What is a tournament?

The room goes quiet as round one starts, and your first opponent sits across from you. A tournament is a chess event with many games, held in one day or over a weekend. It is played in rounds, and in each round you play a new opponent. Kids' events often have five rounds, and sometimes more. Five games at home are not a tournament. A tournament has someone in charge, and every player signs up first. Over the board means a real board and a real opponent, in one room. Online events do not count for this sticker.

How it works

• A win gives you one point, a draw half a point, and a loss zero.
• Nobody is sent home early, so if you lose, you still play in the next round.
• In each round, you play someone with about the same number of points as you.
• A list on the wall, called the pairing list, shows your board and your color.
• The player with the most points at the end wins.
• Most games use a chess clock, so every round ends on time.

This way of running a tournament is called the Swiss system. It was first used in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1895.

How do I find one?

Ask at school, at the library or at a chess club near you. A grown-up who plays chess often knows of one too. Most kids' events are happy to welcome brand-new players. Many first tournaments are small, with just one room and one morning.

What is it like?

Between rounds you can eat, drink and walk around. You will lose some games, because every player does, even world champions. Say "good game", and start the next round on a fresh board. The world championships for kids work this way too. Kids play there in age groups, from under 8 to under 12. In 2025, 842 kids from 88 countries played 11 rounds there.

How you get the sticker

Show the results list, or a photo of the standings, the list of everyone's points. Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. If you have no club or coach, your grown-up at home checks the list. A bye, a round where you had no game, counts as a round you played. If you left after two rounds, you can earn the sticker at your next tournament. Did you play a tournament before you had the passport? It still counts.