BASIC RULES FOR SWISS SYSTEMS

Approved by the Council on 13/04/2024

Applied from 1st July, 2025

The following rules are valid for each Swiss system unless explicitly stated otherwise:

1.       The number of rounds to be played is declared beforehand.

2.       Two players shall not play against each other more than once.

3.       Should the number of players to be paired be odd, one player is unpaired. This player receives a pairing-allocated bye: no opponent, no colour and as many points as are rewarded for a win, unless the rules of the tournament state otherwise.

4.       A player who has already received a pairing allocated bye, or has already scored in one single round, without playing, as many points as rewarded for a win, shall not receive the pairing allocated bye.

5.       In general, players are paired to others with the same score.

6.       For each player the difference between the number of black and the number of white games shall not be greater than 2 or less than -2. Each system may have exceptions to this rule in the last round of a tournament.

7.       No player shall receive the same colour three times in a row. Each system may have exceptions to this rule in the last round of a tournament.

8.       In general, a player is given the colour with which they played fewer games. If colours are already balanced, then, in general, the player is given the colour that alternates from the last one with which they played.

9.       The pairing rules must be such transparent that the person who is in charge for the pairing can explain them.