Free guides and expert strategies for schools, clubs, pubs and cafes hosting chess tournaments.
Try a different word, or tap "All guides" to see all 58.
Copies of Swiss Perfect 98 still download, but nobody maintains it. What remains, whether it is worth installing, and what club organisers moved to.
Read ArticleRegister the society, win the freshers fair, give the weekly session a shape, run a Swiss, get funding, and hand over before you graduate.
Read ArticleWhat the free tools actually have to do, how to choose between Swiss, round robin and knockout, where the free tiers stop being free, and which games it all works for.
Read ArticleFormats, rounds, spread and tiebreaks, clocks and word lists. The pairing systems built for chess run a word game club night without any changes.
Read ArticleThe format behind Counter-Strike majors and card game events. What the 3-0 and 0-3 pools mean, how seeding and tiebreakers work, and how to run one at your own event.
Read ArticleMatch lengths, formats, the Crawford rule, clocks and byes, plus free software that pairs every round and keeps the standings for your club night.
Read ArticleHow long to wait before forfeiting, what a walkover scores, the difference between a forfeit and a bye, and what to do when a player stops turning up halfway through.
Read ArticleChess is on the esports stage now. What the big events actually do differently, why the clocks are so fast, and how to run an esports-style chess night at your own club.
Read ArticleFlag fall, illegal moves, insufficient material, increment and delay, default time and pausing. The clock rules that actually come up, plus what a casual organiser can safely relax.
Read ArticleNo rating needed. Where events are actually listed, how to read a tournament advert, what to bring, what happens across a round, and how to read the pairings when they go up.
Read ArticleTake entries with a QR code instead of a clipboard. Cap the field to the boards you own, approve entries or let them straight in, and handle walk-ins without re-pairing a started round.
Read ArticleHow many boards, sets and clocks you really need, the standard sizes, rough costs by event size, and the gear you can skip without anyone noticing.
Read ArticleOne free member list with automatic expiry status, renewal filters, bulk actions and CSV import. Your members double as the players you add to every club night.
Read ArticleHandshakes, touch-move, phones, and how to offer a draw properly. The unwritten rules of your first event, explained so you can stop worrying and just play.
Read ArticleA four-week training plan for players: how much tactics, endgame and opening work to do, how to play practice games, and what to do in the last 48 hours.
Read ArticleEmpty tournaments are a promotion problem, not a chess problem. A four-week plan: where to post, what to say, and how to make signing up take ten seconds.
Read ArticleReal numbers by event type, the two-line calculation for your own fee, how to collect without a payment system, and when charging nothing fills more boards.
Read ArticleFour people and a repeating night is a chess club. A step-by-step guide to the venue, the first members, the gear, night one, and your first tournament.
Read ArticleNo coding, no hosting fees. Get your club a web page Google can find, with event listings, online registration and live results, in about 5 minutes.
Read ArticleThe round-robin tiebreak, worked through by hand. Full points for wins, half for draws, and why it rewards beating the stronger players. Plus how it differs from Buchholz.
Read ArticleReal minute ranges for bullet, blitz, rapid and classical, plus the simple sum for the longest a single game can run. From 90 seconds to six hours.
Read ArticleTouch a piece, move it. How the touch-move rule works, the j'adoube exception, castling and promotion, and how to settle a dispute at your event.
Read ArticleBullet is under 3 minutes, blitz is 3 to 10, rapid is 10 to 60. Where FIDE and Chess.com draw the lines differently, why your ratings differ, and which format to play or host.
Read ArticleBonus time adds extra seconds to your clock after every move, so you are not flagged in a winning position. How increment works, how it differs from delay, and why it exists.
Read ArticleSwiss-Manager is the FIDE standard, but it costs real money. What it does well, what the license costs, and the free browser-based alternative for casual events.
Read ArticleTwo players tie on points, so who wins? Buchholz decides. A plain-English walkthrough of how the tiebreak is calculated, worked through with one simple club example.
Read Article10/5 means 10 minutes each plus a 5 second increment per move. A plain-English guide to reading chess clock notation, plus what 3/2, 5/0 and 15/10 mean.
Read ArticleCheckers (draughts) uses the same Swiss pairing system as chess. Step-by-step guide to organizing a checkers tournament for any group, with free software that handles pairings and standings automatically.
Read ArticleGuía paso a paso en español para organizar un torneo de ajedrez gratis desde cero. Sin conocimientos previos, sin software de pago. Empieza en menos de dos minutos.
Leer artículoVega Chess is a free, FIDE-compatible desktop tournament manager by Luigi Forlano. Honest review of what it does well, where it falls short, and when a browser-based tool is the better fit.
Read ArticleA recurring league beats a one-off event. Set up weekly office chess with running standings, divisions, and a season champion your coworkers chase.
Read ArticleWin and advance, lose and you are out. How single and double elimination work, how to size your bracket, handle byes for odd player counts, seed by rating, and build it all with a free bracket generator.
