Interesting post. I played in OTB for about 10 years and have never been told a certain way of recording my notations. It has been a long time since I have read the rules, but I have always done.. "The player using a paper scoresheet may first make the move, and then write it on the scoresheet, or vice versa. " As for the handheld electronic scoresheet in a tournament I am on the fence with that. I know that USCF has only a few of those devices that are allowed in tournaments. Personally I think that if you or someone has one of those devices it needs to be checked by the TD before using just to help with fair play. Lastly I think by having one of those devices it can "possibly" give your opponent an advantage by having the ability to analyze the game in both 3D(looking at the board) and 2D(looking at the device) when playing a game. Not trying to say that by having those types of devices automatically gives you an advantage but some people can calculate better on a 2D board.
USCF Rules and Writing Down the Move Before Playing It
As a 13 yr who played in a tournament last Saturday, I always write my move and then move the piece.
As a 13 yr who played in a tournament last Saturday, I always write my move and then move the piece.
me too
In my tournaments, it is required to write down your move after the move has been made. I have only seen people get warnings, and never penalties.
In my tournaments, it is required to write down your move after the move has been made. I have only seen people get warnings, and never penalties.
Exactly. I have myself, when I was 1000 USCF gotten warnings for writing my move down and then playing it.
You supose to make the move first then write the move down on the scoresheet then hit the clock. Some people make the mistake to press the clock first and then write the move down on the scoresheet is illegal because you are using your oponent time that is not right.
No electronic device should be allow to record your game. You don't see on the international tournament using no electronic scoresheet, No Monrey chess Recorder, no playcaunter, no ChessR Recorder is consider illegal on FIDE tournament in Europe. I think if you know chess should know how to write chess notation on a paper.
A few years ago (maybe ten or more), the USCF tried to make their rule conform to FIDE. Tournament directors overwhelmingly rejected the change. Hence the mix in the rule book that leaves things as clear as a distant peak on a foggy morning.
I played in USCF tournaments from 1979-2002 and always wrote my move down before playing it, which was recommended by many and perfectly legal according to the USCF rules at that time. I returned to tournament play in 2022 to find that this is no longer legal according to the rules. The FIDE rule is clear and unambiguous. Nevertheless, I still find myself writing down my move before playing it and covering it with a captured pawn or my pen. Even in FIDE tournaments here in the US. So far, I haven't had anybody complain or even mention it. If it bothered an opponent I certainly would stop. I can't imagine a Tournament Director here in the US would do anything other than give a warning, at which point of course I would stop. The exception might be if the TD explicitly said at the beginning of the tournament that this was a rule that would be strictly enforced. Honestly, in practice, I don't think it's a big deal. By the way, I understand the point of the rule. I've seen players who write down and then scratch out several moves. This could be used as a way to keep notes - you write down a candidate move and scratch it out if you decide against it, and do so for the next candidate move, and scratch it out too, and now you have a list of moves you've already considered and rejected, so you know not to go back and waste time looking at them. The scoresheet should ONLY be a recording of the moves actually played, not a device to assist you in determining moves.
With electronic scoresheets you MUST make the move first before recording it. The main reason for this is that you see the board position after recording it and if you have not yet played the move then you can (legitimately) be accused of using your electronic scoresheet as an analysis device. Recording on a paper scoresheet can also be analysis (per volunteer above) particularly if you do not always make the move written. Such analysis can have varying penalties depending on how serious the TD views it. Most would probably start with a warning or a time penalty but in severe cases you might see an immediate loss of game.
FIDE has approved the use of some electronic scoresheets. https://www.fide.com/news/1556
Regarding another point raised, the proper way of recording is to make the move first and then your second and third actions are to hit the clock and record the move in either order (recored before or after hitting the clock). The term "move" referring to a scoresheet is the pair of moves by both players. In both FIDE and USCF the top arbiters/TDs have clarified that recording "move by move" means you must record through your last move before making your next one. In USCF sections TDs might not enforce maintaining your scorekeeping (you give up being able to make a number of claims) but in FIDE an arbiter is much more likely to intervene and require that you get your scoresheet caught up before making the next move (and if you run out of time while doing so then you lose on time). In both FIDE and USCF a 30 second increment or delay means that even if you or your opponent are under five minutes scorekeeping is still required for both players. Note that in FIDE the arbiters can call flags using both scoresheets (or personal observation) as evidence while in USCF only players may call flags and if it is not the final time control the only scoresheet that can be used to prove that flagging occurred is the scoresheet of the non-flagging player (in USCF sections players may call their own flag to prevent the opponent from filling in moves and then be allowed to continue the game while the same action in FIDE sections results in the arbiter confirming a loss on time).
