All persons in attendance (attendees) are required to adhere to this code of conduct— including but not limited to players, parents, coaches, spectators, and tournament officials*.

1) Every attendee has the right to expect to be treated with respect—by their opponents, by tournament officials, by other parents, coaches and by other attendees.

2) Bullying, harassment, or threatening behavior toward an attendee will not be tolerated from any person.

3) No player, parent, coach, or spectator may interfere with a tournament official in the performance of their duties.

4) Games are between the two players only

• Parents, spectators, or players at other boards may not interfere with games in progress or communicate with players during a game in progress. ​
• Parents, spectators, or players at other boards are not permitted to make claims of rule violations.
• Only players can make claims, and only while the game is still in progress. However, after a game has concluded, parents should not feel reluctant to ask a tournament official about something that happened during a game.

5) Players may not receive assistance in their games from third parties, chess engines (such as those on a smartphone app or website), notes, or other sources.

6) Attendees are expected to treat the tournament property with respect, including but not limited to the venue, equipment, tables and chairs. Children must be supervised between rounds. The following could result in immediate expulsion from the tournament and possible suspension from future chess tournaments:

• Any action that results in damage to tournament property
• Accessing areas that have been marked off limits
• Disregard of rules posted at the site, or communicated via announcements, or given directly by a tournament official
• Anyone with multiple players under their supervision must adhere to the same standards. Know where your players are at all times. Make sure they know they are expected to respect tournament property.

7) A person who is expelled from the tournament may not remain at the tournament site. If an expelled guardian is responsible for one or more player(s) and another guardian is not present, the player(s) may have to be withdrawn from the tournament. A parent or coach who is expelled may have to withdraw any players for whom they are responsible, unless another guardian is present.

8) Penalties for violations of the above and any other incident are at the discretion of the chief tournament director and other tournament officials. Penalties may include time penalties, game forfeiture, immediate expulsion and/or suspension from the current and future events.

9) BC Chess Federation (BCCF) and Chess Federation of Canada (CFC) may also issue further sanctions against any attendee for violation of the above.

*For purposes of this document, “tournament official” refers to any volunteer, staff member, arbiter, or tournament director designated by the organizer to assist in the running of the tournament.