Complaints Procedures

Please see the tabs below for the procedures on filing complaints. Read “How to File a Complaint” for general information on filing Ethics, Rules, Tournament Directors & Arbiters, and States & Affiliates complaints, and then select the relevant tab for specific instructions. For Safe Play complaints, refer to the Safe Play tab for the correct procedures.

How to File a Complaint

To file a complaint with US Chess, you will need the following:

US Chess membership. Membership must be current. See individual committee sections for specific details about who is eligible to file a complaint.
Formal written complaint. All complaints should be typed. Be sure the complaint includes your US Chess member ID, your contact information, the respondent’s US Chess member ID, and names/details of other relevant individuals. Your complaint should also make specific reference to the section(s) of the code, bylaws, or rules you believe have been violated.
Supporting documentation. (if applicable) You are responsible for providing all evidence that supports your complaint. Our committees do not research web sites (except for the US Chess rating history pages), blogs, social media postings, etc.
Witness statements. (if applicable) Our committees strongly prefer first-person witness testimony. If you want other individuals to provide statements in support of your charges, ask them for a full written statement in their own words and provide a copy with your complaint.
$50 Good faith deposit. (does not apply to Safe Play complaint process) In addition to submitting your complaint, you must also pay a $50 good faith deposit to US Chess. You can call Brian Harting at (314) 661-9506 to pay by credit card, or you can mail a check, money order, or cashier’s check to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308, Saint Louis, MO 63177. The deposit will be returned unless the ruling authority finds the complaint to be frivolous and determines that the deposit should be forfeited. The fee is subject to change as determined by US Chess.

Once you have assembled your complaint packet, you have two options for submission:

Email your completed packet to Brian Harting. (Preferred method) You can pay your good faith deposit by phone or by postal mail. If you mail the deposit, note that your complaint will not be activated until the deposit is received.
Mail your completed packet to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308, Saint Louis, MO 63177. Mailed complaints typically include the $50 good faith deposit in the form of check, money order, or cashier’s check, but you can also call and pay by credit card.

You will receive an email notifying you that your complaint has been received, and you will be informed about next steps.

Please refer to each committee process for more specific information. If you have additional questions on how to file a formal complaint, contact committee liaison Judy Misner.

Ethics Committee complaint process

In accordance with the US Chess Code of Ethics, you must be a current US Chess member to file an Ethics complaint. The one exception to this rule is that non-member parents may file complaints for member children too young (or otherwise impaired) to do it themselves.

The jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee is governed by two documents: the Code of Ethics and the Executive Board Standards of Conduct. In your complaint, you should make specific reference to the section(s) of either or both documents that you believe have been violated by the party or parties against whom you are filing your claim.

Once your complaint is received in the US Chess office, the following steps happen in this sequence:

A copy of your complaint is sent to the Ethics Committee for review by every member.
The committee reviews your complaint to determine if it falls within the committee’s jurisdiction.
a. If the committee votes “No” and declines jurisdiction, you will be notified and your case will be dismissed by US Chess.
b. If the committee votes “Yes” to accept jurisdiction, then your case proceeds to step 3.
Your entire complaint is sent to the respondent(s) who are instructed to respond in writing by a given deadline.
When the office receives the response, it will be sent to you as the claimant and you will have the opportunity to make a rebuttal.
Your rebuttal will be sent to the respondent(s) who will have a one final opportunity to counter your rebuttal.
After US Chess receives the respondent’s final response, US Chess will create a complete packet containing the complaint and all responses. This packet will be sent to all parties as well as every member of the Ethics Committee. At this point no further input from you or the respondent are allowed.
The committee will then consider the evidence, take a vote, and US Chess will notify all parties of the decision.

If the Ethics Committee finds that a violation has occurred, the committee can recommend sanctions to the Executive Board, including a reprimand, a censure, or even suspension or revocation of US Chess membership in accordance with Section 8, subparagraphs (a) through (f), of the Code of Ethics. When the Executive Board votes to impose a sanction, it takes effect immediately.

The office sends a Decision Letter to all parties to convey the Executive Board’s decision. If the Executive Board has imposed sanctions, the respondent(s) has/have 30 days from the date of notification to submit an appeal to the Executive Board through the US Chess office. Appeals are NOT permitted in cases where the Ethics Committee has found in favor of the respondent(s) and has recommended no sanctions. Further, the Claimant has no right to submit additional evidence or to ask for a more severe sanction.