Non-move analysis notes ("look for captures/checks", "develop pieces", "castle early", etc.) are also prohibited, with Wesley So losing a game at the US Championship for repeated refusal to put away such (albeit less obvious) non-move analysis notes.
the simple answer is, technically you should but nobody will care if you dont. If someone stops the clock and goes to the TD for this (which once happened to me) just refrain from doing it again. Its honestly more likely that the TD will be annoyed at the person who reports you, than give you an actual punishment
The point about recording the move first is that it creates a "note". I have seen players record several candidate moves using a pencil, then put a thin line through a move after they stop analysing it. Then they consult the list to see the moves they have analysed (cheating). After they eventually play one, they erase the pencil marks and use a pen. Amusingly, it is quite legal to record your opponent's move before (s)he has played it! (e.g you go Qxd8+ in the opening and there's only one legal reply, Kxd8...) I did penalise one player that calculated a line and recorded about 4 moves before they happened so he could run the opponent's clock down in time trouble. This was blatant cheating, and the guy having 30 seconds for 5 moves liked having 2 minutes and thirty seconds...
the main issue the TD of USCF don't care. It should be make a move then write the move and then press the clock. Because the most of the time the player write a move on the paper and then make a complete different move on the board when they realize that move is a bad move it is a bad behavoir
the main issue the TD of USCF don't care. It should be make a move then write the move and then press the clock. Because the most of the time the player write a move on the paper and then make a complete different move on the board when they realize that move is a bad move it is a bad behavoir
There's nothing in FIDE (or USCF) rules about writing down your move before you hit the clock; the only FIDE requirement is that you write your move before you make your next: https://rcc.fide.com/article8/
The point about recording the move first is that it creates a "note". I have seen players record several candidate moves using a pencil, then put a thin line through a move after they stop analysing it. Then they consult the list to see the moves they have analysed (cheating). After they eventually play one, they erase the pencil marks and use a pen. Amusingly, it is quite legal to record your opponent's move before (s)he has played it! (e.g you go Qxd8+ in the opening and there's only one legal reply, Kxd8...) I did penalise one player that calculated a line and recorded about 4 moves before they happened so he could run the opponent's clock down in time trouble. This was blatant cheating, and the guy having 30 seconds for 5 moves liked having 2 minutes and thirty seconds...
Recording the opponents move before it is played is against the rules in both USCF and FIDE (penalties up to the TD/arbiter). That is true even if there is only one reply (it might be an aid to having a reasonably complete scoresheet for a win on time claim in USCF in a non-sudden-death time control, and it might be seen as an attempt to fool the opponent if it turns out there is actually more than one legal reply).
the main issue the TD of USCF don't care. It should be make a move then write the move and then press the clock. Because the most of the time the player write a move on the paper and then make a complete different move on the board when they realize that move is a bad move it is a bad behavoir
As stated above (and by Andrew immediately after your post) hitting the clock can come before or after writing the move as long as the move is made before the subsequent two actions of writing and hitting the clock.
Reinforcing your main point, in USCF rule 15A is only a variation that allows writing the move on paper before making it (as long as you play the move written) but that is being used less and less - mostly for scholastic tournaments that are expected to have a large percentage of first-tournament players (you won't see it used in even the non-FIDE sections of major tournaments). In FIDE rated events that write-first option is never available.
Hi all,
I was playing at an OTB tournament recently and between rounds was reviewing some listed FIDE and USCF rules. I noticed something that surprised me - it stated not only FIDE but USCF requires players to make their move first, and to only make the scoresheet notation afterward - although there was a note that tournament directors can choose not to enforce this for their tournament.
I have been attempting to review this online here: https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/us-chess-rule-book-online-only-edition-chapters-1-2-9-10-11-2024.pdfThis seems to be a little confusingly written because first it has section 15A Manner of Keeping Score: "The player must first make the move, and then record it on the scoresheet."
However two paragraphs later under another section labeled 15A Variation One (Paper Scoresheets) I see "The player using a paper scoresheet may first make the move, and then write it on the scoresheet, or vice versa. "
Between the two there is also this tip for tournament directors:
"TD TIP: While the rule’s wording indicates making the move first and keeping the scoresheet (paper or electronic) visible at all times, it brings US Chess in alignment with FIDE procedures and soothes many of the fears surrounding electronic scoresheets—see Rule 43— it is a huge change for many players. TDs are advised to first (and possibly second and third) issue warnings to players that do not comply with this revised rule before enforcing any time penalties (1C2a. prescribes adding two minutes to the opponent’s unused time).
Not trying to waste folks' time getting lost in the weeds on this, but I was very surprised as I remember time and again when I was younger, the very common advice to scholastic players was always to write down their move first, look again, and only after double-checking to move the piece. Personally I've always been too impulsive for this (haha) but I am wondering if this is now bad advice and entirely against the rules, or at least contrary to the direction USCF is headed. I don't want to be forced to drink hemlock just because I tell a few young players to write down their moves before making them!
Just curious for thoughts and whether anyone has ever actually seen a player receive a warning or a penalty for this.
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As an aside since they're referenced in the quote, one of my opponents was using a little handheld electronic scoresheet in the tournament and I was surprised this is still allowed in 2024, given where we are at with cheating scandals and chess. (Not to imply anything regarding that particular opponent who seemed a fine model of good sportsmanship)