How Chess Tournaments Work
Chess tournaments are the arena where you can truly test and prove your abilities. They give you the opportunity to play competitively at any level and meet other chess enthusiasts.
Nevertheless, entering this world of competitive play can be intimidating. Beyond the chess itself, it is tricky to find the right tournament for your level, know how to enter, understand the tournament’s structure, and the specific rules for each event. In this article, we’ll look over the fundamentals of how chess tournaments work so you can get to enjoy the most exciting form of chess competition.
Who Can Enter Chess Tournaments
There are many different chess tournaments available, including everything from the Chess World Cup to free online arenas. This means that no matter your level, location, and schedule, you can enter a chess tournament.
Registered Players
Official tournaments usually require players to be registered with their national chess federation – like the United States Chess Federation (USCF) – or with the World Chess Federation (FIDE). These institutions provide you with a specific chess identity: they track your rating, provide you with an identification code, and ensure that you abide by the rules of fair play.
Most of the bigger, competitive tournaments will require that you be registered with your national chess federation and/or FIDE. One reason for this is that these bodies will provide you with a rating. This allows you to be placed with players of similar ability based on the ELO system.
Registering with these organizations is usually quite straightforward. However, if you are an unregistered player, there are options for you as well.
Unregistered Players
Open tournaments are available for everyone who meets the specific entry requirements. Usually, they do not require players to be registered with a federation. Most of these open tournaments will have a wide range of ratings from beginners to titled players. The structure of the tournaments may differ, and official and unofficial ratings may be used to organize players. Some may still have specific age or rating requirements.
For unregistered players, open tournaments provide a great start to competitive chess.
Online Chess Tournaments
Both of these kinds of tournaments can be played over-the-board or online. Chess.com and other platforms host a wide variety of tournaments that are regular and easy to enter. Various time controls, tournament structures, and chess variants can be found online.
The main benefit of these tournaments is convenience and familiarity. For regular online players, they offer a more familiar experience while still upping the level of competition. In terms of access, registration, and attendance, they are also much more feasible than over the board tournaments, especially for busy adults.
Where to Find Chess Tournaments?
While there are plenty of chess tournaments around, it can be difficult to find options near you or hear about them in time. Here are a few of the easiest ways to find tournaments you can attend.
Chess Clubs and News Outlets
Perhaps the best way to find chess tournaments near you is to join a local chess club. Depending on where you live, these may be official clubs connected to the national federation or simply a meeting of chess players and enthusiasts. In either case, these clubs will often have information about nearby tournaments and events – they may well host their own.
Chess blogs, magazines, Youtube channels, podcasts, and social media accounts are also great ways to find out about chess tournaments in good time. Online resources can give you prompt updates about when and where chess tournaments are happening near you.
Chess Federations
If you are a strong player and you are looking to go beyond local open tournaments, your national chess federation and FIDE may be your first port of call. Official chess bodies and associated news outlets will provide information about chess tournaments for registered and higher rated players.
Types of Chess Tournament
The basic idea of a chess tournament is simple and follows the example of any other sport. Players compete in chess matches to determine a winner.
That said, chess tournaments have a lot of different structures. Here we will briefly explain the main types of chess tournament, so you know what to expect before you get started.
Swiss
Swiss tournaments are the most common because they provide a balanced yet exciting dynamic.
The Swiss structure:
- Is based on points rather than elimination
- Has a fixed number of rounds
- Matches players with similar ratings
- Has specific ways to calculate tie breaks – for example, if a player has won more games against higher rated players
- Assigns players 1 point for a win, ½ a point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss
The winner of the tournament has the most points. This dynamic structure gives the opportunity for unexpected victories, comebacks, and final showdowns. It is also relatively simple to organize, with players paired based on ELO, and a simple point system.
Things only get complicated when tiebreaks are involved. Tournaments differ slightly in how to decide a winner when players have the same points. This is why it is important to read over each tournament's guidelines carefully before competing.
Knock-Out
Knock-out, or elimination, tournaments are an alternative to the Swiss structure. This type of tournament will likely be familiar to sports fans: players advance by winning games or matches and players are knocked out after a loss.
While this type of tournament is less common than the Swiss, both the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE World Blitz Championship are formatted in this way. The structure can also be exciting, with a single game causing elimination, leading to some unexpected victors and other surprising twists.
Round-Robin
Round-Robin is another quite familiar tournament structure. The idea in this case is for every player or team to play every other player or team.
This makes arranging matches a little more complicated. So, this format is often reserved for smaller, invitational chess tournaments. The benefits are that players’ abilities are tested comprehensively, which makes it an interesting structure for high-level players. A well-known example is the Candidates Tournament, which decides who plays in the FIDE World Cup.
Dealing With Tournament Rules
Another daunting aspect of chess tournaments is the addition of specific rules and regulations. The good news is that many of them can be quickly demystified, so you know exactly what to expect.
Of course, each tournament has its own specific rules. The following broadly explains some common rules you will often have to deal with, and tips on how to deal with them.
Moving the Pieces
While there is some variation between tournaments, most require that you move pieces and touch the chess clock with the same hand. Casual, open tournaments may not enforce this, but it is a good practice to get used to.
Similarly, the touch-move requires that once you touch a piece you must move it. There is an exception in which you can adjust your pieces, provided you announce your intention first.
Recording Moves
In classical chess, you often have to record your moves in algebraic notation using a chess scoresheet. Lower time controls like rapid, blitz, and bullet do not require this. This should be done during your own time.
An exception to this rule is that when you have less than 5 minutes on your clock, you can stop recording moves.
Arbiters
Official chess tournaments have arbiters who enforce the rules. They may issue a warning if you violate a rule or disqualify you for a serious infraction. You can also ask them questions or inform them if you wish to claim a draw based on the 50-move rule or when the game has ended.
Cheating
All chess tournaments will attempt to stop cheating. Official tournaments take serious measures to limit the possibility of cheating. This means players are not permitted to have electronic devices, and leaving the play arena is only permitted under certain conditions. Experts may analyze games in which they suspect a chess engine has been used and investigations may be carried out.
How Chess Tournaments Change the Game
If you are a casual chess player, the world of competitive play may seem far off. However, as we've seen, there is a wide variety of tournaments for players at all levels.
Visiting local open tournaments, trying out online arenas, and training like a competitive player will add a new dimension to the game. Not only that, but you will meet other chess enthusiasts and may get a chance to compete with titled players.
After finishing this article, why not research a chess tournament near you to see if you can become a competitive chess player.