USCF Rules Quiz – Basic Questions

USCF Rules - Quiz 1

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This quiz will test your knowledge of the US Chess Federation 5th edition rules, including updates listed at the USCF website. The answers to these questions should be known by a Club or Local level Tournament Director having acknowledged that they have read the rule book.

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Question 1

Castling is permanently illegal for the remainder of the game for a player:

	if that player's king has already moved.
	if that player has previously been in check.
	if that player has moved one of his rooks.
	if the other player has already castled.

Question 2

A piece is said to be __________ if it cannot legally move because such a move would expose its king to check?

	Forked.
	Pinned.
	Exchanged.
	In trouble.

Question 3

Player A accidentally knocks over his king on his way to make a move with another piece. Player A replaces the king on its square and then moves his queen to c8, which is a legal move. Player B calls touch-move and insists that player A move his king since he touched it. Both players agree to the facts. How would you rule?

	Player A must play his queen to c8 but Player B will receive 2 minutes added to his clock for Player A displacing the pieces.
	Player A must move his king.
	Player A must play his queen to c8 and is deducted 2 minutes for an illegal move.
	Player A must play his queen to c8.

Question 4

Both players A and B are late arriving to round 3 of a G/60 event. Player A is the first to arrive and he arrives 30 minutes after the round has started. What times should player A set the clock to?

	Player A gets 60 minutes, player B gets 30 minutes.
	Player A gets 60 minutes, player B gets 60 minutes.
	Player A gets 45 minutes, player B gets 45 minutes.
	Player A gets 50 minutes, player B gets 50 minutes.

Question 5

On move 21 of a 40/2, SD/1, time control, Player A made an illegal move. However, neither player noticed it and play continued. The game gets to move 28 when Player A realizes the previous illegal move. What is the correct course of action?

	The illegal move is corrected and Player A can make any legal move with the piece he originally moved. The clock times remain the same.
	The illegal move is corrected and Player A can make any legal move.
	Play continues and the illegal move stands. Player B gets 2 minutes added to his clock.
	The illegal move is corrected and Player A can make any legal move with the piece he originally moved. Player B gets 2 minutes added to his clock.

Question 6

On move 12, Player A notices that the board has been placed the wrong way round, e.g. there are dark squares in the right hand corners h1 and a8. What should the players do?

	Restart the game from scratch with the board correctly oriented and reset the clocks.
	Restart the game from scratch with the board correctly oriented and do not adjust the clocks.
	Move the game onto a correctly oriented board and do not adjust the clocks.
	Continue the game as more than 10 moves have been played.

Question 7

Player A picks up his queen and plays it to d5 but does not release his hand off the queen. He then realizes it is a bad move and puts the queen back on its original square. He then picks up his rook and moves it to d1, which is a legal move. Player B calls touch-move and insists that Player A must move his queen. Unfortunately, both players do not agree to the facts as Player A claims he did not touch the queen and Player B claims he did. There are no other people watching the game or nearby. How do you rule?

	Player A must move his queen but to any legal square.
	Player A must move his rook to d1.
	Player A must move his queen to d5.
	Player A is forfeited for cheating.

Question 7 Explanation:

Without a neutral witness the touch-move rule depends on the reliability of both the claimant and the opponent. If they disagree then the TD should strongly consider denying the claim. In most cases, by denying the claim the TD shuts the door to all false claims. Upholding a false claim usually does more harm to more players than denying an accurate claim.

Question 8

Who can call attention to a flag fall during a sudden death game?

	Only the players and the Tournament Director.
	Only the players, the Tournament Director or another participant in the event.
	Only the players, except if both flags have fallen then the Tournament Director may also call attention.
	Only the players, even if both flags have fallen.

Question 8 Explanation:

Rule 14G2 states that in a sudden death game, a director may rule it a draw if both flags are down. This is justified by the need to avoid delaying the tournament and is the only time a Tournament Director should bring attention to a flag fall.

Question 9

Player A castled kingside by moving his rook first, then his king. However, player A realized that this would be illegal and so he then castled queenside instead, which was a legal move. Player B made a claim of touch-move and called you over. What is your response?

