English Chess Forum

I've been trying to buy a scoresheet book online (fed up of loose scoresheets lying around everywhere...), and I can't find anywhere that sells them online. All I've been able to find are a 50-game version, which are ring-bound flip-over things, like a notepad that you'd get from a stationers. Are there any that are available to purchase online that don't have the ring bind you get with notepads?

They're normally available at Congresses, but the next one I'm likely to enter is in July, and I want it for a Summer League that ends, somewhat predictably, about a week beforehand.

Can't you get them off Chess and Bridge? They have an online shop (or you can always phone or email them).

Well, the BCM and Chess & Bridge all point to the London Chess Centre's online shop, and they don't have them, only loose sheets.

Have you tried entering scorebook in the Product Search?

Ah, I found one. Thanks. I searched for "score book" and couldn't find it. Yet it works with "scorebook".

On such small details do our lives turn

Alex, Chess Direct do some very nice 100 game scorebooks........

Bought a load a few years back and transferred all my "serious" games (going back to Sept 1981 ) into them. Got onto the ninth scorebook a few months ago

When in a mood at a London League match, I had just royally messed up an exam. I asked my opponent to not use his scorebook as it could be deemed as having notes, ended up in arguement. Im 99% sure its technically not allowed to have a scorebook in a game now.

So I had no problem doing it.

If it is legal, it shouldnt be

Ben

"I asked my opponent to not use his scorebook as it could be deemed as having notes, ended up in arguement. Im 99% sure its technically not allowed to have a scorebook in a game now."

I would agree with you, but I would probably only complain if the opponent started looking at previous pages. (But you are entitled to complain of course.) If I were arbiter rather than player, I would keep an eye on the player and if any opponent objected, I would tell the player to stop using it. (Obviously if it were a tournament using duplicate scoresheets, I would jump in immediately.)

According to FIDE:

8.2 The scoresheet shall be visible to the arbiter throughout the game.
8.3 The scoresheets are the property of the organisers of the event.

Since I'm not competing in a FIDE-rated event anytime soon, I don't really see it as a problem. It'll do just fine for my local league matches and Congresses.

There's also Art. 8.1 to consider:

8.1 In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his
opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibly as possible, in the
algebraic notation (Appendix E), on the 'scoresheet' prescribed for the competition.

So the arbiter can certainly oblige a player to use a scoresheet rather than a scorebook.

Indeed. I think the most important thing here though, is that 99% of players will not object to the use of a scorebook, particularly at League level, and the middle sections of Congresses. To me, if an opponent did that, they would clearly be doing it just to be awkward, rather than out of fear that their opponent might cheat by looking at notes. Bad sportsmanship, in my opinion. Indeed, I hadn't even considered that some people would find a problem with it until it was brought up. I've played people who use scorebooks in the past, and it never bothered me in the slightest. That's why I bought one, I thought they were a good idea.

Technically speaking, you could have a scorebook for each colour and almost gurantee an edge(equality with Black) if you had references in 198 pages prior....Hence why its not allowed.

A player could go "o what did i play 4 weeks ago" shouldnt have the answer there. its why its banned

Ben

I agree with Ben Purton. They shouldn't be used, at least not in serious competitive games.

Alex Holowczak wrote:Since I'm not competing in a FIDE-rated event anytime soon, I don't really see it as a problem. It'll do just fine for my local league matches and Congresses.

If your local league allows adjournments, are you going to put your whole scorebook in the sealed move envelope, assuming it will fit, or are you going to tear a page out of it?