What Are Tournament Rules?

If you already play chess, you will have little difficulty in learning basic tournament rules. Because the setting is more formal and the games more crucial important to the participants, though, it is important that you follow certain set standards of behavior.

• When in doubt, call over the tournament director. (This is more important to remember than all other rules!)
• Never let an opponent persuade you he knows a rule better than you do.
• If you wait until after a game ends, you can't undo the result - even if the game was played incorrectly.
• Follow proper chess etiquette.

One more thing: chess is an absorbing game requiring great concentration. Please review the BBC's Etiquette for Chess Spectators and follow this sage advice on spectator courtesy at tournaments.

How Do Tournaments Differ From Casual Play?

There are several key differences between casual playing and tournament play.

• The hardest adjustment some club players have is learning to always use the Touch-Move Rule. Your best bet: sit on your hands and never touch a piece until you are ready to move it!
• Silence is golden in tournament play: we have identified only five statements that are quite safe to say to your opponent after a match begins. All other conversation should be avoided, but it's okay to say:
  • Would you like a draw?
  • Touch-move.
  • I adjust.
  • That is an illegal move [check or checkmate].
  • I resign.
• Lastly, it helps to know how the rarely used but useful pawn capture en passant works, even if you never use it.

What is a Draw?

In some chess games, there is no clear winner. The game may end in a stalemate, disintegrate into perpetual check, or even end up with too few pieces for checkmate to occur. In all of these cases, a draw is declared; in a tournament, draws earn 1/2 point. For a clear review of all the draw rules, visit http://www.chesscorner.com, click on Learn, then choose How Games Are Drawn. All the possible ways to get a draw are:

• Stalemate
• Perpetual check
• Draw by agreement
• Fifty move rule
• Insufficient mating material
• Repetition of moves

What Is A Bye?

If there are an odd number of players and you have to skip a round, the Tournament Director gives you a 1-point bye. When you request a skipped game in advance, you are given a 1/2-point bye. Dan Heisman's Guide to Byes gives additional details.

What Is Algebraic Notation?

Introduced in the USA around 1970 (and used worldwide), algebraic notion is the most commonly used method of recording games. To learn the simple but useful symbols of algebraic notation, we recommend you begin with Keeping Score (from the Academic Chess Learning Center, then review the details of using algebraic notation correctly in Dan Heisman's Keeping a Chess Score With Algebraic Notation. When a book or website uses figurine algebraic notation (FAN), indicating pieces with small figurines, the code for these symbols is:
 

How Can I Become a Better Player?

In his excellent 1999 Chess Tactics Trainer Website (no longer posted), David Hayes provided this useful list for improving your tactical skills:

• Solve chess tactics problems. In addition to the problems available for free on many Websites, many tactics puzzles books are available.
• Analyze game results with other players higher rated than you, using recorded games.
• Study the great masters' games. Their accuracy is legendary. You will see chess at the state of the tactical art.
• Play against computer opponents set to a slightly higher skill level than you. Computers rarely make serious tactical blunders and will make you earn every point.

Worried About Openings?

- Ken Smith, Trainer to Bobby Fischer,
Overwhelmed by Chess Openings?, ChessCentral.com