	Player A has to move his king but cannot castle queenside since castling kingside was illegal.
	Player A has to move the kingside rook, if legal, since castling kingside was illegal.
	Player A is allowed to castle queenside since castling kingside was illegal.
	Player A is given 2 minutes for player B making an invalid claim.

Question 10

When is a player no longer obligated to keep score in a 40/2, SD/1 time control?

	When either player has less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock, but only in the SD/1 portion of the time-control.
	When either player has less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock, in either time control.
	When both players have less than 5 minutes remaining on their clocks, in either time control.
	Whenever they feel like stopping.

Question 11

Player A requests to borrow Player B's scoresheet to bring his own scoresheet up to date. It is player A's move and his clock is running. Player A has 30 minutes left to reach the time control while player B has 4 minutes. Player B refuses to provide the scoresheet and player A makes a claim to have player B let him borrow the scoresheet. How would you rule?

	Player A can borrow player B's scoresheet.
	Player A can borrow player B's scoresheet and player B is warned about his bad sportsmanship.
	Player A cannot borrow player B's scoresheet as borrowing an opponent's scoresheet is not allowed and as player A has more than 5 minutes his scoresheet should be up to date anyway.
	Player A cannot borrow player B's scoresheet.

Question 11 Explanation:

Player B is not obliged to give Player A his scoresheet if either player has less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock. At other times, the request would normally be granted.

Question 12

Player A picks up his queen and goes to capture player B's knight, touching the knight with the queen but not with his hand. Player A realizes that his move would be bad and puts his queen back on its original square. Player A then picks up his bishop and moves it to b5, a legal square. Player B claims touch-move and you are called over to rule. Both players agree to the above facts. How would you rule?

	Deny the touch-move claim and make Player A to move his bishop to b5.
	Require Player A to move his queen and capture the knight he touched with it.
	Require Player A to move his queen to any legal square.
	Deny the touch-move claim and allow Player A to make any legal move.

Question 13

Under what circumstances does an illegal move stand (is not corrected) if either player has less than 5 minutes remaining in a sudden death time control?

	If either player resigns.
	If the opponent of the player who made the illegal move completes two moves.
	All of the other answers together.
	If either player is checkmated or stalemated with a legal move.

Question 14

Player A makes a move and offers player B a draw. Player B thinks about the offer for a while and then agrees to a draw. Just after agreeing to the draw, player B's flag falls and so player A claims a win on time. What is the correct result?

	Player B wins.
	Draw.
	Player A wins.

Question 15

Player A's flag falls at the end of a G/30 game and player B claims a win on time. However, player B only has a king and bishop and there is no forced win on the board. What is the result?

	Player A wins.
	Player B wins.
	Draw.

Question 16

If black is not present at the start of the game, how should white proceed when told to begin?

	Wait for Black to arrive before doing anything.
	Start Black's clock and wait for him to arrive.
	Start his own clock, make a move, then press his clock starting Black's clock.
	Make a move and then start Black's clock.

Question 17

How is it determined which side makes the first move in a chess game?

	White always moves first.
	Black always moves first.
	By a coin toss.
	It is at the Tournament Director's discretion.

Question 18

Player #1 (rated 2050) and player #2 (rated 1900) are scheduled to play each other in the final round of a 5 round tournament. Both players are on 4 points and the next closest player has 3 points. Player #1's color history is WBBW and player #2's color history is BWBW. Who gets what color?

	Player 1 gets Black because he is the higher rated player.
	Let the players decide.
	Player 2 gets Black because of color history.
	Flip a coin for colors.

Question 18 Explanation:

See Rule 29E4, part 4, which clarifies that color history takes precedence over the higher-ranked player when determining colors for a game.

Question 19

Player A's flag falls at the end of a G/60 game and player B claims a win on time. Player B has a king, a knight and a pawn but his scoresheet is not up to date and has various moves missing from what happened in the game. What is the result?

	Draw.
	Player B wins.
	Player A wins.

Question 20

A clock with time delay capabilities must always be used in a game of chess.

	Only in games longer than 60 minutes for each person.
	False.
	True.
	Only in games longer than 30 minutes for each person.

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