Sabah Chess Association

i) DURATION OF THE GAME

1. Each player shall make all his moves within thirty minutes on his clock. The player shall record the game move by move until he has not more than five monites left on his clock.

ii) THE CLOCK

1. Each Clock must have a special device, usually called a “flag”, marking the end of the time control period.

2. Before play begins the players should inspect the position of the pieces and the setting of the clock. If they have omitted to do this, no claim shall be accepted after each player has made his first move.

3. Each player shall handle the clock with the same hand with which he handles his pieces. Exception: it is permitted to perform the castling move by using both hands.

4. The arbiter should stipulate at the beginning of the tournament the direction the clocks are to face, and the player with the black pieces shall decide on which side of the board he will sit.

5. No player is permitted to cover more or less permanently the button of his own clock with one od his fingers.

6. During the game the clock must not be picked by either player.

iii) THE WON GAME

1. A game is won by the player:

a. Who has mated his opponent’s King.

b. Whose opponent declares that he resigns

c. whose opponent’s flag falls first, at anytime before the game is otherwise ended.

2. A player must claim a win himself by immediately stopping both clocks and notifying the arbiter. To claim a win under Rule iii).1(c), the player’s flag must be up and his opponent’s flag must be down after the clocks have been stopped. If both flags are down, the game is declared a draw – see Rule iv).1(c).

iv) THE DRAWN GAME

1. A game is drawn:

a. if one of the kings is stalemated

b. by agreement between the players during the game, not before or after the game

c. if the flag of one player galls after the flag of the other player has already fallen and a win has not been claimed

d. if a player demonstrates a perpetual check or a forced repetition of position under condition of Article 10.5 of the Laws of Chess

e. if both players have insucfficient material for a possible checkmate as specified in Article 10.7 of the Laws of Chess

f. if one player has insufficient material for a possible checkmate and his opponent’s flag falls first.

2. The player having the white pieces must notify the arbiter of a drawn game.

v) MISCELLANEOUS

1. If a player accidently displaces one or more pieces, he shall replace them on his own time. If it is necessary, his opponent may start the player’s clock without making a move in order to make sure that the player replaces the displaced pieces on his own time.

2. Play shall be governed by the FIDE Laws of Chess in which they are not inconsistent with these rules. In particular, Article 7, “The Touched Piece”, remains in full force. If a player first touches one piece and then moves another, his opponent should restart the player’s clock, if it is necessary, and inform him that he must complete the move in accordance with Article 7.

3. In case of a dispute, either player may stop the clocks while the arbiter is being summoned. All these rules are subject to interpretation by the arbiter, whose decision is final.

4. The arbiter shall not handle the clocks while except in the case of a dispute or when both players ask him to do so.

5. Spectators and participants in another game are not to speak or otherwise interface in a game. If a spectator interferes in any way, such as by calling attention to a flag-fall or an illegal move, the arbiter may cancel the game and rule that a new game be played in its stead, as well as expel the offending party from the room. The arbiter, too, must refrain from calling attention to a flag-fall or illegal move, as these are entirely the responsibility of the players.

6. A move is completed as soon as the player’s hand has released a piece in accordance with Article 6 of the Laws of Chess.

7. Illegal moves unnoticed by both players cannot be corrected afterwards, nor can thet afterwards lead to a claim of a won game.

8. When a clear drawn position is reached either player may stop the clocks and appeal to the arbiter for a draw.

a. if the arbiter allows a draw the game is ended

b. if the appeal is rejected, the appellant is penalised 5 minutes and the game is continued, however, he must be left with at least 2 minutes on his clock.

c. The arbiter can rule that the game is lost if he decides the appeal is frivolous

9. The arbiter shall step in if one players is playing on just to exploit a time advantage with no justification on the board. The arbiter shall declare the game drawn if in his opinion neither player is trying to win the game on the board.

10. Before a chess (Active 30) tournament, the organisers should hand out a copy of these rules to each participant, or, if this is not possible, see that a sufficient number of copies of these rules are posted in the playing room at least half an hour before the tournament is to begin.

11. Tournament games played udner these rules can be rated in a separate list to be established for chess (Active 30). In such a tournament not more than six rounds a day may be played.