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Tournament FAQs
The guidelines published here are applicable to tournaments at ACC. ACC follows guidelines set by FIDE and CFC. Most tournaments in Canada will follow these guidelines, but be sure to check the tournament page for tournament-specific rules.
We highly recommend watching GM Daniel Naroditsky’s videos regarding OTB chess before your first tournament. They can be found here and here.
Over-the-Board (OTB) Tournament Play
What does “time control” mean?
The time control indicates how long you have to make your moves. A time control of 90+30, for example, means that players have 90 minutes at the start of the game, with 30 seconds of increment added following each move.
How do I use the clock?
At the start of the game, Black starts the clock when the arbiter begins the round. After each move, you touch the clock to stop your time and begin your opponent’s time with the same hand that moved the piece. You don’t have to use the same hand throughout the game, but you need to use the same hand on each move. This prevents players from having their hand hovering over the clock in time trouble, which is not allowed.
If your opponent forgets to press their clock, do not touch your opponent’s clock for them.
The clock must always be visible to the arbiter. Do not move the clock from where it is placed without the arbiter’s permission!
I need help from the arbiter. What do I do?
If you require an arbiter’s assistance, you may stop the clock, typically by pressing the middle button below the display.
What is a flag fall?
If a flag shows up on the screen of the clock, that means the player has run out of time and usually have lost the game. However, if the opponent cannot checkmate with any series of legal moves, the game is drawn.
What is “touch move?”
Any touch of a piece requires you to move that piece, unless you cannot move that piece legally. If you touch your own piece, it must be moved if it can be legally moved. If that piece was moved illegally, a legal move must be made if possible. If no legal move is possible, you are free to move any piece.
If you touch your opponent’s piece, it must be captured if it can be legally captured. If no capture is possible, you are free to move any piece. Once a piece has been legally placed on a square and the hand is taken away, the move is made and cannot be altered.
A poorly-placed piece (straddling two squares, for example) may be adjusted only when it is their move. When it is not your move, you may not touch anything on the board. To adjust, you must say “Adjust” or “J’adoube” before touching the piece during your turn. This indicates the intent to adjust, not move, the piece. You are not allowed to adjust during your opponent’s time.
Do I need to notate my games?
Yes! Notation is required for all moves, even if you are low on time, when there is a 30-second increment (or more) per move. Paper scoresheets (to record moves) will be provided. Carbon-copy papers may be used to allow organizers/arbiters the ability to keep a record of games.
Wikipedia has an excellent guide on chess notation.
When should I write down my moves?
Typically, you should 1) make your move, 2) touch your clock, 3) record your move.
After your opponent moves, it’s best to record the move right away so you don’t forget to do it. You are not allowed to fall behind in keeping score.
If you forget to record moves, you can request your opponent’s scoresheet from them to refer to and catch up on your scoresheet. However, you need to do this on your own time (i.e. when your clock is running).
How can I distinguish two rooks and two knights that can land on the same square?
Imagine that you have connected rooks on the back rank on a1 and f1, and you move the rook on a1 to e1. Writing Re1 is not enough, because either rook could reach e1, and we don’t know which one you meant! Therefore we specify: Rae1 indicates that the rook on the a-file was moved. Wherever possible, we use the file-letter to specify a piece, like Nbd7 (the knight on the b-file moves to d7).
If two pieces are on the same file, we can specify which one we mean by using the number of the rank. For example, Black has knights on d7 and d3. Both can capture on e5. We would write N7xe5 to indicate that the d7 knight was moved.
What information do I need to put on my scoresheet?
Besides the moves, we also need, at the minimum, at the top of the scoresheet:
(1) the name of the event; (2) the date; (3) the round, board number, and tournament section (e.g. round 3, board 26, U1400 section); (4) and the full names of both players. First names are not enough!
I made an illegal move… now what?
It happens. Even experienced players sometimes make illegal moves, like moving into check, ignoring a check, or moving a light-square bishop to a dark square.
When an illegal move is made, an arbiter should be summoned. For a classical game, if it’s the player’s first illegal move in the game, the game is restored to the last legal position, the opponent is awarded two extra minutes, the increment is removed from the player’s clock, and the game continues. A legal move must be made with that piece if possible. If no legal move is possible, the player is free to move any piece.
If it is the player’s second illegal move in the game, the game is lost.
How do I offer a draw?
You may only offer a draw on your time, and only after having made a move, but before completing the move by pressing the clock. So the proper order is: 1) make a move, 2) say “Draw?” to your opponent, and 3) press your clock.
Offering a draw when it is not your move can result in a penalty if your opponent complains about distraction.
If your opponent accepts the draw offer, the game ends in a draw. You can decline a draw offer verbally or simply by continuing to play.
If your opponent offers a draw and hasn’t moved, you should insist that they make a move before considering the draw offer.
Note: The use of the word “draw” in any way can be taken as a draw offer. If you say to your opponent: “That’s a great drawing!” they’re well within their rights to accept your draw offer! (By the way, no talking!)
Extending your hand is not a draw offer. This gesture is typically made to resign. The word “draw” must be spoken. A draw offer should only be made sincerely. It is considered unsporting to offer a draw in a clearly losing position. Also, repeatedly offering draws can result in a penalty for distracting behaviour.
How do I record draw offers?
You should note draw offers using the symbol (=). For example, 29. Ne5=
How can I claim a draw?
To claim a draw by threefold repetition or the fifty-move rule, you should 1) write down your move (that would result in the position being repeated three times, 2) pause the clock, and 3) summon the arbiter to claim the draw.
A draw claim constitutes a draw offer, regardless if the claim is valid or not. An incorrect draw claim results in 2 minutes of clock time being added to your opponent’s clock. The onus is on the claimant to prove their claim. The arbiter is not involved in this process.
