What a tidy player does

Every game ends with one more move: putting the pieces back. A tidy player makes that move every time, without anyone asking.

Do this wherever you play: at home, at school, at a club or a tournament.

Why it is smart

A tidy board is ready for the next game. No piece gets lost or ends up on the floor. Your grown-up or coach spends less time tidying and gets more time for chess. If a friend forgets to tidy, show them how.

Many game nights have cookies or fruit in the break. Enjoy them, but keep the crumbs off the board. Wipe the table before the next players sit down, and throw your trash away.

The pieces you pack

Most chess sets copy one design, called the Staunton set, which first went on sale in 1849. It is named after Howard Staunton, the best English player of his time. He signed the first 500 sets by hand. Each piece had a layer of soft cloth, called felt, on the bottom. The felt helps the piece slide smoothly across the board. Turn one of your pieces over and see if it has felt on the bottom too.

Tidy on the board, too

Tournament players keep the board neat during the game, too. If a piece is standing crooked on its square, first say "I adjust", and then straighten it. In French the words are "j'adoube", and you say it like zha-DOOB. If you forget to say it first, you must move the piece you touched. Fix your pieces only when it is your turn.

How you get the sticker

Your grown-up or coach watches how you tidy, day after day. When you tidy every single time, they hand you the sticker. If you have no club, then your grown-up at home watches, or your teacher at school. Did you tidy like this before you had the passport? It still counts.