The main condition - the fan zone must not disturb the players. Best of all is a separate room or part of a café behind a partition. If it is one hall, the fan zone goes at the far end, with its back to the players, and the sound quieter than seems necessary.
| What | How | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A screen with the game broadcast | boards and moves in real time | the main thing spectators come for |
| A screen with pairings and standings | who plays whom, who is leading | spectators follow the whole tournament |
| Seating | chairs or sofas facing the screens | spectators stay longer |
| A commentator's microphone | only if the sound does not reach the players | otherwise - commentary in headphones or as text |
| A QR code to the broadcast | on the tables and the wall of the fan zone | people can watch on a phone, sitting anywhere |
| A demonstration board | for analysis and simuls | live analysis of games after the round |
| Water, coffee, snacks | next to the fan zone | people do not leave during the breaks |
A TV or a projector depends on the light in the hall: the hall screen of a chess tournament.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| During the rounds | commentary on the top boards, the broadcast on screen |
| Between rounds | going through an interesting position on the demonstration board, a quiz |
| For children | a corner with boards for free play, timed puzzles |
| For guests with no experience | "how the pieces move" in five minutes from a volunteer |
| Before the prize-giving | a simultaneous display or a blitz match between the strongest |
The commentator is the key person in a fan zone: without one, a game on screen makes sense only to strong players. How to find one and how to run the commentary - a chess tournament commentator.
Put these rules up in the fan zone and say them before the first round. A guide for parents - parents at a junior tournament.
If the games are recorded by phone cameras, the fan zone screens fill by themselves:
A separate place for spectators with screens: one shows the games, the other the pairings and standings. People can talk, discuss positions and listen to a commentator there without disturbing the players.
Two: the game broadcast and the pairings with standings. With one screen - the broadcast, and spectators check the standings on their phones.
No. Standing at tables in play and discussing games next to them is not allowed. That is what a fan zone is for.
By the broadcast link or the QR code in the fan zone - with no sign-in or registration.
Highly desirable: without one, a game on screen makes sense only to strong players. The commentator's sound must not reach the players.
There are no club or arbiter roles in the app: the create button is available to everyone. You can announce a tournament today and run it this weekend.
when there are more than ten players and nobody should be knocked out
when the field is small and fairness matters most
when you simply want to get together and play
The bot is constantly improved based on real tournaments. If you need a feature that isn't there yet, message the developers right inside the bot with the /support command. Many features appeared exactly because organizers asked for them, and useful ideas get added quickly.
More about broadcasting: how to watch a broadcast, a chess tournament commentator, how to prepare for a broadcast and a broadcast platform.
At the board since childhood: hazy about his rating, precise about every rook he has blundered. Counts an evening as a good one if the opponent stayed to talk afterwards instead of rushing off to check with an engine. Message →
