Chess speaks every language

Across the board from you sits a player from another country. Maybe you do not speak the same language, but you both know the game, and that is enough.

What counts

• You play at a real board with real pieces, and online games do not count.
• The game is at an event: a tournament, an open, a festival, or a school or club match.
• Your opponent comes from another country. The entry list, with everyone who signed up, shows each player's country, and so does the results list.
• You win the game, because a draw does not earn this sticker.

Events in your own town count too, because one visitor from abroad is enough.

How to find one

Big opens are tournaments that anyone can sign up for, so players come to them from many countries. The Reykjavik Open in Iceland has run since 1964. Chess festivals and vacation tournaments bring visitors too, and so does a match against a club from abroad. Ask a grown-up who plays chess about one near you. Playing in another country is the Worldwide sticker.

At the board

Play your normal game. Before the game, say hello and shake hands, and after it, shake hands again, win or lose. A handshake works in every language.

How you get the sticker

Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. Show the results list with your game on it, and the entry list with your opponent's country. If you have no club, your grown-up at home looks at the lists with you. Did you beat a visitor before you had the passport? It still counts. Old results lists are usually still online.