WHY RULES FOR EQUIPMENT

Chess is a very complicated game that demands concentration and focus. Certain rules have been adopted for pieces, boards, and clocks to keep them from distracting from the chess game. If a set is too detailed or the pieces are too similar then they may distract the player who has to spend time figuring out which pieces are which. At the same time a chessboard with graphics on it or squares that are too bright can become irritating after looking at the board for several hours.

CHESS PIECES
Chess pieces must be of the staunton style. The staunton style is the very classical look of pieces that most of our sets feature. This includes the King with a cross, a queen with a spiked crown, a rook that looks like a tower, a bishop with a diagonal slit, a knight that looks like a horse head, and a round-headed simple pawn. Many “fancy” sets are too detailed and it becomes hard to tell the pieces apart. Some modern sets feature pieces that look almost identical and can be frustrating for opponents who are not familiar with the pieces. Each set of chess pieces must also be significantly different in color - one light set and one dark set (usually white/cream/natural/light wood vs. black/dark brown/dark wood). Chess pieces are generally measured by the King’s height. Tournament chess pieces should be between 3.5″ and 4.25″ (King height). The base should be 40-50% as wide as the height. The pieces should not be overly shiny and should be made of plastic or wood. The pieces should also be significantly weighted as to not tip over easily. Generally if your pieces weigh at least 1 lb. for all 32 pieces you are fine. Heavier pieces are not needed, though they do feel nice. If you have any questions about your chess pieces check with your tournament director. Wholesale Chess offers a number of tournament appropriate chess pieces.

• Classic staunton style
• 3.5″ - 4.25″ King height
• Made of plastic or wood
• At least 1 lb set of 32 pieces

CHESSBOARDS
Chessboards must be plain squares of alternating light and dark colors. The colors should not be too bright and should also not blend in too much with the pieces. For this reason the most popular colors are matte green and blue (and why black/white is usually not recommended - it blends in with the pieces). The material may be any material that is not too shiny. Generally vinyl chessboards are recommended or folding paper boards. Wood may also be used. The squares must be between 2″ and 2.5″. They must fit the pieces proportionally - not too crowded, not too spread apart. Wholesale Chess offers a number of tournament appropriate chess boards.

• Alternating light/dark squares
• 2″ - 2.5″
• Made of vinyl, paper, or wood
• Not too bright colors

CHESS CLOCKS AND TIMERS
Chess clocks and timers are used to control how much time each player uses. There are mechanical/analog clocks and digital clocks. Both are acceptable, though digital clocks are usually preferred if there is a time delay featured in the tournament (check with your Tournament Director). Clocks should be near silent. The player with the black pieces gets to choose on which side of the board they would like to have the clock. Wholesale Chess offers a number of tournament appropriate chess clocks.

• Analog and digital clocks are allowed, though digital may be preferred
• Clocks must be near silent

OTHER TOURNAMENT CHESS EQUIPMENT
Besides pieces, boards, and clocks, you may need some other materials like scorebooks or scoresheets. Those are used to record, or write down, your games for record. Ask your Tournament Director if you are required to write down your games.

Looking for a downloadable version of the manual for your chess clock?  Check out the Chess Downloads page on our website.

HISTORY OF THE CHESS CLOCK
Chess clocks and timers are used to control the amount of time that each player uses per game. People used to play chess without clocks. There was no time limit on how long one person could think about their move. That made for some very long and boring games! In the mid-1800s they started using sand hourglasses to time each player. They soon graduated to mechanical clocks that were connected together so that only one clock can run at a time.

CHESS AND TIME
Chess clocks give each player a certain amount of time to make all of their moves in a game. Quick blitz games are usually five minutes per player per game. Rapid games are usually between 30-60 minutes per player per game. Tournament games can last up to 3 ½ hours per player per game! There is not a time limit per move – instead players may ration their time however they want. Time is counted down until it runs out. Each player has their own amount of time that runs down while it is their turn to move. The game ends if one player runs out of time, is checkmated, there is a draw, or if a player resigns. It doesn’t matter if you are one move away from checkmate – if your time runs out before you checkmate your opponent, you lose the game!

TWO TIMERS IN ONE CLOCK
Chess clocks have two separate timers – one for each player. Only one timer counts down at a time. Each player also has a button on their side of the clock that they press when they are done with their turn. When a player pushes their button it stops their time and starts their opponent’s time. At the beginning of the game the player one player sets the time for both players with buttons in the neutral position so no time is running. Then the player with the black pieces presses their button to start the other player’s timer. Then, once the player with the white pieces has made their move, they press their button and the other player’s clock starts to run. That happens over and over until the game is finished.

CHESS CLOCK RULES
The player with the black pieces gets to decide on which side of the board they want to have the clock. This is a small advantage because you are required to hit the clock with the same hand you use to move the pieces. So, if a player is right-handed it is generally easier to have the clock on the right side so they don’t have to reach across their body to hit the clock button. If there is ever a dispute in the game one player should stop the time for both players and get immediate help. For more advanced rules on clock use please consult your national chess organization or visit the US Chess Federation Rules.

HOW TO USE AN ANALOG CHESS CLOCK
Analog (or mechanical) chess clocks were the first clocks to be invented. They use mechanical parts like levers, gears, and springs to control the time. Analog chess clocks are much easier for kids, beginners, and those who don’t want to read a huge manual to understand the digital clocks! Almost all analog clocks are the same, so if you understand one you understand them all.

