What happens if a chess team turns up short of players?
A · Advanced · The match · 1 of 3A late player loses only their own game. At the Olympiad the default time is 15 minutes, and a player who reaches the board after that loses that game. A team as a whole must have more than half its players present at the start of a round in official FIDE events, or none of them may start.
How it works
- Default time at the Olympiad: 15 minutes. "Any player who arrives at the chessboard after the default time shall lose the respective game."
- The other boards go on: each game is separate.
- More than half: in official FIDE events a team must be present "with more than 50% players" at the start of a round.
- Half or fewer: "the players present are not allowed to start their games."
- Other events: the more-than-half rule is recommended, not obligatory.
- Before round one at the Olympiad: a team is paired only if at least three players are in the host city by 7 pm the day before, or are known to be on their way.
- Repeat offenders: a team with fewer than three players for two rounds is not paired for the rest of the Olympiad.
- Unplayed match: if every game is defaulted, the opponents win the match, with four game points for tie-break purposes.
The glossary has the board, the chess clock, the scoring, the arbiter, the flag fall and the Swiss system.
Tricky cases
A four-board team has three players at the start. Can the match begin?
Yes. Three of four is more than half. The fourth game is lost by default if the player does not arrive within the default time.
A four-board team has only two players at the start. Can those two play?
No, not in an official FIDE event. Two of four is not more than half, so the players present may not start.
One player arrives 20 minutes late at the Olympiad. Does the team lose the match?
No. That player loses their game. The team can still win or draw the match on the other three boards.
Does a forfeited board count as a normal loss in the match score?
Yes. A loss by forfeit scores nothing and the opponent scores a point.
Why the rule exists
A match of four boards with two empty chairs is not a contest, and it distorts the standings for every other team. The more-than-half rule sets a floor. Below it there is no match. Above it the missing games are lost and the rest are played.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chess Olympiad | Default time of 15 minutes | Olympiad 2026 Regulations 4.3.3 |
| Official FIDE events | More than half the team must be present to start | GR 7.2 |
| Other events | The same rule is recommended | GR 7.2 |
| Olympiad, round one | At least three players known to be present to be paired | Olympiad Pairing Rules 10.1 |
| Fewer than three players in two rounds | Not paired again | Olympiad Pairing Rules 10.2 |
From the rule book
FIDE, General Regulations for Competitions (Handbook C.05), Article 7.2. FIDE, Chess Olympiad 2026: Regulations for the Main Competition, Article 4.3 and Appendix 2.IV. FIDE, Olympiad Pairing Rules (effective 1 January 2022), Article 10. FIDE, Laws of Chess (from 1 January 2023), Articles 6.7 and 10.1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: FIDE Handbook sections C.05, C.07, C.10 and D.02.