Fide rules apply unless edited by tournament rules:
1. Time control is 20 minutes on each side.
2. Default time is 5 minutes.
3. Illegal move is completed after piece has been left, and after the clock has been
activated. Second illegal move is game over.
4. Only opponents may claim illegal move. However, arbitrators make final decision.
5. Touch move is when piece has left that block.
6. Kids may not talk to one another or make sounds. Gesture language or secret codes are
seen as assistance to teammates. Players also cannot remind their teammates to activate
the clock.
7. Spectators may not interfere. The team assisted by spectators can be penalized by half a
point each time. Players who help each other get the same fine.
8. Chess pieces must be moved by hand and not by foot.
9. Each player must activate the clock after moving. If a player cannot make a move or ac-
tivate a clock due to restrictions such as crutches, an additional helper may be used to make the move as indicated and to activate the clock on behalf of a player.
10. The opponent may not start a move if the other team has not activated the clock to
complete their move.
11. Pieces that are pushed over by players must be restored before the clock is activated.
12. When a team’s time runs out, they will be allowed to finish their last move when the flag
falls. If it’s checkmate, the checkmate will stand and they will not lose on time.
13. When a team takes more than 20 seconds to make a move, the arbiter may remind them
that their time is ticking. Players may not remind their teammates of the time.
14. Each team who wins with checkmate will get 3 points.
15. Each team that wins on time or with illegal moves will only get 2 points.
16. When an arbiter sees a team is wasting time because they are losing, he may reward the
winning team a half point – then they win by 2 and a half instead of just 2 points.
17. The rankings according to which teams’ players play, are tied to each match during
registration. Each player also gets a number (1 to 5/6) to check order.
18. A team must have no less than 5 players in their team. They may have 6.
19. Team players must be enrolled members of their school.
20. When a player moves the king in check, the player does not have to say “check”.
21. There will be no draw results. If there is a draw according to the FIDE rules (e.g. pat
position), the team who played with the black pieces wins if they have sufficient mate
material. If black does not have mate material white will win.
22. When a player cannot continue a game due to an urgent problem, the reserve may
continue to play in his/her place. The reserve may not be replaced again the reserve
must then complete the game. If a team does not have a reserve, the team may wait
while the time runs, but the team may not continue with 4 players. If their time has
elapsed, then the opponent wins with time.
23. No senior primary kids (grade 4-7) may play in junior primary school (grades 1- 3) teams.
Junior players may play in senior teams.
24. No official listing takes place, but the team manager or coach may take notes on behalf
of the team players.
25. No running is allowed. Players should walk to the clock to activate it.
26. Before the match, the match officials/arbitrators will indicate where to place the pieces
taken from the opponents.
27. Before each game is played there will be a draw. The player who wins the draw can
choose the color. It may happen that a team can play white or black twice in a row.
28. If team A wins with TIME against team B (2 points), team A can announce whether they want to continue playing for a possible checkmate (3 points) OR they can take the win with time (2 points).
This decision to continue must be within 30 seconds.
If they continue, both teams’ clocks are set to the time left on Team A’s clock.
– If team A wins again with time, they get 3 points (because it was a double win).
– If Team A wins with a checkmate, they get 3 points.
– If team B wins with time, they get 2 points (Team A then forfeits their original 2 points)
– If team B wins with checkmate, they get 3 points (Team A then forfeits their original 2 points).
29. If two teams finish in a tie for second place (when determining the play-offs), they will be played regardless of how their points were scored in the group matches (pool matches). (Ie VB 1: 2 x checkmate (3×2=6) + 1 loss (0 points) = 6 points; VB 2: 3 x draw (2×3=6) = 6 points. Both teams have 6 points and therefore have to play off for 2nd place (2 x checkmate therefore does not weigh more than three times a tie. Play-out is necessary).
30. If a 1st and 2nd place differs by less than 1 point, ie there is a ½ point difference (when determining the play-offs), number 1 and 2 must play-off, regardless of how points were originally in the group matches (pool- matches) have been recorded.
31. Players who talk during a game of chess are deducted ½ with every second warning.
32. When a team’s players play out of turn twice (in a specific match), a ½ point is deducted from their points.