This columnist has come across enough material to create another fun quiz for your enjoyment. Lets get started!

1. After the pairings are posted for the first round, Player A approaches the TD and points out that the pairings are wrong. Why? They are paired against Player B, a member of their club. Five members of the club, including both Players A and B, all entered the event all at once together online. The TD should have known to not pair them against each other. After checking the early entry fee records the TD cannot find any non-pairing request. What can the TD do at this point?

2. You and your opponent are in time trouble in a game with 90 minutes per player and 15 seconds of increment per move. You still have several minutes left. Your opponents digital clock is displaying all zeros on move 60. You claim a win on time. Your opponent disputes your claim. They point out the clock was set with an increment of 10 seconds instead of 15 seconds; therefore, the missing time (5 seconds per move) should be, and can be, added to the playing time. The clock is theirs. They set it wrong. What did the TD Rule?

3. In a rated US Chess Blitz game your opponent grabs a piece from the board and hesitates before setting it on the intended square. During that hesitation their digital clock displays those dreaded zeros, meaning that they are out of time. You have mating material, so you claim a win. They claim that the intended move was going to be checkmate; therefore, they did not lose. They claim that you lost and they won. Thats the rule, is their explanation. What did the TD rule?

1. Rule 28T tells us that players can request a non-pairing as long as it does not cause any pairing problems. But if those requests come late like after the pairings are made that is a problem. TDs have workarounds if they choose, but are not required, to use them. So, in this instance, D is the correct answer.

2. In rule 16P1 the rulebook solution when there is no delay or increment set is: The delay or increment should be set for the remainder of the game. Since this game is over, rule 16P1 and/or rule 16P cant be applied. Players need to make a claim about any clock issues before the flag falls: they had the entire game to notice any irregularities. Given that the clock owner (your opponent) set the timer, their claim just might be a dirty trick. Or is it? Did they plan the clock miscue? This is fodder for a lot of investigation. The best bet by the TD here is answer B.

3. C is the answer. Why? Your opponents flag fell before checkmate was delivered (Chapter 11, rule 7c). Besides, the wording to the rule they cited does not appear in the rulebook. One of the challenges with Blitz chess is that there are many different types of local rules that players might be used to, but these rules cannot be used in officially rated US Chess events.

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Tim Just is a National Tournament Director, FIDE National Arbiter, and editor of the 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of the US Chess Rulebook. He is also the author of My Opponent is Eating a Doughnut & Just Law, which are both available from US Chess Sales and Amazon/Kindle. Additionally, Tim revised The Guide To Scholastic Chess, a guide created to help teachers and scholastic organizers who wish to begin, improve, or strengthen their school chess program. US Chess awarded the 2022 Tournament Director Lifetime Achievement Award to Tim. He is also a member of the US Chess Rules Committee plus the Tournament Director Certification Committee (TDCC). His new column, exclusive to US Chess, Just the Rules will help clarify potentially confusing regulations.

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Just The Rules: Quiz-a-mania is Runnin' Wild - uschess.org