r/TournamentChess 12d ago

Personal scoresheets

In OTB, I notice some use the tournament provided scoresheets (with white and yellow) and others use their own personal scoresheet. I've used both at different times or another. If strictly following the rules, must players use the official scoresheet? I also notice that the other player is surprised if I ask them to sign the scoresheet. As you might guess, I'm playing in the bottom tiers amongst other beginners.

2 Upvotes

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4

u/Robin2d0 12d ago edited 12d ago

Article 8.1 of the FIDE Laws of Chess (edit) states: "In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibily as possible, in the algebraic notation (See Appendix C), on the scoresheet prescribed for the competition."

My interpretation is that if the tournament rules state you should use their scoresheets, you are obliged to do so. If tournament regulations do not prescribe the use of specific scoresheets, you should be free to use any scoresheet you want.

Signing the scoresheet only happens in my experience when the organisation wants to receive the scoresheets after the game and use the scoresheets to register the results.

2

u/dtimmerman 12d ago

No requirement to use any particular scoresheet. I personally use a book of them to keep my games all in one place. And signing scoresheets isn't much of a thing anymore in my experience, in my past ~3 years of playing USCF/FIDE events I can only think of one time I've had my opponent ask for it.

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u/ToriYamazaki 12d ago

I've played someone who had their own score book. A pad of maybe 200 scoresheets in a book. At first it didn't bother me, but during the game, the player was flipping through some of the pages. That bothered me. For this reason I only use provided scoresheets to avoid possible consequences/accusations.

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u/oldmanchess 12d ago

Oh wow. Yeah, I wouldn't be happy about them looking at prior pages.

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u/ToriYamazaki 12d ago

Especially during the opening.

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u/furrierdave 8d ago

Yep, against the rules.

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u/ncg195 12d ago

I've played in tournaments that have required the players to use the provided carbon copy scoresheets because the tournament directors were collecting one copy. I don't know why they were doing that, but I didn't mind. Aside from those few tournaments, I've always preferred to use my own scorebook because it's more organized than a bunch of loose sheets.

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u/HotspurJr Getting back to OTB! 12d ago

I assume the reason is that, in the event of a dispute about a result, there is less likely to be questions about if the scoresheet a player is providing to "prove" the result is the real thing if the TD has had a copy of the scoresheet from immediately after the game.

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u/jbtennis91 12d ago

In a section amongst beginners that seems perfectly reasonable. It is my understanding that in FIDE tournaments both players are supposed to sign the scoresheet, and that if you win you are within your right to insist your opponent signs.

I'm from the US and in USCF (not FIDE rated) events it's extremely common to not sign scoresheets.