In short: The sheet on which the players write down every move of the game, both their own and their opponent's.
In a classical game both players must record their own and their opponent's moves, move by move, as clearly as possible. The moves are written in algebraic notation. How the notation works is explained under How to write down the moves.
What a scoresheet looks like
A scoresheet has a line for each move, with White's move on the left and Black's on the right. Here White has offered a draw on the fifth move, and both players have written (=) after the move.
| Move | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 3 | Bb5 | a6 |
| 4 | Ba4 | Nf6 |
| 5 | O-O (=) | Be7 |
What you may write
- The moves and a little more. The scoresheet may only be used for the moves, the clock times, draw offers, matters relating to a claim and other relevant information. A draw offer is recorded as (=).
- Not in advance. You may not write a move down before you have played it, except when you claim a draw or seal a move in an adjourned game.
- Reply first, write later. You may reply to your opponent's move before recording it, but your previous move must be on the scoresheet before you make a new one.
Many players used to write a move down before playing it, to think it over one more time. Grandmasters did it too. Today it is forbidden.
When you don't have to
In blitz and rapid you don't have to keep score. The exception is blitz where each game has its own arbiter who records the moves: there the full competition rules apply. In a classical game you are excused when you have less than five minutes left and get less than 30 seconds added per move. When the game is over, both players sign both scoresheets and write down the result. The scoresheets belong to the organizer.
To save a game on a computer, the file format PGN is used instead.
Frequently asked questions
May you write a move down before you play it?
No. It is forbidden to write the moves in advance, except when you claim a draw or seal a move. You may, however, reply to your opponent's move first and write it down afterward.
Do you have to keep score in blitz?
No, neither in blitz nor in rapid. The exception is blitz where each game has its own arbiter who records the moves: there the full competition rules apply.
Who owns the scoresheet?
The organizer of the competition. When the game is over, both players sign both scoresheets and write down the result.
Updated November 14, 2026