FICS Guide

This page is not active for 19AMICT.


  1. Tournament games will be played on the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS). Each player will need their own dedicated device. If the device (desktop, laptop, tablet) has Java, players can play through their web browser. Otherwise, a client interface must be downloaded first. FICS and tournament staff recommend:

    • Windows: WinBoard, BabasChess, Jin, or Thief

    • Mac OS: Jin or Raptor

    • Linux: Xboard, eboard, Jin, or Raptor

    • Android: Mobialia, Yafi, Acid Ape, Chess-wise, Steel Chess, Chess for Android

    • iPad: Diamond Chess, iChess, Chess-Wise, coreChess HD, Noir Chess, SmallChess

    • iPhone: Diamond Chess, iChess, Handy Chess Online, Chess-Wise, coreChess, Noir Chess, SmallChess, shredder chess

    • iPod Touch: Chess-Wise

    • Browser interfaces: Free Chess Club, BetterThanChess.com, Mobialia (not FICS-affiliated though, a separate account is required)

  2. Each player must have their own FICS account. Registration requires the player's name, a username (handle), and an email address (can be a parent's address). The username is required for 18AMICT registration. FICS collects no other personal information.

(optional) A program called timeseal can be used to eliminate the lag between when the move is made on a screen and when the server receives the move. FICS and tournament staff recommend the use of timeseal. See the FICS guide for details.

This guide assumes you have downloaded a client onto your device and have registered on FICS.

Words in brackets, e.g. <opponent>, should be filled in appropriately.

Before the tournament

We will use channel 95 for tournament announcements:

+channel 95

Only general-purpose announcements should be made in this channel.

Your games should default to rated:

set rated 1

To refrain from winning while playing someone with bad WiFi:

set noescape 0

To start a practice game with tournament time controls:

seek 15 0

To see if a player has timeseal (a program to account for the lag between a player making a move and the server receiving the move):

finger <username>

To learn more about installing timeseal (different for different operating systems)

help timeseal

To learn more about FICS commands:

help <command>

During the tournament

To check in with the tournament staff (required before the tournament starts):

tell <recorder> I am here

To start a tournament game (after checking the pairings for the round):

match <opponent> 15 0 <color>

To respond to your opponent's match request:

accept

To contact the tournament director:

tell ruzon <message>

To observe another player's match (do not make any comments:

observe <player>

During the match

To take back a move (for mouse slips only):

takeback 1

If your opponent has moved before you type this command, use "takeback 2" instead. The other player can "accept", "decline", or make a move, which declines the request.

To offer a draw:

draw

If it is not an automatic draw, the other player can "accept", "decline", or make a move, which declines the request.

To talk to your opponent:

say <message>

There is usually no need to talk to your opponent during the match.

To request to adjourn the match:

adjourn

The other player can "accept", "decline", or make a move, which declines the request. Adjournments should only be requested in emergencies.

To resign the match:

resign

After the match

To show good sportsmanship:

tell <opponent> Good game

If you won your game:

tell <recorder> I beat <opponent>

If you drew your game:

tell <recorder> I drew with <opponent>

If you lost your game, you do not need to tell anyone anything.