Read ArticleSplit the room into two teams, Team A vs Team B. How team pairings, scoring and tie breakers work, and how to set it up in minutes. Great for class vs class, office vs office, or pub team nights.
Read ArticleOnline and over-the-board chess compared, plus a step-by-step guide to running a hybrid event where both groups compete in one combined standings table.
Read ArticleHow do chess tiebreaks work? A plain-English guide to Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, and more, with worked examples and which one to use for your event.
Read ArticleBullet, blitz, rapid and classical made simple. How to read notation like 10+5, increment vs delay, and the best time control to pick for your tournament.
Read ArticleGet children hooked on chess with fun beginner mini-games, the right first lessons, and a school chess club structure that keeps them coming back all year.
Read ArticleHonest review of the best free chess tournament tools in 2026. Side-by-side comparison of pairing software, bracket generators, and organizer apps for pubs, clubs, and schools.
Read ArticleWhat a Swiss system tournament is and how it works: brackets, rounds, byes, and tiebreaks, with worked examples for chess, esports, and card games.
Read ArticleTen ready-to-use activity ideas for school chess clubs: tactics races, blitz sessions, mini-tournaments, peer teaching, Chess960, and more. Works for all ages and skill levels.
Read ArticleTouch-move, illegal moves, time controls, etiquette, and dispute resolution explained in plain language. Includes a one-page rules template you can read aloud before Round 1.
Read ArticleFree tools for teachers and coordinators: Swiss pairings, student certificates, and live standings in minutes. No IT department required.
Read ArticleNever organised a chess event before? This reassuring step-by-step guide gets you from zero to first pairing. No chess knowledge required.
Read ArticleTrophies, certificates, gift cards, and creative awards: prize ideas for school, pub, club, and office chess tournaments at every spend level.
Read ArticleThe exact number of rounds for any player count: Swiss, Round Robin, or Knockout. Quick-reference tables, real examples, and the formula that makes it simple.
Read ArticleSwiss or round robin? The right format depends on player count, time, and skill mix. A clear guide for teachers who need to choose and get it right.
Read ArticleLaunch an ongoing school chess club from scratch. Get admin approval, recruit students, run weekly sessions, and host monthly tournaments that keep members coming back all year.
Read ArticleCoffee shops are the original 'Third Place'. Build a sticky community of regulars who treat your shop like a second home.
Read ArticleRaise $2,000+ for your cause with a chess fundraiser. Entry fees, sponsorship tiers, raffle ideas, and a complete event-day playbook.
Read ArticleStep-by-step guide for teachers to organize scholastic chess tournaments. Age-appropriate formats, volunteer coordination, and free pairing software.
Read ArticleComplete equipment list, venue setup guide, and day-of timeline. Never forget anything when organizing your chess event.
Read ArticlePlan memorable office chess tournaments that boost morale and strategic thinking. The perfect team building activity for modern workplaces.
Read ArticleSide-by-side comparison of the top chess tournament tools. Free and paid options reviewed with features, pricing, and recommendations.
Read ArticleFrom speed blitz nights to charity marathons, 15 creative chess event formats for pubs, clubs, schools, and offices.
Read ArticleTurn slow nights into packed houses. A complete playbook for bar owners looking to attract the chess community and boost weekday revenue.
Read ArticleEverything you need to know about organizing a chess tournament, from format selection to final standings. Step-by-step instructions included.
Read ArticleMaster the most popular tournament format in chess. Learn how Swiss pairings work, when to use them, and how to calculate standings.
Read ArticlePick a format, Swiss is the usual choice because nobody is eliminated, decide how many rounds fit your time, register the players, then generate pairings and enter results each round. Free browser software does the pairings and standings for you, so a first-time organiser mainly announces pairings and collects results. Our complete beginner's guide walks through every step.
For Swiss events, 3 rounds up to 8 players, 4 rounds for 9 to 16, 5 rounds for 17 to 32, and 6 rounds for 33 to 64. That is enough to separate a clear winner without eliminating anyone. If you are unsure, add a round rather than remove one.
One board and set per pair of players, tables and chairs, and a way to show pairings and standings. Clocks are strongly recommended but not essential for a first casual event. For 20 players that means 10 boards, 10 sets, ideally 10 clocks, and about 5 tables.
Yes. ChessHost runs in any browser with nothing to download, handles Swiss pairings, tiebreaks, live standings and a venue TV display, and is free for one event a month of up to 12 players. Bigger or more frequent events need ChessHost Pro.
Swiss pairing matches players with similar scores in each round, so winners play winners and everyone plays every round. Nobody is knocked out, players never meet twice, and colours are balanced across the event. It is the standard format for club nights and open tournaments.
A casual event with 8 to 16 players, 3 to 5 rounds and a rapid time control such as 10+5 usually runs 2 to 4 hours including registration and prizes. Faster time controls fit a single evening. Multiply the round length by the number of rounds, then add about 30 minutes for setup and the prize giving.
Create your tournament bracket in 30 seconds. Free for one event a month of up to 12 players. Bigger or more frequent events need ChessHost Pro, from $6 a month.
Launch ChessHost