LaviChess

Club night, online

Set up a tournament for your club in two clicks: a name, a time control and a link. Members join with no account, you follow the standings live, and the winner gets a certificate.

A new club tournament

Settings: arena, 1 hour, 3 + 2 blitz

How will you play?

How long?

Time control

When will you start?

You get a link and a QR code for the players, and a link of your own that only you have: it runs the tournament. No account needed.

How to run a club night

  1. Type a name for the tournament, for example Wednesday Blitz, and press Create the tournament.
  2. Choose the format and time control under Settings if the defaults don't suit you. Set a start time, and the tournament starts by itself.
  3. Send the link to the members through the club's usual channels, or show the QR code at the club.
  4. Follow the standings live. Click a game under way to watch, on a big screen if you like.
  5. Print certificates for the winners, or for everyone.

Arena or rounds?

Arena: for a set time, everyone plays as many games as they can fit in, and whoever is free is paired with the free player closest in score. Win 2, draw 1 (0 in fewer than 10 moves each); after two wins in a row, points count double until you don't win. Good for blitz.

Rounds: a classic Swiss-style tournament. Everyone plays the same number of rounds, players are paired by score, and nobody meets the same opponent twice as long as it can be avoided. Win 1, draw ½, bye 1. Ties are broken by the sum of the opponents' points.

Ideas for your club

  • A blitz night when the club is closed, over the holidays or the summer break for example.
  • A 20-minute arena at the end of a junior session, at 3 + 2.
  • A joint night with a neighboring club: the same link for both clubs' members.
  • Rounds at 15 + 10 for those who want time to think.

Good to know

  • The tournaments are unrated and have no connection to any chess federation, FIDE included.
  • No chat, only ready-made greetings. Names are checked, and whoever organizes the tournament can change or remove a name.
  • Our server keeps the clocks and the rules. Anyone who doesn't make their first move within 30 seconds loses the game.
  • Everything is deleted 30 days after the tournament, and you can delete it all right away. Read more under privacy.

Do your members want to play people outside the club? Try this week's arenas. Do you teach at a school? Read about chess in the classroom.

Does it cost anything?

No. Club tournaments on LaviChess are free, with no accounts and no ads.

Do the games count toward any rating?

No, neither LaviChess's own nor any chess federation's. The tournaments are the club's own, for practice and the fun of playing together. LaviChess has no connection to any chess federation.

Do the members need an account?

No. They open the link and type their name. No email, no password.

How many can take part?

Up to 64 in the same tournament.

Can we play with a longer time control?

Yes. Choose rounds and 15 + 10 for a calmer evening, or 30 + 0. The clocks are run by our server, not by the players' devices.

How do we stop cheating?

The rule is the same as at the club: think for yourself. Each player can open their games afterward, and whoever organizes the tournament can remove a player from the list. There's no automatic cheating check in club tournaments.