Tournament Rules & Regulations

Common Tournament Rules and Explanations

Tournament Directors (TDs)

TDs will be on the tournament floor at all times to assist players in the event of any problem or question. To summon a director, raise your hand and keep it in the air until a TD comes to assist you. Remember that a TD will generally not interfere with your game. It is up to you to make a claim. If you wait until after your game is over, the result probably cannot be changed even if your claim was correct. If you think a TD has ruled incorrectly concerning your game, you should ask for another TD and make an appeal immediately.

Clocks and Time Controls

Digital clocks with a delay setting are preferred over analog clocks when available. Time controls are commonly written out such as (a) G/45, d5 or (b) G/40 + 10. (a) means that each player starts with 45 minutes with a 5-second delay. 5-second delay means that on each move, the clock counts 5 seconds before removing time from the player’s clock. (b) means that each player starts with 40 minutes, with 10 seconds added to the clock after each move. A player must press the clock with the same hand they use to move their pieces. The player whose flag falls first (a.k.a. runs out of time) loses the game unless the opponent has insufficient mating material or both flags have fallen. In either of those exceptions, the game is drawn. In the case of any dispute, please notify a TD immediately.

Time Forfeits

Only the players involved in a game may claim a Time Forfeit in that game. No parent, coach, spectator, other players or TD may make such a claim or bring the fall of a flag to the attention of the players. A player may claim a Time Forfeit only if he/she stops the clocks before the claimant’s own time runs out. If both flags are down, the game is a draw. 

Rating Systems

USCF-rated games may affect a player's blitz, quick, or regular rating. To determine what rating system is being used, add the number for minutes and number for delay or increment seconds.

5 ≤ mm+ss ≤ 10 = blitz rated only

10 < mm+ss < 30 = quick rated only

30 ≤ mm+ss ≤ 65 = dual rated (both regular and quick)

mm+ss > 65 = regular rated only


Examples 

G30 d5 - dual rated (30+5=35) | G3+2 - blitz rated (3+2=5) | G15+2 - quick rated (15+2=17) | G60 d10 - regular rated (60+10=70)

Start of the Game

White’s clock must be started as soon as the TD announces that the round has begun.  Black’s clock may not be started before White has made a move.  If a clock is not available at the start of a round, any elapsed time before one becomes available will be evenly split between players.  If both players are late for the start of a round, the first to arrive must split the elapsed time before starting the clock.

Recording Moves (Notation)

Each player is required to record the moves.  Each player must maintain a scoresheet that is reasonably complete up to at least their last move before making another move. Neither player is required to keep score if either player has less than five minutes remaining on their clock. The notation requirement may be waived for those in third grade or younger. 

This requirement only applies to regular and dual-rated games/tournaments (No notation required if mm+ss<30, i.e. G15+2).

Touch Move

If you intentionally touch a piece when it is your turn, that piece must be moved if you can do so legally. If you intentionally touch an opponent’s piece when it is your turn to move, the opponent’s piece must be captured if you can do so legally. You must clearly say “I adjust” or “j’adoube” before touching a piece if you want to adjust that piece on the board. You may do so only when it is your turn. If you accidentally release a piece on an unintended but legal square, you must leave it on that square. You may not touch any pieces on the board when it is not your turn. In the case of any dispute, please notify a TD immediately.

Illegal Moves

If a player discovers that one of their or the opponent’s last 10 moves was illegal, the player should summon a tournament director immediately. The TD can reinstate the position to what it was before the illegal move, and the game shall continue by applying the touch-move rule to the move replacing the illegal move. Clocks will not be reset. An illegal move will result in two minutes being added to the opponent of the player making the illegal move. A player must raise his/her hand and claim an illegal move. The TD will not do so; neither may parents, coaches, nor other spectators.

 

Check

Announcing check is not necessary. It is the responsibility of the opponent to notice the check. A player who does not notice the check may suffer consequences (see the touch-move rule). 

Draws

If you want to offer a draw to your opponent, you should do so after you make a move but before you start your opponent’s clock. For example, you move a piece, say “I offer a draw,” and then press your clock. Your opponent may decline the draw by saying so or by moving a piece. A draw offer is valid, and may not be retracted, until it is accepted or declined by your opponent. If both players agree to a draw, then the game is over regardless of previous checkmate, stalemate or illegal positions. A reasonably complete and accurate scoresheet is required to claim a draw by triple occurrence of position or under the 50-move rule. If such a claim is found to be incorrect, two minutes will be added to the opponent’s remaining time.

