A league captain spends most of the week before a match on the phone: finding eight players, or six, or four, putting them in the right order, and making sure everyone gets to the right venue on time. Most of what makes that hard is small, and most of it is in the players' hands. Here is what captains told us they wish everyone knew.
Say yes or no, early
The most useful thing you can do is answer when your captain asks if you are available, even if the answer is no. A quick no lets them ask someone else. A maybe on match day leaves them a player short.
Know your rating and your membership
Many leagues ask teams to play in rating order, often within a margin, so your captain needs your current ECF rating. The ECF publishes ratings every month; check yours before the season starts. Most leagues also need each player to have an ECF membership at the right level for rated games. If yours has lapsed, the captain may not be able to play you.
Know the default time
Every league sets a default time: how late you can arrive before you lose the game. Under the FIDE Laws it is zero unless the competition rules say otherwise, and league rules usually give much longer, but not unlimited. Find out what yours is, and if you are going to be late, phone your captain rather than the club.
Know the time control and the clock
League time controls vary: some use an increment on every move, some do not. Know which one you are playing, how to check the clock is set correctly before you start, and what happens in your league when you are short of time. Your captain will thank you for not discovering the answer at move 38.
Keep a good scoresheet
A legible scoresheet settles disputes, and leagues sometimes ask for them. Write each move in the right column, leave a gap if you miss one rather than guessing, and fill gaps in after the game with your opponent. Many leagues also collect games for their own records or for a club bulletin: an accurate sheet means your game can be kept.
Report the result
- Agree the result with your opponent, and both sign the scoresheets if your league asks for it.
- Tell your captain the result as soon as the game ends, even if it is the last one finished.
- If something happened that needs an arbiter or the league's ruling, tell your captain on the night, not later in the week.
Phones
Treat your phone as your league treats it. Most leagues follow the FIDE Laws on electronic devices with their own changes: often a phone must be switched off, and sometimes it must be out of the room. If you want to record your game on a phone, ask the captains or the arbiter before you start, and keep paper with you in case the answer is no.
And afterwards
If your team played well, say so. Captains rarely hear it. If you have a scoresheet, type it in and send the game to your captain or the club: it is how a club remembers a season.
General information as at 5 November 2026, not legal advice or an arbiter's ruling. Event dates, entry details and rules change from year to year; check with your event, league or arbiter before you rely on any of this.
Written by Remiam. More from Remiam