U.S. Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess

by U.S. Chess Federation

This comprehensive rulebook is the only guide sanctioned and compiled by the U.S. Chess Federation (USCF), the governing body for chess in the United States. It is designed to be a useful reference for all chess players, especially tournament directors and chess club teachers.

THIS NEW EDITION FEATURES THE LATEST RULES GOVERNING CHESS, INCLUDING:
• Guidelines for Internet chess and speed chess
• Information about the USCF’s national chess rating
system
• Explanations of all legal moves
• Guidelines for organizing and directing a tournament
• A new and improved index for quick reference

Genres: Chess, Reference, Games, Nonfiction

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 1978

Reviews

[Thomas Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also be aware of USCF-FIDE rules differences:
http://www.uschess.org/content/view/1...

The FIDE (La Fédération internationale des échecs, or International Chess Federation) rules are online here:
https://www.fide.com/docs/regulations...

The meat of this book, USCF's 7th-edition rulebook, is online here:
https://new.uschess.org/news/7th-edit...

USCF - FIDE RULE DIFFERENCES: for example:
1. USCF: only the players may call a fallen flag. FIDE: the arbiter must call a fallen flag if he sees it.
2. USCF: The director may or may not correct an observed illegal move. Only the opponent may claim a touch-move violation. FIDE: The arbiter will correct illegal moves observed, and will enforce touch-move.
3. USCF: An illegal move stands unless corrected within 10 moves, 2 moves in time pressure. FIDE: An illegal move is corrected, however far back.
4. USCF: If your flag falls while your opponent lacks material to FORCE mate, it's a draw. FIDE: You lose on time if your flag falls while your opponent has material for a helpmate. Under USCF, you lose if your flag falls while your opponent has mating material. Under FIDE, you lose if your flag falls while any sequence of legal moves could lead to you being checkmated. Here are four positions that were draws in FIDE events, that would be losses in USCF events, for the player whose flage fell:

- - - black
8 - - - - - - - -
7 - - - - - - - -
6 - - - - - - p k
5 - - - - - - p -
4 - - - B - p P -
3 - - - - n P K N
2 - - - - - - - R
1 - - - - - r - -
- a b c d e f g h
- - - WHITE
 
White to play: either White's flag falls or White makes a second illegal move. In either case White would lose--except that White's only legal move in this position is Nxf4 checkmate. Under FIDE rules, White cannot win because his flag fell or he made a second illegal move. Black cannot win because there is no sequence of legal moves by which Black could checkmate White. Therefore it is a draw.

FIDE Arbiters' Magazine, Issue 7, page 10:
https://arbiters.fide.com/wp-content/...





- - - black
8 - - - - - r k b
7 - - - - - - - -
6 - - - - - - K P
5 - - - - - r - -
4 - - - - - - - -
3 - - - - - - - -
2 - - - - - - - -
1 - - - - - - - -
- a b c d e f g h
- - - WHITE
 
White to play: White's flag falls. The only legal move is h7 checkmate. White cannot win as his flag fell; Black cannot win as there is no sequence of legal moves by which Black could checkmate White. So it is a draw under FIDE rules.

FIDE Arbiters' Magazine, Issue 7, page 10:
https://arbiters.fide.com/wp-content/...







- - - black
8 k - - - - - - -
7 - R - Q - - - -
6 - - K - - - - -
5 - - - - - - - q
4 - - - - - - - -
3 - - - - - - - -
2 - - - - - - - -
1 - - - - - - - -
- a b c d e f g h
- - - WHITE
 
Black plays ... Qc5+ and White's flag falls. White's only legal move is Kxc5, stalemating Black. White cannot win as his flag fell; Black cannot win as there is no sequence of legal moves by which Black could checkmate White. So it's a draw under FIDE rules.

FIDE Arbiters' Magazine, Issue 7, page 10:
https://arbiters.fide.com/wp-content/...







- - - black
8 k - K R - - - -
7 p - N - - p b -
6 N - - - - - p -
5 - - - - - - - p
4 - - - - - - - P
3 - - - - - - P -
2 - - r - - P - -
1 - - r - - - - -
- a b c d e f g h
- - - WHITE
 
White has just played 1. Nxc7+; 
White's flag fell before he pressed his clock. 
Black's only legal move is 1. ... Rxc7+
Then White's only legal move is 2. Nxc7+
Then Black's only legal move is 2. ... Rxc7+
Then White's only legal move is 3. Kxc7, checkmate.

White cannot win, as his flag fell.
Black cannot win, as there is no sequence of legal moves whereby Black can checkmate White.
So it's a draw under FIDE rules.

FIDE Arbiters' Magazine, Issue 1, page 11:
https://arbiters.fide.com/wp-content/... 

Each of these four draws under FIDE rules would be losses for the player whose flag fell under USCF rules.

5. USCF: Use an inverted rook if you queen a pawn and a queen isn't to hand. FIDE: If you put an inverted rook on the board, the arbiter turns it over: you promoted your pawn to a rook.

This rule decided the 2017 Canadian Chess Championship and a place in the World Cup. GM Bator Sambuev (2539), playing White, had the black queen concealed in his hand in an endgame where both players were about to queen pawns. IM Nikolay Noritsyn (2473), Black, with few seconds on his clock, played d1, looked for the queen, didn't see it, grabbed a black rook, put it upside down on d1. Immediately two arbiters swooped in—not to offer Noritsyn a queen—but to turn the rook rightside up and declare it a rook. See the video https://www.chess.com/news/view/contr...
Although Noritsyn received sufficient extra seconds per move not to lose on time, in the endgame down a queen to a rook, he lost the game, the 2017 championship of Canada, and the place in the World Cup. July 1, 2017, Montreal.

Here's FIDE's justification of its arbiters' actions:
https://arbiters.fide.com/wp-content/... page 15 of 16



The book includes round-robin pairing tables—which are trickier to make than you'd think.

The seventh edition, ISBN 9781797716909, 2019, has chapters 1, 2, 11: rules, tournaments, blitz, online here: http://www.uschess.org/docs/gov/chess... but without the round-robin pairing tables.

Older versions include this 1975 one:
https://www.amazon.com/Official-rules...

[Kevin J Pryor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rules and more

Must read for all your tournament directors and rules mavens. The code of ethics section should be read by all chess players.

[Joel Rockey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly a leisure read, but if I'm going to tackle a 400-page technical book on the rules of chess and running chess tournaments, you better believe it's going on my Goodreads count for the year! :)

[JStanz]

That's how much of a chess nerd I am. I read This. Uhm, yeah! Great book! Really gripping stuff.

[IWB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reread this in prep for my taking the Senior TD test in the near future. What a slog.

[Alexander Fontana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately theses rules are needed, especially when tournaments with money are envolved. Clear as can be and ever updating. If you want to be successful in tournament or are considering becoming a T. D. then you need to have this book.

[Serge Pierro · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title states, this is a comprehensive book on all of the rules and guidelines for playing in USCF sanctioned chess tournaments. A wide range of topics are covered in detail.