Updates to the 2025 US Chess Rulebook: A Summary of Changes from the Delegates Meeting

After the Delegates Meeting at the U.S. Open, there are bound to be some rulebook changes. The Delegates are in charge of our rules, and the 2025 7th edition rulebook update has some interesting tweaks.

One notable change is in Rule 14F1, which now states that the game is drawn when the player on move claims a draw and demonstrates that the last 50 consecutive moves have been made by each side without any capture or pawn move and without any pawn move. This change aims to clarify the conditions for a draw in such situations.

Another change is in Rule 28D1, which deals with the conversion of FIDE ratings into US Chess ratings. The official formulas used for this conversion have been updated for the 2025 edition, with the old formulas now referenced in an Old TD TIP insertion. This change reflects the evolving standards in rating conversions.

In Chapter 7, there have been some new and deleted wordings regarding TD certification rules 25, 29, 33, and 37. The requirements for renewals and expirations have been simplified, with the focus now on the number of tournaments worked as a TD rather than specific job titles like “chief” or “chief assistant.”

Additionally, there are new TD TIPs in Rule 5A and 32b3. Rule 5A now further explains the differences between time controls with a required number of moves and those without, while Rule 32b3 addresses ties for more than one prize and how the prize pool should be split in such cases.

Overall, the 2025 rulebook update may be slim on major changes, but these subtle tweaks reflect the ongoing efforts to streamline and clarify the rules governing chess tournaments. For more details on the updated rulebook, you can visit the US Chess website and access the free chapters for the 7th edition.