Resources

rules

Let's Get the Ball (and the Pieces) Rolling

Object

The object of this game is to beat your opponent(s) either in chess or tennis alternatively.
A 2-player (simple) or a 4-players (double) chess tennis match consists of 7 rounds, 4 rounds of chess and 3 of tennis.
In the case of a 4-players chess tennis match, each of the pair plays 2 of the 4 blitz chess games.
There are multiple ways to win the match; in general, by winning the most points in all 7 rounds combined, you can win the match.

Winning & Point Scoring

Chess tennis is played in different bouts, in each bout players either do tennis or play chess against each other.
Apart from minor differences, the rules applied in chess and tennis games remain the same.
Ahead of the match, players / teams are given a letter, A or B, so as to track who plays with white pieces at chess and start serving the game at tennis (see section "How It Works" hereunder).
Any player / team winning a tie-break being the first to win seven points or checkmating his opponent(s) during 3+0 minutes blitz games gets 1 point.
Players/ teams get half of point for draws either in chess or in tennis.
The player / team with most points wins the match.

Draw

In tennis, the tie-break stops at 7-7, i.e. there is no 2-point difference rule.

Within a chess game, only stalemate qualifies for a draw. Because they are geared to longer games and somehow affects the spirit of blitz games, the insufficient material, 50-move repetition or the agreement rule do not apply. More details on these rules can be found here.

There are no draws in a chess tennis match. If the match goes on till the end with a tie at the end of the sixth round (3 points for each player or team), the Armageddon chess rules enter into force. In such situation, the same rules as a regular game of chess apply except for two very important distinctions:

Black has draw odds, meaning that if Black draws the game, then they win, and
Black starts with less time on the clock than White, respectively 2’ 30’’ for Black and 3’ for White.

If the final seventh round is also a tie (stalemate) then the player / team who used the black chess pieces will be declared winner.

Field

A chess tennis match takes place on a traditional tennis court ; during rounds, players compete against each other in the same way they do in tennis.
For chess games, two chairs are placed on either side of a small table placed on of the two sides of the court and the game of chess is played over it.
The changeover always takes place after 6 points have been played in tennis. No changeover in chess.

Equipment

The equipment required for chess tennis is a set of chess, a chess clock as well as normal tennis attire.

how it works

A Typical Chess Tennis Match

1

2

Chess
3' Blitz
White team A

Tennis
7-point tie-break
Serve team B

3

Chess
3' Blitz
White team B

4

Tennis
7-point tie-break
Serve team B

Chess
3' Blitz
White team A

5

6

7

Tennis
7-point tie-break
Serve team B

Chess
3' Blitz
White team B

Download now

You can download and print the rules in pdf format and put it in your bag.

Rules

Score Sheet

TOURNAMENTS

Ranking

The WCTA rankings are the merit-based method used by the World Chess Tennis Association for determining the qualification for entry as well as the seeding of players in all singles and doubles tournaments. All players and teams start the year with zero points, and accumulate points from tournament to tournament based on their performances. The player and team who ends the chess tennis season with the most points is crowned the year-end No. 1, and the top 8 players and teams participate in the most prestigious one, the World Chess Tennis Championship. The points distribution is currently being developed together with the list of qualifying tournaments.

Specifics

For all official event such as tournaments and championships, a referee stands on the court during tennis rounds and sits alongside the two players during the chess games; his job is to ensure that both players abide by the game rules.
Players have to wear a soundproofing helmet to cut out the noise of the crowd.

World championship

Under the auspices of the WCTA, the governing body, the first World Chess Tennis Championship has been held in Sierre, Wallis, Switzerland back in 2024

Organisation

The current minimum requirements to fight in a global chess tennis event such as the World Chess Tennis Championship include an ELO rating of 1600 and a tennis ranking of 4.0 according to the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) system. These requirements are likely to become more stringent over the years.
For the World Chess Tennis Championship, the tennis attire must adhere to the oldest tennis tournament in the world, namely The Championships, Wimbledon.
The chess board and pieces shall be FIDE-compliant.
The first World Chess Tennis Championship held in Switzerland in 2024 overule the above requirements in order to broaden awareness of chess tennis.