The fact is that US Chess rules and FIDE rules are identical in well over 99% of positions. To say that the minuscule number of positions where the rules differ means that when you play under FIDE rules you play “clock” but under US Chess rules you play “board” is preposterous.
Alex Relyea
You’re correct, but I never said that…It is a matter of degree. FIDE and US Chess rules don’t differ by much, but where they do differ they do so in the manner I have elucidated. In the vast majority of cases where your opponent runs out of time you will be given a win. However, it is an incontrovertible fact that there are some positions (K+2N vs. K; K+LSB vs. K+ DSB, etc.) where FIDE will award a win where US Chess will award a draw, but there are no positions where US Chess will award a win, but FIDE will award a draw. To the extent that the rules differ the philosophies of the two organizations differ as I have described. Remember, the OP’s question was about how the two organization’s rules differ, not about the large body of cases where they align.
Agreed.
I would also point out that the numerous proponents of having a freely available online rule set ought to support adopting a freely available online rule set.
And from that thread, I believe the consensus was that this is not true unless the player hits his clock after capturing the king. But, if he hasn’t, which in practice should be 99.999% of the time, then he can put the pieces back and then properly claim the original illegal move.
True enough, but –
But how often would the claimant think to put the pieces back and claim properly? My guess: only after an arbiter had been watching (or was called over to handle the claim) and told the claimant, directly to his face, to put the pieces back and claim properly.
So, although the consensus solution is no doubt the best way to handle a bad rule, that doesn’t change my opinion that it’s a bad rule.
I could easily see a hot-headed claimant, after being told by the arbiter to put the pieces back and claim properly, starting a heated, loud, and pointless argument, beginning with “What do you mean, claim properly?? My opponent already lost. He hung his king. I win!!”
Bill Smythe
A little light went off in my head.
USCF rules are built for two or three games a day; the games must be completed. FIDE rules are built for one game daily. That’s why they can look for truth rather than competitive reality. It cannot become a Batan death march.
I don’t understand this at all.
Alex Relyea
I don’t remember who told me this (an IA, most likely), but here’s what someone once told me:
FIDE rules are designed for ideal conditions and professional players, while US Chess rules are designed to work with far from ideal conditions and players of any skill level.
I believe that USCF rules are also more practical. Built to fit 2 or 3 games in a day. why the insufficient mating material rule exists and others. They shorten the game; in order to fit the other games in. There isn’t just one eight hour game.
Well, yes, I can sympathize with these comparisons to some extent.
When one thinks of US Chess, one visualizes Bill Goichberg single-handedly directing 1000 players with an average rating of 1400.
When one thinks of FIDE, one visualizes Coert Gjessen (sp?) keeping an eye on every move of the World Championship Match.
But the two are moving toward each other. More and more important tournaments for top players are being run in the USA, and many countries, including some without their own national rating systems, are running amateur events.
I’m glad the two rule sets are moving toward each other.
Bill Smythe
I wonder if anyone in FIDE will get the idea to ask, “Why do you need other ratings, when you have FIDE Ratings?”
This is less likely, since USCF beat FIDE to the punch in developing ratings.
Bill Smythe
Ditto for the Rulebook, I believe.
Unclear. FIDE may have had something in print by 1940 or earlier.
Bill Smythe
The point is well taken I can’t count the number of number of
drawn position I have ruined
This is an example of it is good that the rules are coming closer together.
An Example is game 17 of 1972 World Champ match. Spassky allowed a 3 time rep. I read in Smith’s book(?).
that the rule was used by FIDE but not in USSR
Hmm, interesting. So, over the years, USA is not the only country that has had savage independent rebels.
Bill Smythe
If you can believe Wikipedia then FIDE had some rules in 1929, a FIDE Rules Commission publishing rules in 1952 and 1955 (all in French with that as the official language), Harkness publishing in 1956, and the first official FIDE rules in English coming in 1974 (based on the 1955 rules), at while point English became the official Rules language. 1984 was apparently when FIDE abandoned the idea of a universal set of rules, and opted for the FIDE rules being the standard for high-level play.
Again, that is if you can believe Wikipedia.
Kenneth Harkness in “The Official Chess Handbook”, indicates that the First American Congress (1857) used rules published in Howard Staunton’s “Chess Player’s Handbook,” (1847) which was later revised in 1860. These laws of chess were a compilation of rules agreed upon by a number of European organizers. The Manhattan Chess Club in 1897 acquired the rights to publish an American version of the rules which became known as “The American Chess Code.”
With the creation of FIDE in 1924 there was a consensus for a supreme authority for the rules to be followed in international play. By 1929, an international chess code was adopted by the Council of the FIDE. From 1929 to 1952, these were the accepted laws for all competitions, that is, tournaments and matches. Many countries and local associations had supplementary rules, but the FIDE laws were accepted as the basic rules governing play. In 1952, the rules were amended. More amendments and changes were made in subsequent years by FIDE Congresses.
For many years, US tournaments were run using the Harkness book, which outlined how to run Swiss System tournaments that were replacing Holland System events and the round robins, which were the norm in higher level international tournaments. The latter were fully covered by FIDE rules and regulations. By the late 1960’s there was an attempt to find a consensus between US and FIDE rules. The first two Rulebooks published by the USCF provided the foundation for rules used in the USCF while maintaining conformance with international standards. Many differences between US rules and FIDE rules were addressed. Later USCF Rulebooks were thicker and more detailed expositions of the manner in which Swiss System tournaments were to be conducted. These books went beyond the basic rules and were focused more on the organizing of tournaments, clubs, and activities. Each Rulebook has become more encyclopedic in nature. They provide information for organizers, club directors, and players concerning all aspects of chess.
FIDE has focused on chess for international play. It has branched out in developing rules for organizers, specific standards for tournaments, and regulations concerning officials, trainers, and player conduct. Both FIDE and the USCF are in pretty much in agreement on the very basic rules. After that, FIDE and the USCF vary considerably on the conduct of tournaments. The rating systems also have developed differently and with varying accuracy. The USCF rating system has undergone many changes to maintain accuracy and consistency. It has only been in the last few years that FIDE extended its rating system below the 2000 level to address the number of amateurs competing. The accuracy of the FIDE rating is sometimes questioned. While many countries just use FIDE ratings, the US rating system diverges from FIDE’s ratings by 100 points or more. In many cases, the US chess community has gotten there first with many innovations in tournament play for amateurs and professionals. FIDE has followed along later, and not as well IMO.
Interesting two points.
FIDE rules are more clear and a bit strange from a practical view I suspect it is related to many different spoken languages; so, the rules must be clear.
I believe the FIDE title system needs adjustment. I hesitate to call it bogus
but I have played a TD’d players who have earned FIDE CM (USCF 2220) and FM(USCF 2300) titles. They struggle against USCF 1500-1700