Recording moves: FIDE Laws article 8
In standard games, article 8.1 requires each player to record both players' moves, move by move, in algebraic notation, on the scoresheet prescribed for the competition. The competition decides what that scoresheet is: usually paper, sometimes an approved electronic device.
Article 8.4 relaxes the duty in time trouble (under five minutes left with no increment of 30 seconds or more). In rapid and blitz, the appendices to the Laws say players need not record moves at all.
Devices in the playing venue: article 11.3
Article 11.3.1 forbids notes, sources of information and advice during play. Article 11.3.2 forbids having any electronic device in the playing venue unless the arbiter has specifically approved it, with the usual penalty being loss of the game. Competition rules may allow devices that are switched off and stored in a bag, and the arbiter may inspect a player's things.
Read together, these mean a phone at the board is forbidden unless the arbiter approves it for that event. That is why the honest answer is always "ask".
What event rules can change
Organisers can write their own regulations within the Laws: whether devices may be kept in a bag, whether electronic scoresheets are used, and how the Laws apply to rapid or club play. National federations and leagues add their own rules too.
Leagues, congresses and club nights
| Where | What usually decides |
|---|---|
| FIDE-rated congress | The FIDE Laws, the congress regulations and the chief arbiter |
| ECF-rated congress | Usually the FIDE Laws with the ECF's and the organiser's own rules |
| League match | The league's rules, and the match captains or arbiter on the night |
| Club night, friendly game | The club's own custom, and your opponent |
How to ask an arbiter
- Ask before the round, not at the board.Find the arbiter or organiser while there is time to talk.
- Show the recording screen.Plyfolio shows the moves and nothing else: no board, no evaluation, no suggestions. The Fair play page explains it in one screen.
- Offer the phone for checking.Airplane mode on, notifications off, and happy to hand it over.
- Accept the answer.Whatever it is, for that event.
If the answer is no
Use paper at the board and type the game into Plyfolio afterwards, between rounds or on the way home. The printable Plyfolio scoresheet has the same layout as the app, which makes that quick.
General information, written 4 November 2026, not legal advice or an arbiter's ruling. The FIDE Laws of Chess quoted here are the version in force from 1 January 2023; laws and event rules change, so check the current FIDE Handbook and your event's own rules before you rely on this.