Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Poor communication with the opposing team regarding game setup.

3.6.2 The strike will ultimately be decided by admins and British Esports Student Champs staff, and their decisions are final.

4. Cups

4.1 Match Requirements and Commitments

4.1.1. Cup matches (SF/Apex/Fortnite/EAFC) will take place on either a Tuesday or Thursday during the academic term (aside from Women in Esports Cups which will take place on a Wednesday due to being core titles). Games must start by 4 pm + 15 minutes no show time, unless a reschedule is agreed upon in advance.

4.1.2 Women in Esports Cup matches (OW2/VAL) will take place at 4pm each Wednesday during the academic term. Games must start by 4 pm + 20 minutes no show time, unless a reschedule is agreed upon in advance.

4.1.3. Teams must communicate effectively and promptly with their opponents to start games on time.

4.1.4 Teams cannot play without a missing player (for example 4v5), aside from Apex Legends.

4.1.5 Playing from a supervised classroom is preferred, but students may participate from home if necessary. All students must be organised and supervised by a staff member, even if remotely. Notify an admin of the reasoning in advance if any member is playing remotely.

4.1.5.1 All players, even if playing remotely, must be supervised by a staff member.

4.1.6 All Cups will finish with online finals. The Cups are intended to be smaller scale tournaments that are open to everyone, and are a gateway into wider esports competitions.

4.1.7 For all other Cup rules, please see their specific ruleset.

4.2 Women in Esports’ Cups

4.2.2. Institutions can enter as many teams per title as they please.

4.2.3 Individuals cannot play in the Women in Esports Cup if they are competing in Nationals or Open, due to fixtures clashing.

4.2.4 A team must meet the requirement of 60% female or marginalised gender participation, meaning that a minimum of three players on the roster must identify as female or a marginalised gender. Teams must always meet this requirement or they will be ineligible.

4.2.3. Teams have a 20 minute grace period from the match start time to join the fixture. If there is no communication and a no-show after 20 minutes, the waiting team can claim a default win with screenshot evidence.

4.3 Rule Strikes

4.3.1 Every team in the Cups tournaments will be given a 3 strike policy. If a rule break was made, a strike will be given. If more rule breaks occur from a team with 3 strikes, they will continue to take default losses and if not corrected could result in disqualification from the tournament.

4.3.1.2 Strikes are given but not limited to:

Late / No shows
Failure to check in
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Poor communication with the opposing team regarding game setup.

4.3.2 The strike will ultimately be decided by admins and British Esports Student Champs staff, and their decisions are final.

4.4 Rescheduling

4.4.1 Reschedules must be requested via the reschedule system on the website before the original fixture time, unless exceptional circumstances arise. Concerns should be raised with an admin.

4.4.2 Reschedules must be agreed upon and confirmed by both parties, and played by 6 pm on the Friday of each week.

4.4.3 Please note, any Battle Royale titles will not be able to be rescheduled due to lobbies having specific lobby opening times. For more information on timings please refer to the specific game ruleset.

4.5 Roster Requirements and Substitutions

4.5.1 Institutions can enter as many teams as they please.

4.5.2 Roster changes will be allowed throughout. Keeping the roster correct and updated on the tournament website is the responsibility of each team leader or staff member. Each team is recommended to have 1-2 substitutes. Please notify a member of Champs staff if you need to change players on the roster.

4.5.2.1. Coaches do not need to be listed on the roster.

4.5.3 Individuals can compete in the cups as well as the Open and National titles, aside from Women in Esports’ Cups. Individuals can not play more than one title per day, even if a reschedule must occur.

4.5.4 Women in Esports Cups have specific roster requirements. Please see section 4.2 for Women in Esports Cup’s specific ruleset.

5. Conduct Reminders

5.1 Conduct and Fair Play

5.1.1. All participants must follow the rules and adhere to good sportsmanship. This includes respect for opponents, officials, and teammates.

5.1.2. Any form of harassment, discrimination, or unsportsmanlike behaviour is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

5.2 Staff Conduct

5.2.1. Staff members must ensure their teams adhere to the rules and maintain a positive environment.

5.2.2. Staff members are responsible for the behaviour of their players and should address any misconduct immediately.

5.3 Reporting Issues

5.3.1. Any disputes or issues should be reported to tournament officials through the Champs website or other designated communication channels.

5.3.2. All reports must be submitted within 24 hours of the incident.

6. Assets and Branding

6.1 Sponsorship and Branding

6.1.1. Teams are allowed to have sponsors, but all sponsorships must be approved by tournament officials.

6.1.2. Any branding or logos used during the tournament must not conflict with the tournament’s official sponsors.

7. Spirit of the Rules

7.1. These Rules may be amended, modified or supplemented by the British Esports Student Champs, from time to time, in order to ensure fair play and the integrity of the British Esports Student Champs.

7.2 All decisions regarding the interpretation of these rules lie solely with the British Esports Student Champs, the decisions of which are final.

For detailed information about specific game rules, please refer to the individual game rules sections provided in the hyperlinks above.