Arbiter & Tournament

The historical practice of pausing an unfinished tournament game to resume at a later time, using a sealed move.

A single decisive tiebreak game in which White receives more time but must win, while Black receives less time but only needs a draw to win the match.

A fast time control, generally more than three but less than fifteen minutes per player under FIDE classification.

A very fast time control, generally under three minutes per player for the entire game.

A round in which a player does not compete, typically receiving a half point or full point depending on tournament rules.

The event that determines the official challenger for the World Chess Championship match.

The traditional, longest standard time control, typically ninety minutes or more per player, sometimes with additional time added after a set number of moves.

A form of chess in which moves are exchanged over an extended period, historically by postal mail and today largely by email or dedicated servers.

The numerical rating system used to estimate the relative playing strength of chess players based on their game results.

A piece or pawn left exposed to a material-winning capture.

Winning a game, or gaining a decisive advantage, because the opponent runs out of time on the clock.

A form of chess in which a stronger player concedes an advantage, such as material or time, to a weaker opponent so the contest is more even.

The phrase ("I adjust") a player says before touching a piece only to reposition it, exempting them from the touch-move rule.

A qualifying tournament performance result that counts toward earning an official title such as International Master or Grandmaster.

A time control faster than classical but slower than blitz, generally between fifteen and sixty minutes per player under FIDE classification.

A tournament format in which every participant plays every other participant an equal number of times.

The move a player writes down and seals in an envelope at the point a game is adjourned, to be played upon resumption.

An event in which one strong player, usually a master or grandmaster, plays multiple games against different opponents at the same time.

A tournament pairing format in which players with similar scores are paired each round, without elimination.

A method for ranking players who finish a tournament with the same score, without an additional decisive game.

The total amount of time (and any increment) allotted to each player for a game.

The competitive rule that a player who deliberately touches a piece must move it if legally possible.