Pairings (Swiss System)

Chess tournaments follow Swiss System pairings. Players will generally be paired with other players who have the same score each round. At the beginning of the tournament, players are assigned a pairing number (seed) based on their USCF rating. The score group is split in half, and players in the top group are paired against players in the top half. Wins are worth 1 point, draws are worth ½ points, and losses are worth 0 points.

Example:

8-person tournament; Round 1 (Everyone starts with 0 points)

#1 (0) vs #5 (0); #2 (0) vs #6 (0); #3 (0) vs #7 (0); #4 (0) vs #8 (0)

1, 6, 3, and 4 win their games and each receive one point.

Round 2

#1 (1) vs #4 (1); #3 (1) vs #6 (1); #2 (0) vs #7 (0); #5 (0) vs #8 (0)

 

Player Conduct

Please try to keep as quiet as possible on the tournament floor so that you do not disturb other players. You may not speak to anyone while your game is in progress unless you have asked a TD to be present. This is so your opponent cannot accuse you of receiving assistance. You may not consult notes, chess books, computers, or other materials during the game. If there is a problem of any kind during your game, call a TD immediately. If you wait until after your game is over, the result probably cannot be changed even if your claim was correct. If you need to go to the restroom while your game is in progress, you must use the restrooms designated for tournament players. You do not need to ask permission from the TD to use the restroom.

Interference

No interference in any game by spectators or other players will be tolerated. Potential penalties include expulsion from the tournament. Only players involved in the game may point out irregularities. This should be done by raising your hand to summon a TD.

 

Cell Phones, Tablets, Smartwatches, etc.

Cell phone, tablet, smartwatch, or the use of any other electronic device is not permitted in the tournament hall by the players (with the exception of approved electronic notation devices or medical devices). DEVICES MUST BE TURNED OFF IN THE PLAYING HALLS. If a cell phone rings, a player will be assessed a time penalty on the first offense, and loss of game declared for each repeat offense during the tournament. A player using their cell phone or other prohibited device while their game is in progress may be ruled an automatic loss. We strongly encourage players to leave their cell phones with their parents or coaches. If a player brings a cell phone or device into the Playing Hall, it must be turned off and stowed in a back-pack, purse or chess bag for the duration of the game. The player must not take it to the bathroom or anywhere else. Smartwatches should be taken off as well. Please let the TD know if any of this is not possible.

Breaking Ties

Ties occur when at the end of the tournament, multiple players end up with the same score (1.0 for a win, 0.5 for a draw, 0.0 for a loss). Various tiebreak methods are then implemented to rank such players in the final standings.

Standard Tiebreak Methods

Unless otherwise announced, tournaments awarding trophies or other non-cash prizes shall implement the follow tiebreak methods in order: 1. Modified Median, 2. Solkoff, 3. Cumulative, 4. Cumulative of Opposition. While there are exceptions for players with unplayed games, below are the basic procedures for these tiebreak methods.

 

Modified Median

First, add up the final scores of a player’s opponents. For players with a positive score (i.e., more wins than losses), exclude the lowest-scoring opponent’s score. For players with a negative score (i.e., more losses than wins), exclude the highest-scoring opponent’s score. For a players with an even score (i.e., same amount of losses and wins), exclude both the highest and lowest-scoring opponents’ score.

 

Solkoff

Add up the final scores of a player’s opponents. No scores are excluded.

 

Cumulative

Add up the running score of a player for each round.

Example: A player’s results are win, loss, win, draw. After Round 1 their score is 1.0; after Round 2 their score is 1.0; after Round 3 their score is 2.0; and after Round 4 their score is 2.5. Add those together and you get 6.5, which will be their cumulative tiebreak total.

 

Cumulative of Opponent

Add up the cumulative tiebreaks of a player’s opponents.

 

Monetary Prizes

Tiebreaks are not used for cash prizes, which are divided evenly among the tied players. An exception is a playoff, which may be used to determine cash prizes if notice of this is given in all detailed pre-tournament publicity.