Rules for Chess Tournaments

Besides the normal rules of chess, a few special rules apply to chess tournaments.  In NEWCA, new players will be playing in the Junior Varsity (JV) section.

1. Courtesy
• All games begin and end with a handshake.
• Do not gloat over or a win, or whine about a loss.
2. Touch move
• If you touch a piece, you must move it (if it is legal to do so).  If you touch your opponent's piece, you must capture it (if it is legal to do so).
• Accidental touches (such as brushing a piece with your hand) do NOT count.
• When you castle, touch and move your king first, and then move your rook with the same hand.
• If you want to adjust a piece, for example if it's not positioned well on its square, say the word "adjust" before you touch the piece.  You are not required to move this piece, but of course you are not allowed to "adjust" the piece to another square.
• If you are playing with a clock, move your piece and hit the clock with the same hand.
3. "Check"
• You are not required to say "check".  It is up to you to notice when you are in check; don't rely on your opponent to tell you.
4. Notation
• Chess notation (writing down all the moves of your game) is not required in JV, although it is encouraged if you know how.
5. Clocks
• Most JV players do not use clocks, but some do.
• If you play with a clock, you must hit the clock after each move.  
• If your clock runs out, you lose your game, but don't worry about this.  Most beginners don't lose on time.
• In JV, both players start with 50 minutes on their clocks.
6. Raise your hand!
• If you are not sure about a rule, raise your hand.  A coach or tournament director (TD) will come over to help.
• You don't have to take your opponent's word, you can always ask for help when it comes to understanding a rule.  Remember, your opponent might not understand the rule either!
7. Have fun!

Your First NEWCA Chess Tournament

Everyone experiences their first chess tournament a little differently, but most students arrive not quite knowing what to expect.  Some worry about where to go and what to do, but with so many experienced players and coaches to help, new players are soon comfortable and focused on chess.  Many players worry about how they will play and whether they will win.

New players come into competitive chess at all different skill levels.  Some are immediately competitive, while others take some time to learn.  The most important thing for players of all abilities to understand is that chess is a contest of knowledge as much as it is a game of thinking.  For every player at every tournament, there are things about chess that they haven't learned yet.  Every game played is an opportunity to learn, especially the losses.  Coaches (and teammates) love it when a player asks, "show me what I did wrong," or "how could I do better next time?"  Players who treat their losses as learning opportunities have the most long-term success.

One of the most common questions is whether players are "eliminated" from our tournaments, such as in other sports like baseball and basketball.  The answer is no!  Players always play all rounds of a chess tournament.  This is called a "Swiss system" of pairing, where players are matched somewhat randomly in the first round, but afterward are paired against players who have won or lost about the same number of games.  (The one exception to this is that if there are an odd number of players, someone will be asked to take a "bye" each round...but never the same person more than once).

Besides the tournament games, there is often time for casual games between rounds (in chess, these are called skittles games).  These games are a great chance to test new skills, meet new friends, or socialize with teammates.  One thing most players agree upon after their first experience is that chess tournaments are fun!