Rules and regulations are paramount to any sport. They ensure fair play and proper competency. The same applies to chess, where the so-called established rules are handy to know for any aspiring chess professional.
Chess is a game of wits and intellect. Often, during heated moments in tournaments, referees have to be at the top of their game to ensure that fair play continues. In addition to the standard rule book that governs the game, there are certain other rules that need to be kept in mind.
In addition, proper governance to rules is also important for external stakeholders, such as sport betting agencies and sports gamblers. Odds are determined based on the underlying assumption that the rules of the game would be adhered to strictly. Nowadays, betting in chess tournaments has picked up in the United states due to the relaxation of betting laws.
Touch and Move
The ‘Touch and move’ rule in chess states that once a player has touched a chess piece, he is obliged to move that. This is regardless of intentions. Obviously, the rule applies only if the move can be made. For example, if a player touches a pawn that has nowhere to move forward, the rule is ignored.
Legality and timing
Moves have to be legal. If you make an illegal move, say moving a knight diagonally or something equally ludicrous, the referee has the authority to grant the opponent additional time. Considering that timing is so crucial to the game and can make or break players, this rule can change the dimensions of a game.
There are many more, which we don’t state here due to the restriction of post length. Knowing these rules can be very advantageous while playing against amateurs or beginners.