An arbiter may declare a game drawn if the same position occurs five times (fivefold repetition), or if seventy-five moves are made without a pawn move or a capture.
Stalemate (the player with the move is not in check, but has no legal move) is also a draw.
What do I do when the game is over?
When the game is done, you must record the result on your scoresheet. A win for White is 1-0, a draw is 1/2-1/2, and a win for Black is 0-1.
You must sign both scoresheets. Depending on the tournament, the arbiter may come to your table to verify both scoresheets and to sign off on them. In either case, the top (white) copy of the scoresheet is club property and must be submitted to the arbiter, and the bottom (yellow) copy may be kept by the player.
Chess Etiquette
Can I eat and drink at my board?
Food is not allowed at the board. Drinks, however, are ok. Ideally they are in a spill-proof container.
Can I talk to my opponent during the game?
No. This is considered a distraction. You can speak to your opponent to announce an adjustment, or to offer a draw.
You are not allowed to communicate with anyone (apart from the arbiter), in person or online, while your game is in progress.
I need to use the washroom / stretch my legs / get a drink. When can I go?
You are allowed to leave your board during your opponent’s turn (e.g. when their clock is running). If you made your move, start to get up to leave the board, and your opponent immediately responds with their move, you can continue to leave the board.
Can I check my phone during the game?
Absolutely not! Any electronic device that could be used to transmit or receive information related to chess or to calculate potential moves, such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and smartwatches, must be switched off. Furthermore, no such devices can be in the immediate possession of a player, regardless of the player’s location, during a game in progress. Violating this rule by a player will result in the player’s immediate forfeit of a game in progress.
General Tournament FAQs
I am not a strong chess player. Can I play in tournaments?
Everyone is welcome in our tournaments! You do not need to be a strong player. In our lowest section, we often have players who are rated as low as 400. The only requirement is that you’ve paid for the round (either through a drop-in fee or a club membership), and have a current CFC (Chess Federation of Canada) membership. You can purchase both through our online store.
What are the regular club tournaments? How long are the games?
ACC’s regular tournaments are a series of five-round tournaments, with a single round starting on Mondays at 7:30 pm.
Our tournament sections are typically divded into: Masters (2200+), Crown, U1800, U1400. Players can play up if they are within 100 points of the next section, except for the Masters section, which has a hard floor of 2200.
The time control is 90+30. Games typically last between one and four hours.
What are the youth tournaments? How long are the games?
Our new youth tournaments are a series of five-round tournaments just like our regular club tournaments, but with shorter time controls and an earlier start time of 5:00 pm. Players must be 16 or younger to participate.
Sections: Crown, U1800, U1400
Players can play up if within 100 points of the next section. Sections may be combined depending on numbers.
The time control is 30+30. Games typically last no more than 90 minutes.
What is a Swiss tournament?
A Swiss format means that you are not eliminated after your first match. If you lose your first match, you will most likely be paired with someone else who also loses their first match. You will be paired based on your cumulative score after each round.
You will roughly have the same number of games as White and Black. This does not mean that you will always alternate colours, although that is ideal. Sometimes a player will get the same colour in two consecutive rounds, but never three.
You will also never face the same opponent twice in the same tournament.
Are tournaments rated?
Our tournaments are CFC-rated, and our top sections are also FIDE-rated. By playing in our tournaments, you will obtain an official chess rating. All players must have a valid CFC membership, or pay a tournament rating fee.
Players in our junior tournaments need not pay for a CFC membership, but do require a CFC ID.
Do I need to participate in every round of a tournament?
ACC runs ongoing five-round tournaments throughout the year. All players are welcome to enter any round of any tournament. If you cannot make it for one week, you can take a bye. This will give you a half-point in the standings in rounds 1-4. Round 5 byes are zero-point byes.
This means you may enter or leave any tournament at any point…but please let us know!
What is a bye? How do I request a bye?
Sometimes a conflicting event happens during a tournament. Instead of not playing entirely, you can request a “bye.” Byes should be requested before the tournament. This allows you to still compete in the tournament and still get points. You won’t be paired for that round but will be paired in subsequent rounds.
Byes cannot be awarded retroactively. A player entering a tournament in the second round will not be awarded a bye for the first round. However, a player who registers for a tournament and requests a bye in the first round will receive a bye in the first round.
If you have entered a tournament it is assumed that you will be in attendance for all rounds. If you will be absent, you must request a bye to avoid being paired. Byes can only be requested by email to info@annexchessclub.com, and such requests must be received by 7:00 pm. on Monday for regular club tournaments, and 4:30 pm for youth tournaments. Do not request byes by phone, text, social media messages, and what have you not.
I’m really sorry… I forgot to request a bye!
Players who don’t request a bye will be paired in the current round, and may forfeit their game if the arbiter cannot redo pairings. Note: FIDE-rated sections, such as the Crown section, cannot be re-paired.
All players who miss a round without requesting a bye will be withdrawn from the current tournament and may be re-entered on request.
I am unrated. What section do I play in?
Unrated players are always placed in the lowest section in ACC tournaments. In extraordinary circumstances, the arbiter may allow an unrated player to play up a section.
What happens if I am late for the tournament?
Games (and clocks) start promptly at 7:30 pm for our club tournaments, and 5:00 pm for our youth tournaments. In our regular tournaments, players have thirty minutes of their clock time to make their first move, or the game is forfeited.
If you are joining a tournament for the first time, please arrive early (e.g. 7:00 pm) so we can ensure you’re registered. We aim to have pairings posted fifteen minutes prior to the start time.
Something has come up, and I can’t finish the tournament!
No worries, you can withdraw from the tournament. Just let the arbiters know.