# FIDE Laws of Chess update? **URL:** \ **Category:** Running Chess Tournaments\ **Created:** [July 23, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110 "2013-07-23T02:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wilecoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2bfe46/32.png) [@wilecoyote](https://forum.uschess.org/u/wilecoyote)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/1 "2013-07-23T02:37:46Z")
I thought the FIDE Laws of Chess were updated at the FIDE Congress in 2012, with the update scheduled to take effect July 1, 2013. However, [the version posted in the FIDE online handbook](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=124&view=article) still appear to be the version that came into effect July 1, 2009. Do any of our FIDE mavens know whether the 2012 changes are in effect yet? ---
**Author:** ![Sevan\_Muradian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Sevan\_Muradian](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Sevan_Muradian)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/2 "2013-07-23T02:48:04Z")
> [@wilecoyote](#): > > I thought the FIDE Laws of Chess were updated at the FIDE Congress in 2012, with the update scheduled to take effect July 1, 2013. However, [the version posted in the FIDE online handbook](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=124&view=article) still appear to be the version that came into effect July 1, 2009. Do any of our FIDE mavens know whether the 2012 changes are in effect yet? Ken - they have been pushed back to July 1, 2014. Some topics are being reviewed with FIDE PB board members and the FIDE RTRC Chair and Secretary next month in Tromso, and then at the FIDE Congress in Estonia in October. I’ve sent the following write-up to Franc so he could review, add/change, and communicate out after he, I, and Mike Atkins had some email exchanges on this topic because there has been a great deal of confusion: * * * Over the past few months a great deal of confusion has occurred in the timing and usage of the FIDE Laws of Chess and other related regulations and USCF tournaments submitted to FIDE for rating or FIDE title norms. In an effort to clarify and give guidance, all tournament directors and organizers are asked to review this article. Between now and June 30, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, can choose to utilize USCF rules instead of FIDE Laws of Chess, HOWEVER in all pre-tournament publicity (TLA, website, emails, etc) it must explicitly state that USCF rules are being used instead of the FIDE Laws of Chess. Please note that these tournaments must still conform to the FIDE Rating Regulations for minimum think time. The FIDE Rating Regulations can be found here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=11&view=category) Effective immediately, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that offer FIDE title norms (GM, IM, WGM, WIM) must comply fully with both the FIDE Laws of Chess and the International Title Regulations. If the tournament director and/or organizer do not comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess and the International Title Regulations, the FIDE Qualification Commission is within their right to disqualify any norms achieved in such tournaments. The International Title Regulations can be found online here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=10&view=category) Effective July 1, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, MUST comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess. If the tournament director and/or organizer do not comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess, the FIDE Qualification Commission is within their right to disqualify the event from being rated. The FIDE Laws of Chess can be found online here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=32&view=category) The section of the FIDE Handbook entitled - General Rules and Recommendations for Tournaments - is not meant for Title Norm or Rating only tournaments. They are meant solely for Official FIDE Championship events (World, Continental, Zonal, Sub-Zonal). For your reference the link to this section is provided here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … ew=section](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=3&view=section) ---
**Author:** ![ericmark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e68b1a/32.png) [@ericmark](https://forum.uschess.org/u/ericmark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/3 "2013-07-23T03:00:30Z")
> [@Sevan Muradian](#): > > > [@wilecoyote](#): > > > > I thought the FIDE Laws of Chess were updated at the FIDE Congress in 2012, with the update scheduled to take effect July 1, 2013. However, [the version posted in the FIDE online handbook](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=124&view=article) still appear to be the version that came into effect July 1, 2009. Do any of our FIDE mavens know whether the 2012 changes are in effect yet? > > Ken - they have been pushed back to July 1, 2014. Some topics are being reviewed with FIDE PB board members and the FIDE RTRC Chair and Secretary next month in Tromso, and then at the FIDE Congress in Estonia in October. > > I’ve sent the following write-up to Franc so he could review, add/change, and communicate out after he, I, and Mike Atkins had some email exchanges on this topic because there has been a great deal of confusion: > > * * * > > Over the past few months a great deal of confusion has occurred in the timing and usage of the FIDE Laws of Chess and other related regulations and USCF tournaments submitted to FIDE for rating or FIDE title norms. In an effort to clarify and give guidance, all tournament directors and organizers are asked to review this article. > > Between now and June 30, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, can choose to utilize USCF rules instead of FIDE Laws of Chess, HOWEVER in all pre-tournament publicity (TLA, website, emails, etc) it must explicitly state that USCF rules are being used instead of the FIDE Laws of Chess. Please note that these tournaments must still conform to the FIDE Rating Regulations for minimum think time. The FIDE Rating Regulations can be found here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=11&view=category) > > Effective immediately, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that offer FIDE title norms (GM, IM, WGM, WIM) must comply fully with both the FIDE Laws of Chess and the International Title Regulations. If the tournament director and/or organizer do not comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess and the International Title Regulations, the FIDE Qualification Commission is within their right to disqualify any norms achieved in such tournaments. The International Title Regulations can be found online here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=10&view=category) > > Effective July 1, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, MUST comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess. If the tournament director and/or organizer do not comply fully with the FIDE Laws of Chess, the FIDE Qualification Commission is within their right to disqualify the event from being rated. The FIDE Laws of Chess can be found online here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=32&view=category) > > The section of the FIDE Handbook entitled - General Rules and Recommendations for Tournaments - is not meant for Title Norm or Rating only tournaments. They are meant solely for Official FIDE Championship events (World, Continental, Zonal, Sub-Zonal). For your reference the link to this section is provided here - [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … ew=section](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=3&view=section) Good info. Thanks. How about registration of players? ---
**Author:** ![Sevan\_Muradian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Sevan\_Muradian](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Sevan_Muradian)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/4 "2013-07-23T03:20:22Z")
> [@ericmark](#): > > Good info. Thanks. How about registration of players? [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=12&view=category) [fide.com/fide/handbook.html? … w=category](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=13&view=category) You will notice the previous language that was posted in other threads is no longer there. ---
**Author:** ![LaughingVulcan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/laughingvulcan/32/322_2.png) [@LaughingVulcan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/LaughingVulcan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/5 "2013-07-23T12:49:18Z")
I’m not following why FIDE rules are default until and unless all publicity states USCF rules are being used? Exactly whose Federation is the USCF??? Is this something FIDE came up with? And, BTW, I now also no longer understand any rules changes made on the basis of “In order to comply with FIDE…” if the USCF rulebook can no longer apply to FIDE events. ---
**Author:** ![kevin\_bachler](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/kevin_bachler/32/667_2.png) [@kevin\_bachler](https://forum.uschess.org/u/kevin_bachler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/6 "2013-07-24T01:13:21Z")
> [@LaughingVulcan](#): > > I’m not following why FIDE rules are default until and unless all publicity states USCF rules are being used? Exactly whose Federation is the USCF??? Is this something FIDE came up with? > > And, BTW, I now also no longer understand any rules changes made on the basis of “In order to comply with FIDE…” if the USCF rulebook can no longer apply to FIDE events. Because this applies to tournaments that are being submitted for FIDE ratings. > [@](#): > > Between now and June 30, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, can choose to utilize USCF rules instead of FIDE Laws of Chess, HOWEVER in all pre-tournament publicity (TLA, website, emails, etc) it must explicitly state that USCF rules are being used instead of the FIDE Laws of Chess. ---
**Author:** ![LaughingVulcan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/laughingvulcan/32/322_2.png) [@LaughingVulcan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/LaughingVulcan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/7 "2013-07-24T02:51:57Z")
> [@kbachler](#): > > > [@LaughingVulcan](#): > > > > I’m not following why FIDE rules are default until and unless all publicity states USCF rules are being used? Exactly whose Federation is the USCF??? Is this something FIDE came up with? > > > > And, BTW, I now also no longer understand any rules changes made on the basis of “In order to comply with FIDE…” if the USCF rulebook can no longer apply to FIDE events. > > Because this applies to tournaments that are being submitted for FIDE ratings. > > > [@](#): > > > > Between now and June 30, 2014, all tournaments or sections of tournaments organized under the auspices of the USCF that are submitted to FIDE for rating, can choose to utilize USCF rules instead of FIDE Laws of Chess, HOWEVER in all pre-tournament publicity (TLA, website, emails, etc) it must explicitly state that USCF rules are being used instead of the FIDE Laws of Chess. Ah, I missed those in my brief scan this morning. All this then applies only to Tournament Directors and Organizers who wish to submit tournaments to FIDE for rating. Apologies. ---
**Author:** ![brennanprice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/brennanprice/32/723_2.png) [@brennanprice](https://forum.uschess.org/u/brennanprice)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/8 "2013-07-24T19:38:25Z")
FIDE’s announced-then-retracted-then-modified-then-delayed procedures have become such a moving target, that I’m becoming more inclined simply not to rate my events with them. This wishy-washiness does not merit $60. And in my most recent experience, not even the $60 helps. For some reason that has yet to be communicated to the Chief Arbiter (yours truly), the FIDE ratable time control rounds of the Cherry Blossom Classic, held in Virginia on April 19-21, have not yet been rated, despite the timely submission of the fee and report to USCF on April 21 and 22, respectively, and Walter Brown’s assurance that the report was submitted to FIDE in a timely manner. Aside from Walter’s assurance, I have had no response to five inquiries, both through USCF and to the FIDE rating office directly. I am as concerned about this as some of the tournament’s players justifiably are. I won’t completely foreclose the possibility that something hapened that made the event non-ratable. If I were told why in a timely manner, I’d gladly eat crow and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Not being told why more than three months after payment of the rating fee is absolutely unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/system/32/2_2.png) [@system](https://forum.uschess.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2024, 8:40am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/fide-laws-of-chess-update/18110/9 "2024-04-22T08:40:52Z")
Closed on April 22, 2024, 8:40am UTC