Please note however, that when the respondent(s) is/are a member of the Executive Board, the Ethics Committee can recommend only a reprimand or censure; if they wish to suggest more serious sanctions, these must be referred to the US Chess Delegates for action.

US Chess strongly encourages claimants and respondents to refrain from posting information or making disparaging remarks about the case on social media platforms or in the US Chess Forums.

Appeals to Ethics Committee decisions must be submitted to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308 Saint Louis, MO 63177 or by email to the Executive Board president, with a copy to Executive Director Ranae Bartlett and Brian Harting.

Rules Committee complaint process

US Chess maintains a standing Rules Committee to review questions pertaining to the rules of play. In case of doubt as to the application or interpretation of these rules, the US Chess Rules Committee will examine the case in point and render an official decision.

In accordance with Section 21L1, Procedure, US Chess Federation Official Rules of Chess, 7th Edition, appeals in writing must be postmarked and sent to the US Chess office within seven days of the end of the tournament. Click here for online version 7th Edition rules.

The complaint should make specific reference to the applicable section(s) and rule(s) from the Official Rules of Chess.

A complaint may be filed by:

Any player adversely affected by a decision by a tournament director or organizer, e.g., (game result, prize distribution, standings, etc.)
A parent or coach on behalf of a player under the age of 16.
A team coach or team captain on behalf of a team member if the decision affected the team's score or standing.

Once US Chess receives a Rules complaint, the following procedure takes place:

Every member of the Rules Committee receives a copy of the complaint to determine if it falls within their jurisdiction.
a. If the committee votes to decline jurisdiction, you (the originator) are notified, and the complaint is closed.
b. If the committee votes to accept jurisdiction, the complaint is sent to the respondent(s) with a request for a formal response by a given deadline.
After US Chess receives the response, a final packet is assembled (initial complaint and response) and is provided to every member of the Rules Committee.
The committee considers the evidence and takes a vote. All parties are notified of the final decision in writing.

If sanctions are recommended against the respondent(s), the respondent(s) has/have 30 days from when he/she was notified of the recommended sanctions to appeal the decision to our Executive Board. No appeals shall be permitted in cases where the Rules Committee has found in favor of the respondent(s) and has recommended no sanctions.

Appeals to Rules Committee decisions must be submitted to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308 Saint Louis, MO 63177 or by email to the Executive Board president, with a copy to Executive Director Ranae Bartlett and Brian Harting.

Tournament Director and Arbiters Committee (TDAC) complaint process

Any current US Chess member who participated in a US Chess rated event or FIDE-rated event and feels aggrieved by actions or decisions of a tournament director at that event may submit a formal complaint.

Once US Chess receives a TDAC complaint, the following procedure takes place:

Every member of the TDAC receives a copy of the complaint to determine if it falls within their jurisdiction.
a. If the committee votes to decline jurisdiction, you (the originator) are notified, and the complaint is closed.
b. If the committee votes to accept jurisdiction, the complaint is sent to the respondent(s) with a request for a formal response by a given deadline.
After US Chess receives the response, a final packet is assembled (initial complaint and response) and is provided to every member of the TDAC.
The committee considers the evidence and takes a vote. All parties are notified of the final decision in writing.

If sanctions are recommended against the respondent(s), the respondent(s) has/have 30 days from when he/she was notified of the recommended sanctions to appeal the decision to our Executive Board or the FIDE Arbiter’s Commission Disciplinary Subcommittee, whichever is appropriate. No appeals shall be permitted in cases where the TDAC has found in favor of the respondent(s) and has recommended no sanctions.

Appeals to TDAC decisions must be submitted to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308 Saint Louis, MO 63177 or by email to the Executive Board president, with a copy to Executive Director Ranae Bartlett and Brian Harting.

States & Affiliates Committee (SAC) complaint process

US Chess maintains a standing States & Affiliates Committee (SAC) to review matters pertaining to the duties and responsibilities of all US Chess affiliates, including the state affiliates, as articulated in the US Chess Bylaws and in paragraph 7 of the Delegate Actions of Continuing Interest (DACI). The document State Chapter Requirements and Responsibilities (DACI 1991-27) can be found here.

A complaint against one or more affiliates may be filed by:

A person or another affiliate whose membership in US Chess is in good standing.
A parent, official guardian, or chess coach on behalf of a player who is under the age of 16.