Analog Chess Clock

Analog clocks use a regular clock face. Each side also has a small flag on it. When the long hand of the clock starts to approach the 12 position it will pick up the flag and raise it as it moves. When it passes the 12 position the flag will fall. Therefore, you always set an analog clock backwards with the amount of time you want per player. So, if you wanted a 15 minute game, you would set the long hand to be on the 9 – exactly 15 minutes before the straight-up 12 position. If you wanted to set the clock for one hour per player you would set the long hand to the 12 position so that one full hour would pass before the flag would fall. Remember to set both sides equally. The short hand of the clock is generally set back from the 6 o’clock position. A 2 hour game would start at 4 o’clock. You use small knobs on the back of the clock to manually move the hands on the face, just like you would adjust the time on a clock that hangs on your wall.

HOW TO USE A DIGITAL CHESS CLOCK
Digital chess clocks and timers use LCD displays and digital components to tell time. They are more fully-featured than analog clocks (supporting more advanced features like time delay, move counters, etc), but can be very complicated for users. Each digital chess clock is different, so you will need to learn the specifics about each clock you use.

Digital Chess Clock

Instead of a clock face and hands that travel around it, digital chess clocks and timers use a digital display to show the amount of time left. Time is usually shown in the hours:minutes:seconds format. For example: 1:23:45 means the player has one hour, twenty three minutes and forty five seconds before their time runs out. Both players still have buttons to start and stop time. Instead of a visual flag falling, digital clocks may have an audible beep, or the display might start flashing. Also, each clock has a different way of being set by pushing a combination of buttons. You will need to consult the instruction manual that comes with your digital chess timer for its specific operational details.

This is a continuation of information set forth in the We Need Authors post.  Read on:

WHO AM I WRITING TO?
Members and customers of Wholesale Chess – online shoppers mainly from the United States and Canada, but also from around the world. They are looking for a product to purchase, and are reading your article because they know very little about the product, or are seeking an honest second opinion.

PRODUCT REVIEW GUIDELINES

Product Review Purpose
-Inform and entertain the reader,
-Explain what the product is, how it is used/played,
-Includes both pros and cons of product, and
-Suggests if the product is of good value, and for whom.

In short, the review is meant to help a customer decide whether or not the product is right for them. These articles will be posted on this blog for customers to read.

A Few Suggestions
-Product idea must be approved before article submission.
-You must have actually played/used the product in order to review it!
-Content should be original and unique.
-DON’T include: strategies (submit as a strategy article), extreme opinions (I hate this chess set)
(quick note-if you have strong feelings against a product, feel free to review it on the product page at the store).
-Personal Photos or accompanying images are appreciated.

Samples of Good Product Reviews:
Apples to Apples Review(329 words $23.03 store credit - This article has an enticing heading, is personal, and explains the game).
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/314374. (While a little longer than we’d like, this article has a good heading that gets your attention. It adds a personal feel to the article, then goes on to explain the general setup and play of the game. The article finishes by giving opinion on the game.)

Love the challenge of a strategic game of chess?

Enjoy sharing your opinion with others in written form?

Then please accept our invitation to have your articles published on the Wholesale Chess blog.

EARN STORE CREDIT for well-written product reviews, white papers, and other miscellaneous articles.

HOW IT WORKS

1.  Choose a Topic
Want to write about your favorite chess set?  Review a chess product?  Offer guidance on how to choose a chess set? Have a few tactics up your sleeve you wouldn’t mind sharing?  Tips for beginners?  Share your knowledge!  Check in the comments below to see if your article idea hasn’t already been taken.

2.  Submit Your Idea for Approval
Submit your idea by leaving a comment below. Your idea submission should include your name and email address along with your article’s topic, a brief outline, and expected word count.  Don’t worry, your comment will not be posted - Using the comments to contact the blog editor is simply the easiest way to go.  We will let you know as soon as possible if your topic is approved. A topic may be declined if it has already been covered recently, or if it is irrelevant or inappropriate.

3.  Write Your Article!
Be sure to wait until you’ve received approval, so you’re not wasting your time!  The blog editor will email you (using the email you provided in your comment) to let you know.  Now write!  Make it informational, entertaining or both! Edit it well – authors who submit poorly written articles may not be asked to author again.

4.  Submit Your Finished Article
You’ll be given more instructions on how to submit the final article when your idea is approved.

5.  Your Article Will be Edited and Posted
Articles requiring too much editing will be sent back to the author for re-writing. We reserve the right to edit your submission in any way. Your style is important, and we will try hard to preserve that style. However, we may edit for grammar, clarity, organization, appropriateness, or liveliness – and we reserve the right to decide what entails the definition of each of those points. You will be notified once the article has been edited and accepted. The timeline for posting articles is entirely at our discretion.  Blog authors can choose whether or not their name appears as the author of their article.

6.  Collect Your Store Credit and Spend!
You will receive $.07 store credit per word. ($17.50 cash for 250 words, $35 cash for 500 words, etc). Payment will be received after the article has been posted. It is important to note that unnecessary words/fluff, run-on sentences, and wordy paragraphs will be edited and removed from the article, and payment adjusted.