Adjournment

In this day and age when time is money and everything is fast paced, people rarely know or use this term. Adjournment is most commonly used today in law as a way to postpone procedures or continue in a later date.

In chess this term is rarely used due to quick matches and time controlled games. This wasn’t always the case, as only a couple of decades ago this procedure was most common.

This chess term occurs when an incomplete game is stopped and later continued. The player who has to start is required to write down the next move that he plans on making on a slip of paper and submit it to the referee. When the game restarts this is the move that has to be played.

The rules for adjourning a game are as follows:

1. Once the time control has passed, either player has the option of adjourning, and may do so on their move.

2. If a player exercises that option, they lose as much time on their clock as there is until the end of that session.

3. When the duration of the session has ended, it is imperative for the player with the move to adjourn the game.

4. A player adjourns the game by recording their move secretly in an envelope and sealing it. Upon resumption, the arbiter makes the sealed move and the game continues.

Adjournment rules are very tricky and one should take in consideration before employing this chess strategy. The time off one takes before continuing the move demands great analysis skills and psychology