The complaint to the SAC should make direct and specific reference to those section(s) of the Bylaws and/or paragraphs from the DACI that you feel the affiliate has violated or failed to uphold.

Once US Chess receives a SAC complaint, the following procedure takes place:

Every member of the SAC receives a copy of the complaint to determine if it falls within their jurisdiction. If the committee votes to decline jurisdiction, you (the complainant) are notified, and the complaint is closed. If the committee votes to accept jurisdiction:
a. The complaint is sent to the respondent(s) with a request for a formal response by a given deadline.
b. When the response is received, it is sent to you (the complainant) for rebuttal with a given deadline.
c. When your rebuttal is received, it is sent to the respondent(s) for a final statement with a given deadline.
After US Chess receives all four documents (initial complaint, response, rebuttal, and final statement), a final packet is assembled and is provided to every member of the SAC, as well as to both parties.
The committee considers the evidence and takes a vote. If the SAC recommends sanctions, the complaint with the SAC recommendation is forwarded to the Executive Board for their decision. All parties are notified of the final decision in writing.

If sanctions are recommended against the respondent(s), the respondent(s) has/have 30 days from when he/she was notified of the recommended sanctions to appeal the decision to our Executive Board. No appeals shall be permitted in cases where the SAC has found in favor of the respondent(s) and has recommended no sanctions.

Appeals to the SAC decisions must be submitted to US Chess, Attn: Brian Harting, P.O. Box 775308 Saint Louis, MO 63177 or by email to the Executive Board president, with a copy to Executive Director Ranae Bartlett and Brian Harting.

Safe Play complaint process

Safe Play is a comprehensive player safety program consisting of education, screening, reporting tools, and policies for appropriate conduct in chess.

The Safe Play Policy applies to all US Chess rated tournaments (over-the-board and online) and to all US Chess sanctioned activities and events. To ensure that strict confidentiality is maintained for all Safe Play complaints, Safe Play reporting differs from the other complaint processes.

To report a Safe Play violation, you can:

Email Click here to show email address
Submit via the Safe Play Misconduct Reporting Form

A Safe Play complaint may be filed by:

A person(s) whose membership in US Chess is in good standing.
A non-member who has had a Safe Play violation committed against them by a current US Chess member at a US Chess sanctioned event.
A parent or official guardian on behalf of a player who is under the age of 18.
A third-party, such as a coach, organizer, tournament director, or other witness, with permission from the injured party to report.
An anonymous reporter, with the understanding that the extent of the investigation will be limited depending on the amount of anonymity requested.

Once your complaint is received in the US Chess office, the following procedures take place:

Your complaint is acknowledged by a member of the Safe Play review team.
The team reviews your complaint to determine if it is covered under the Safe Play Policy.
1. If the team determines your complaint is not a Safe Play issue, you will be notified and your complaint will be closed.
2. If the team determines your complaint is covered by Safe Play, then your complaint proceeds to step 3.
The Safe Play review team will contact you to schedule an online interview using a platform such as Zoom.
After your interview, the Safe Play review team will schedule online interviews with all named witnesses.
Once all parties for the complainant have been interviewed, the Safe Play review team sends a Notice Letter to the respondent, giving them the opportunity to respond within a given time frame. The respondent can choose to send a written response, schedule an online interview, or both.
The Safe Play review team gathers additional evidence and documentation as needed to complete the case.
After all interviews and documentation are complete, the Safe Play review team writes a findings-of-fact report and attaches all pertinent evidence. This packet is sent to the Executive Board.
The Executive Board considers the evidence and takes a vote. The Safe Play review team notifies all parties of the decision.

If the Executive Board finds that a violation has occurred, they can recommend sanctions in accordance with the Safe Play Policy and US Chess Bylaws.

The Safe Play review team sends a Decision Letter to all parties to convey the Executive Board’s decision. If the Executive Board has imposed sanctions, the respondent(s) has/have 30 days from the date of notification to submit an appeal to the Executive Board through the Safe Play review team.

Appeals to Safe Play decisions must be submitted to US Chess, Attn: Melinda Matthews, P.O. Box 775308 Saint Louis, MO 63177 or by email to Safe Play Manager Melinda Matthews.

Visit the Safe Play hub for more information or contact Safe Play Manager Melinda Matthews.