How does ChessRun work?
- ChessRun is mainly played on a standard basketball court (28m x 15m). The tables are placed along the center line of the court and can accommodate up to 12 boards equipped with digital clocks.
- At the beginning of a round, players with the black pieces stand in front of their board, while players with the white pieces position themselves behind the baseline of the court, directly opposite their board. A referee starts the round by announcing 3, 2, 1, GO. When the referee says 2, the black players start the white clocks. At GO, all players start running. Black players must complete a full round-trip run before making their first move, while white players simply run to their board to play their first move.
- After each move, players must run to the baseline behind them and return to the board. This can be done in three ways: by crossing the line with both feet, by running around a cone placed on the line, or, if the layout of the court prevents crossing the line (e.g., a wall is directly on or very close to the line), by touching the wall with both hands before returning to the board.
- ChessRun follows FIDE Blitz rules, but the draw offer procedure is adapted. Since a player may be running when the opponent wants to offer a draw, waiting for the opponent to return may create a strategic disadvantage. To ensure fairness, each player receives two draw offer cards: White has two white cards with black text reading 'White offers draw', and Black has two black cards with white text reading 'Black offers draw'. To offer a draw, a player simply places one of their cards on the board, even if the opponent is absent. The opponent may then accept the draw by stopping the clock, or reject it by taking the card and keeping it as proof of refusal. If a player notices an irregularity (e.g., dropping a piece), they may press the clock and claim it. In addition to FIDE penalties, the opponent must run to the baseline and back before making their next move.
- The standard time control in ChessRun is 10 minutes with a 5-second increment per move. However, to account for differences in endurance, players in certain Masters categories receive additional time:
| Category | Time control |
|---|---|
| M40/W40 | 10 minutes + 6 sec/move |
| M45/W45 | 10 minutes + 7 sec/move |
| M50/W50 | 10 minutes + 8 sec/move |
| M55/W55 | 10 minutes + 9 sec/move |
| M60/W60 | 10 minutes + 10 sec/move |
| M65/W65 | 10 minutes + 11 sec/move |
| M70/W70 | 10 minutes + 12 sec/move |
| M75/W75 | 10 minutes + 13 sec/move |
| M80+/W80+ | 10 minutes + 14 sec/move |
