Chess is a terrific game that has many benefits in everyday life, because it teaches you how to concentrate, plan, focus and think ahead. The fact that you can experience friendly competition in a way that doesn't require any more than a board, pieces and your ability to think is wonderful too. That's probably why you see such a large selection of chess books in stores and online. People have known the game's benefits for centuries.
Many people don't realize, though, that it takes more than just studying chess strategy to play chess effectively. People new to chess are often surprised to discover that when they first go to a chess club or tournament. One of the more important of these aspects is specific etiquette that should be followed so you can both enjoy the game and gain the respect of your opponents. It's amazing how many chess players who should know better don't honor these basic etiquette rules. Information about these rules should have been relayed to them by the people who helped them learn about winning chess, but that doesn't happen for many who play the game.
Here are some important chess etiquette tips:
* Mobile phones and beepers
Cell phones and beepers aren't allowed during tournament play, even if they're set to only vibrate. It's also a good idea to turn them off when playing at a chess club, whether in a tournament or not.
* Talking During a Chess Game
When it comes to talking while playing chess, think of the Golden Rule: Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. If it bothers you to have people talking while you play, then don't do it to others.
* Moving pieces
If you touch a chess piece, you have to move it. If you move a piece to a new square and your fingers are still on it, though, it's OK to move it back to the original square. You still have to move it, but you can choose another square. Once you take your hand off it, however, it's officially considered a move.
* The chess clock
It's essential that you use the same hand to press the clock that you use to move the pieces. Also, once you press the clock, you must move your hand away. When playing a tournament, you should press the clock to stop it if there’s ever a need to converse with the tournament director about the game.
* Offering a draw
The correct way to offer a draw is to make your move and offer the draw before you stop your clock. Once you have offered the draw, then you can press your clock. Do not offer a draw while time is running on your opponent's clock.
These are just some of the rules that should be honored when you play chess. If you play, you owe it to yourself to learn all of them.
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