Castling using both hands

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/7864/221/

That's a link to the USCF rule book. It addresses your question in Chapter 10. I hate to admit it but the rule is confusing to me also. Maybe others can help clarify it for the both of us.

I think two handed castling is allowed for blitz games. Not sure if it's a FIDE rule, USCF rule, or some other long defunct organization.

This is one situation where I wish the USCF would just adopt the much simpler FIDE rule. The USCF rule IS complicated, but you can view the actual rules in Chapter 1 of the online USCF rule book (7th edition).

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/7752/369/

The most interesting rules are 9C, 10I1, 10I2, and 10I2 (Variation I).

Here's my version of the simple description:

The safest method is as the OP described - Move the king first, then the rook (with the same hand).

However, a player is always allowed to castle the king and rook simultaneously. (Rule 10I1)

Additionally, at the beginning of every USCF tournament, the TD (tournament director) is allowed to decide whether he will allow castling by moving the rook first. In effect, he is deciding whether the tournament will follow Rule 10I2 or Rule 10I2 (Variation I).

Is that clear as mud? Yes? Good!

Also, I didn't mention that if the TD decides to allow castling by touching the rook first (Rule 10I2 (variation I)), there is a disadvantage if a player tries to castle with the rook first and then discovers that castling is illegal. In that case, he must move the rook if the rook has a legal move available.

And, yes, I would recommend that you encourage them to do it the safe way as you stated in your initial post.

...except that Rule 10I1 specifically allows the player to touch the king and rook simultaneously, which implies that you can use both hands in that case. I would not recommend this method, but the rules allow it.

ingrained in me after years

one hand king first

but im wondering to not do this , is it cheating it is against the rules but does it alter the game unfairly

If I'm playing under USCF rules and my opponent uses both hands to castle, I don't really care - It's obvious that he's intending to castle.

If the tournament rules allow castling by moving the rook first, I still won't care, but I'll be watching him closely, just in case he tries to castle illegally. If that's the case, he might be forced to make a bad rook move instead.

It better stay that way!

my captain would say call the rule breach , otb club matches are very close at times and every point gained counts Escherechecs , but im like you if it doesn't affect the game then its not worth the fuss , unless im feeling mercenary and every point is vital ,

but chess is about having fun and respecting your opponent not spending 20 odd mintes getting adjudications

From a practical point of view, I don't think that it makes a lot of difference at the lower rating levels, particularly in local tournaments.  TDs only monitor the games when players are in time trouble.  If you violate a rule, your opponent has to make a claim and notify the TD (it's a pain in the rear for minor violations). 

My experience when I played in OTB tournaments was that most of my opponents had only a cursory knowledge of the rules - they learned them from other players rather than reading the rule book (interestingly enough, I played in tournaments where the TD didn't know that you were supposed to press the clock with the same hand that you used to move the piece - I watched many endgames where both players had one hand over the piece, and the other hand over the clock).

Having said that, I still think that players should be taught all of the rules, and make a good faith effort to follow them.

Some body is playing for keeps, which is fine. If I want to play a smart &$$ I’ll count squares as I castle but would not be so smarmy as to use two hands. Wow