Just the Rules: Linkamania is Running Wild!

Where in the world is that link? I asked myself.

Like any good Carmen Sandiego adventure, finding the right link in a time of need is quite an undertaking. Plus, recent disruptions with uschess.org while the website was upgraded (that is what happens with upgrades) only added challenge to my detective work.

I thought it might be worth exploring some of these links, in case they don’t make the cut when the final phase of the site renovation has ended. Right now, COVID-19’s impact on US Chess income has slowed down those improvements. So it was the perfect time for me to go hunting for linkable treasures—Linkamania!

On the uschess.org main page, I found the same pull-down menus that we all see on just about every other website, and the site’s lower ribbon displays what seems like a truckload of links— though I did notice the addition of ICC and Chess.com links since my last visit. Many of these links open long lists of even more links, and the site renovation has left some links temporarily out of order.

Here are the ones that I bookmarked:

Complaints

Even during this time of pandemic, a rule or two might get bent too much for our liking, even online. Did some TD go out of bounds when making a ruling in one of our games? Being the victim of an ethical violation leaves a bad taste in our mouth. What is the recourse when the rules get all twisted out of shape? The final word on jumping through official hoops to get your day in chess court is linked here:

Special Scholastic Chess Rules

Kids' tournaments are a lot of fun for everyone. Youngsters experiencing the joy of chess brings a lot of good cheer to their hearts. But kids are not little adults, they are kids. Youngsters need special rule variations not found in the rulebook that address their chess needs. This Scholastic Regulations link focuses on the extra wiggle room that US Chess allows our young woodpushers at National Scholastic events (plus an extra 45 links or so, off to the right.) You can pick over those regulations and adopt many of them to your own local scholastic events.

Let me stop here and pat the dean of scholastic chess Dewain Barber on the back. Look at the bottom of this column and find the free link to his Guide To Scholastic Chess. While a lot of that document might be dated due to the coronavirus (because schools are not meeting in person), much of it is not. The links in that work often refer to online services that benefit not just students, but all beginners including teachers and coaches.

Ratings “Rules of Thumb”

Generally, most of us just want to know how the rating system applies those formulas, and how they impact the bottom line of our individual ratings. We are not looking for a high-level math lesson here. We don’t really want to understand formulas that go way beyond basic algebra. What we want are some rules of thumb. What we want are FAQs.

A direct link to a ratings estimator— emphasis on the word estimator—can be found at the bottom of uschess.org. That link’s software formula is filled with wiggle room, allowing numbers that may not be official, or when you just don’t have all the accurate stats that you need. Though the formula is several years behind the times, supply as much info as you can about your opponents and the estimator will spit out an estimated rating of your performance. While the number may end up a bit different than your exact rating, the estimator is still fun to use.

Potpourri

I did find links that go beyond what typical chess warriors care about. Links for those of us that want to get involved in the chess universe beyond the 64 squares. These links often address our need to give back to this great sport of ours: State affiliates, Governance Procedures (yep, 30 more links to investigate at that site), Organizing Guidance (lots of links to explore on that page), TD certification new and upgrading (you can now direct events right from your home!), plus a new user TD/Affiliate sign in page. Many of these links are easy to find—others, not so much.

And Then There are Forms

Not only are there 45 additional links within there, but all kinds of doors get opened to all types of material. It looks like a storage spot for links that don’t seem to fit anywhere and everywhere all at once.

What links do you want to add to this list? What makes Linkamania work for you?

The free, updated US Chess Rules from the 7th edition rulebook are now downloadable and available online. Previous “Just the Rules” columns can be viewed here.

Tim Just is a National Tournament Director, FIDE National Arbiter, and editor of the 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of the US Chess Rulebook. He is also the author of My Opponent is Eating a Doughnut & Just Law, which are both available from US Chess Sales and Amazon/Kindle. Additionally, Tim recently revised The Guide To Scholastic Chess, a guide created to help teachers and scholastic organizers who wish to begin, improve, or strengthen their school chess program. Tim is also a member of the US Chess Rules Committee. His new column, exclusive to US Chess, “Just the Rules” will help clarify potentially confusing regulations.