TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
Before heading to your first chess tournament, it is a good idea to get a basic understanding of the rules and regulations that players will be expected to abide by. The Official Rulebook, written primarily for Tournament Directors and Officials, contains several hundred pages of rules detailing every possible dispute or situation that could arise during tournament play. Players aren’t expected to memorize all the rules, but they should know the most important ones in order to confidently play in a tournament. For the most part, a tournament chess game is played by the same rules that students would play in chess class.
TOUCH-MOVE: If you touch one of your pieces, you must move it. If you touch one of your opponent’s pieces, you must take it. This is known as the touch-move rule. This rule only applies if you are legally able to move or capture the piece that you touched. If your or your opponent’s piece is off-centered on a square, say “I adjust” and make sure your opponent clearly understands that you do not intend to move or capture the piece, then center the piece. It is calling “adjusting”.
CHESS CLOCK: Chess tournament games are played with time limits, or more commonly known as time controls. Typical scholastic events are kept to standard time controls such as 30 minute or 60 minute games, but this can vary. A chess clock is actually made up of two clocks, one for each player. In a 30 minute game, each side has 30 minutes to make all their moves. When it is your turn, your time rounds down. Once you make your move, you will hit the clock which stops your clock and starts running down your opponent’s time. If your time runs out, you forfeit the game. Also, the same hand that moves your pieces must be used to hit the clock.
CHESS NOTATION: While not mandatory, it is highly recommended that players notate their games. Chess notation is a method of recording the moves played during a chess game. Not only is this beneficial for players to be able to review their games, but it is also the primary method by which Tournament Directors will resolve disputes during a game.
TOURNAMENT SCORING: Each player will be given a score at the conclusion of each round. Players that win will be given one point (1.0). Players that draw or stalemate will be given a half point (0.05). No points (0.0) will be given to players that have lost that round. Each round players will be paired with other players that have the same, or similar, number of points. Everyone will play the same number of games, and awards will be distributed at the end of the tournament based on the number of points each player has earned.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR (TD): The Tournament Directors, commonly called TDs, are the officials during a chess tournament. If you and your opponent have a dispute or disagreement, you pause your clock, raise your hand, and a Tournament Director will come over to make a ruling.
CHESS RATING: A chess rating is a numerical ranking system used to estimate the strength of a chess player based on their prior results in rated chess tournament. Ratings range from 100 to 3000. When you win a chess game, your rating should go up. When you lose a chess game, your rating should go down.
CHESS ETIQUETTE: Chess is a quiet game that requires focus. For this reason, there are several expectations for player behavior. Under no circumstances are you allowed to comment or interrupt another player’s game. In most chess tournaments, you are able to move around the playing hall and can observe other games being played, but you are forbidden from interfering with a game. This can result in disqualification from the event. The same goes for making distractions. Behaviors such as making noises, moving the board, or moving the board are not allowed. A chess tournament room should be silent except for players saying “check” or “checkmate”.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AS A PARENT, AM I ALLOWED IN THE CHESS PLAYING AREA? This will depend on the event, but for the most part the answer is no. In most events, parents are only allowed in the chess playing area at the beginning of a round to assist their child with finding their board. Before the round begins, the Tournament Director(s) will announce that all parents and coaches will have to leave so the round can begin. In some larger events, depending on the venues, there may be roped off areas within the playing area that spectators may stand behind. Communicating with players during a round is strictly prohibited.
HOW DO TIEBREAKERS WORK? There are several tiebreaker methods that are used to determine placement at the end of a tournament. The most common method for breaking ties utilizes the cumulative scores of the opponents each player played. If two players are tied after the first tiebreaker method, a second tiebreaker method is used. This continues with additional methods until the tie is broken.
WHAT DO I DO ONCE MY GAME IS OVER? Once your game is over, you will report to the head table with your opponent to let them know the result of your game. You will let the tournament official know you board number, your name, and the result of your game. Both players will need to be present to confirm the result. Once you’ve confirmed the result of the game, you will promptly leave the playing hall and return to the common area until the next round’s pairings are posted.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I AM READY TO PLAY IN A CHESS TOURNAMENT? Once you know how to finish a game with checkmate, you are ready to play in a chess tournament. Chess Utopia students are taught the same rules that are used at a chess tournament. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere. As the tournament continues, players will be paired with players of similar ability.
DO I HAVE TO USE A CHESS CLOCK? If your opponent brings a clock, or a Tournament Director supplies a clock, yes you will have to use the clock. If you have questions about how to use a chess clock, make sure to ask the Tournament Director for assistance.
DO I HAVE TO USE CHESS NOTATION? The short answer is no, chess notation is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended. As mentioned above, it is the only way for players to review their game but more importantly it is the only way for Tournament Directors to settle disputes that may occur during a game. Tournament Directors will give preference to the player that notates since that is the only evidence they have for what occurred. If you don’t notate, you are leaving it up to your opponent to record the events of the game correctly.
INTERESTED IN PLAYING IN A CHESS TOURNAMENT?