Rules

General Format

The tournament consists of 8 players competing in a single-elimination bracket:

• Quarterfinals: 4 games
  
  

• Semifinals: 2 games
  
  

• Final: 1 game
  
  

Winners advance to the next round until a champion is determined.

Playing Conditions

All games are played inside a sauna.

Players must:

• Wear a blindfold throughout the entire game.
  
  

• Remain seated in the sauna during play.
  
  

• Clearly announce their moves aloud.
  
  

Players may resign at any time.

Leaving the sauna during a game counts as resignation.

Blind Chess Procedure

Because players cannot see the board:

• Moves must be spoken clearly using standard chess notation.
  
  

• The move must be understandable to both the opponent and the referee.
  
  

• If the move is unclear, the referee may ask the player to repeat it.
  
  

Example:
“Knight f3”, “Queen takes d5”, “Castle kingside”.

Role of the Referee

A referee is present for every game.

The referee is responsible for:

• Moving the pieces on the board
  
  

• Repeating the moves aloud
  
  

• Ensuring moves are legal
  
  

• Operating the chess clock
  
  

• Confirming check, checkmate, and illegal moves
  
  

The referee’s decisions are final.

Time Control

Each player has:

• 10 minutes on the chess clock.

• The clock is handled exclusively by the referee.

• A player loses the game if their time runs out.

Illegal Moves

If a player declares an illegal move, the referee will inform them.

The player must then declare a new move.

If a player declares two illegal moves in a row, the player loses the game.

Winning a Game

A game may be won by:

• Checkmate
  
  

• Opponent resignation
  
  

• Opponent leaving the sauna
  
  

• Opponent running out of time
  
  

• Opponent declaring two illegal moves in a row

Fair Play

Players must behave respectfully toward:

• Opponents
  
  

• The referee
  
  

• Spectators and venue staff
  
  

Unsportsmanlike behavior may lead to disqualification at the referee’s discretion.

Breaks Between Rounds

There will be a 10-minute break between rounds.

Players may leave the sauna during these breaks.

Players may enter the cold plunge to cool down during breaks.

Final Authority

The organizers of WBSCC reserve the right to make decisions regarding situations not explicitly covered by these rules.

All organizer decisions are final.