More on inspections, suspicions and penalties at official events - fair play over the board.
In practice tournaments choose one of three regimes. The regulations say which one applies.
| Regime | What it looks like | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| A complete ban | no phones in the playing area at all; they are handed in or left in the cloakroom | official FIDE and federation events, tournaments with big prizes |
| In a bag, switched off | the phone is completely off and lies in a bag where agreed with the arbiter (11.3.2.1) | rated tournaments whose regulations allow it |
| As a tool | the arbiter has approved the device for a specific task: the clock, recording the game (11.3.2) | club and amateur tournaments, Vibe Chess meetups |
The third regime is not a loophole but normal arbiting practice: the arbiter approves electronic clocks or electronic boards in exactly the same way. The difference is that the device belongs to the player, so the rule must state clearly what may and may not be done on it.
At Vibe Chess meetups phones serve to record the game and as a timer. So they are allowed - but only when the Vibe Chess app is open on the screen, and no other. That way the phone stays tournament equipment rather than a source of hints, and there is nothing to argue about.
Why one app, rather than "a phone on your honour":
Each pairing has one or two phones. The first is the chess clock: it lies beside the board, both players see both halves of the screen. The second is the camera on a stand above the board: it records the game and sends the moves to the broadcast. If the players' phones differ, the weaker one goes under the clock and the stronger one on the camera.
Which phone goes where - which smartphone suits Vibe Chess, about the clock itself - a chess clock on your phone.
The arbiter has a scale of penalties (Article 12.9): from a warning to expulsion from the tournament. The penalty must fit the situation. A guide for two kinds of tournament:
| What happened | A Vibe Chess meetup, a club evening | A rated tournament |
|---|---|---|
| The phone rang (on silent, but a call came through on a watch) | a warning | a loss, unless the regulations say otherwise |
| Another app is open, the player made no moves in it | a warning, close the app | a loss |
| Answered a message during their own game | a loss of the game | a loss |
| A chess program or a hint | a loss and expulsion from the tournament | a loss, expulsion, a report to the federation |
Whatever the scale, announce it before round one. A penalty nobody was warned about feels arbitrary, even when it is correct by the rules.
Article 12.8 covers everyone in the hall: a phone may be used only with the arbiter's permission. In practice it is simplest to separate the areas - players at the tables, spectators apart. Spectators and parents can follow the games through the broadcast right on their phones, without going up to the tables: the moves go live from the camera, and nobody stands behind the players.
How the broadcast works - chess tournament broadcast.
Text for the tournament regulations or the announcement before round one:
The rest of the regulations - chess tournament regulations.
Under the FIDE Laws - only if the arbiter has approved the device. At official events phones are banned or lie switched off in a bag. At Vibe Chess meetups the phone is the chess clock and the camera, so it is allowed, but only with the Vibe Chess app open.
Article 11.3.2 forbids a device not approved by the arbiter. At our meetups the arbiter approves the phone for one task - the clock and game recording in the Vibe Chess app. Any other use remains forbidden.
No. During your own game only the Vibe Chess app may be open on the phone. If you minimise it, the clock pauses and your opponent will see it.
At an official tournament - a loss, unless the regulations set a milder penalty. At a Vibe Chess meetup the arbiter usually gives a warning. To avoid it, turn on Do Not Disturb before the game.
Only if the regulations and the arbiter explicitly allow it. At FIDE-rated tournaments phones are usually banned or must lie switched off in a bag.
Only with the arbiter's permission and not at the tables: Article 12.8 covers everyone in the hall. It is easier to follow the games through the broadcast without going up to the players.
No arbiter skills required. The app takes over the part that usually stops people from running tournaments at all: who plays whom in each round and who finishes first.
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 arbiting: fair play over the board, late arrival and forfeit, a host and an arbiter for a tournament and the rules of chess.
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 →
