What is slow chess?

Your opponent thinks for five whole minutes about one move, and in slow chess, that is normal. Slow chess is chess with lots of time on the clock, and players call it classical chess. Each player gets an hour or more for the whole game. In 2024, Gukesh from India won the World Championship at 18. In those games, he had two hours for his first 40 moves. Slow chess gives you time to make a plan and check every move twice, so use it.

At the board

• A chess clock counts down each player's time, and some add 30 seconds to it after each move.
• You write every move, yours and your opponent's, on a paper called a scoresheet.
• One game can take hours, and a tournament often fills a whole weekend.

Your pen plays too

In slow chess, the pen is part of the game. You move, write the move down, and then press the clock. You and your opponent sign both scoresheets. Take yours home and play the game through again. Some clocks add no extra seconds after a move. On those clocks, you may stop writing once you have under five minutes left. Practice writing moves at home first, so it feels easy on the day.

Who sets one up?

A club, a school or a city chess group sets up these tournaments. Big weekend tournaments often let kids play too. Ask a grown-up who plays, or look at the notice board at school or at a club. If you miss a round, this sticker waits for your next tournament.

How you get the sticker

Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. Show them the results list with your name in every round, or your signed scoresheets. You do not need a club for this sticker, because any classical tournament counts. Your grown-up at home checks the list. Did you play one before you had the passport? It still counts.