US Chess Federation affiliate in Louisville, KY.
Last updated Sep 13, 2025
Tournaments organized by the Washbear Chess Club (WCC) will follow the US Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess, 7th Edition including its 2025 updates.
Select chapters are available for free as a digital download here: https://new.uschess.org/news/7th-edition-rule-book-free-chapters-updated-2025.
These free chapters contain most of the rules relevant to players in Washbear Chess Club's over-the-board tournaments.
Additions, exceptions, clarifications, or revisions to that rulebook will be listed as "club rules" on this page.
WCC allows for 30 minutes (or the game's time control, if less than 30 minutes) of waiting before a non-arriving or late-arriving player forfeits the round by default.
Note is this shorter than the US Chess default of one hour.
If the late-arriving player informs the tournament director of their intention to arrive, the tournament director may choose to extend the time allowed.
Electronic notation devices approved by US Chess are allowed for their intended use.
If a player brings any other electronic device to the playing area it must be completely turned off.
The device must be placed either inside a bag or on the table beside their board visible by their opponent for the entirety of the game. If inside a bag, the bag must remain at the board the entirety of the game (not brought to the bathroom, for example.)
Consult the tournament director if special accommodations need to be made, for example a medical worker who is "on call."
Both players are responsible for reporting the result of their game. Either by marking the pairing sheet or informing the tournament director.
Players may not request adjournments at WCC events. Directors will only adjourn a game in extraordinary circumstances.