UEC Chess | Information

Parents and Spectators

We hope that you will have the opportunity to see your student compete at a chess match whether it is a week day dual match, or a weekend tournament. Here are a few things you should know about competitive chess:

• No one may talk to, communicate or gesture to a player who is playing a game, even if they are out of their seat (like getting a drink of water or using the restroom).

  • If you are there to watch, please stand behind and completely out of the line of sight of the seated team memebers are you are affiliated with.

  • No matter how close the game or how exciting the match, you may not make an audible reaction. Even a sigh of frustration of clapping hands out of happiness is a way of communicating and therefore against the rules for spectators.

• Competitors may not have or use their phone or smartwatch during a match anywhere in the competition area. So if you can't get a hold of your student for a few hours this is why.

• Spectators must also have their phones away and silent during a match. The exception to this is that photography is permitted during the first 10 minutes of a round per the IHSA rules for non-student spectators.

• Your players compete in one place, but will have team room or camp elsewhere. In chess, this space is referred to as "skittles" regardless of the quantity or type of candy present.

• Any event might have sudden adjustments to the schedule. Some tournaments have text alerts, usually through Remind, a school safe messaging system. When in doubt, reach out to your student's coach as teams may arrive and leave at different times during a tournament.

• Sometimes concessions are available, sometimes they are not. Your student should have a plan in place for food and drink as chess tournaments can go for quite a while. 

  • UEC Dual Matches can take about an hour and a half, plus more time for the bus ride to and from the competition. 

  • UEC Tournaments vary in length, but all take longer than our Dual Matches.

  • Having your student utilize a food delivery service can be problematic as their phones are off or silenced during a match. Possessing, accessing or using a phone during a match is against the rules and will incur a penalty. A phone that makes an audible sound during a match will also incur a penalty for the player and team.

• Your student will have chess uniform to wear issued to them by their school.

• There is no admission fee for spectators at any UEC Dual Match, UEC Tournament or IHSA State Series event.