FAQs

The number after the term refers to the first time it appears in the Laws. adjourn: 8.1. Instead of playing the game in one session it is temporarily halted and then continued at a later time. algebraic notation: 8.1. Recording the moves using a-h and 1-8 on the 8x8 board. analyse: 11.3. Where one or more players make moves on a board to try to determine what is the best continuation. appeal: 11.10. Normally a player has the right to appeal against a decision of the arbiter or organiser. arbiter: Preface. The person(s) responsible for ensuring that the rules of a [...]

III.1 A ‘quickplay finish’ is the phase of a game when all the remaining moves must be completed in a finite time. III.2.1 The Guidelines below concerning the final period of the game including Quickplay Finishes, shall only be used at an event if their use has been announced beforehand. III.2.2 These Guidelines shall apply only to standard chess and rapid chess games without increment and not to blitz games. III.3.1 If both flags have fallen and it is impossible to establish which flag fell first then: III.3.1.1 the game shall continue if this occurs in any period of the game [...]

II.1 Before a Chess960 game a starting position is randomly set up, subject to certain rules. After this, the game is played in the same way as regular chess. In particular, pieces and pawns have their normal moves, and each player's objective is to checkmate the opponent's king. II.2   Starting-position requirements The starting position for Chess960 must meet certain rules. White pawns are placed on the second rank as in regular chess. All remaining white pieces are placed randomly on the first rank, but with the following restrictions: II.2.1 the king is placed somewhere between the two rooks, and II.2.2 [...]

I.1.1 If a game is not finished at the end of the time prescribed for play, the arbiter shall require the player having the move to ‘seal’ that move. The player must write his move in unambiguous notation on his scoresheet, put his scoresheet and that of his opponent in an envelope, seal the envelope and only then stop the chessclock. Until he has stopped the chessclock the player retains the right to change his sealed move. If, after being told by the arbiter to seal his move, the player makes a move on the chessboard he must write that same [...]

D.1 The organiser, after consulting the arbiter, shall have the power to adapt the following rules according to local circumstances. In competitive chess between sighted and visually disabled (legally blind) players either player may demand the use of two boards, the sighted player using a normal board, the visually disabled player using one specially constructed. Thisboard must meet the following requirements: D.1.1 measure at least 20 cm by 20 cm, D.1.2 have the black squares slightly raised, D.1.3 have a securing aperture in each square, D.1.4 The requirements for the pieces are: D.1.4.1 all are provided with a peg that fits [...]

FIDE recognises for its own tournaments and matches only one system of notation, the Algebraic System, and recommends the use of this uniform chess notation also for chess literature and periodicals. Scoresheets using a notation system other than algebraic may not be used as evidence in cases where normally the scoresheet of a player is used for that purpose. An arbiter who observes that a player is using a notation system other than the algebraic should warn the player of this requirement. Description of the Algebraic System C.1 In this description, ‘piece’ means a piece other than a pawn. C.2 Each [...]

B.1 A ‘blitz’ game is one where all the moves must be completed in a fixed time of 10 minutes or less for each player; or the allotted time plus 60 times any increment is 10 minutes or less. B.2 The penalties mentioned in Articles 7 and 9 of the Competition Rules shall be one minute instead of two minutes. B.3.1 The Competition Rules shall apply if: B.3.1.1 one arbiter supervises one game and B.3.1.2 each game is recorded by the arbiter or his assistant and, if possible, by electronic means. B.3.2 The player may at any time, when it is [...]

A.1 A ‘Rapid chess’ game is one where either all the moves must be completed in a fixed time of more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes for each player; or the time allotted plus 60 times any increment is of more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes for each player. A.2 Players do not need to record the moves, but do not lose their rights to claims normally based on a scoresheet. The player can, at any time, ask the arbiter to provide him with a scoresheet, in order to write the moves. A.3.1 The Competition [...]