How to Join a Chess Tournament via the Bot

Playing in a tournament through the Vibe Chess bot is easier than it looks: no paper forms, no queue to the organizer. Everything is in your phone - the bot tells you who you play and at which table, and after the game you report the result in a couple of taps. Here is the whole path, from finding a tournament to the final table.

Step 1. Find a tournament and sign up

Open the bot @vibechessbot and set your city. The /open_tournaments command shows the open tournaments in your city - pick one and tap to register. It takes one tap; no payment or forms.

If the organizer sent you a direct link, just follow it and confirm. Your tournaments are always under /my_tournaments.

Step 2. See your opponent and table

When the organizer starts a round, the bot sends you your opponent and table number in a private message. At any time /my_pairing reminds you of the current opponent and table. Walk up to the table, find your opponent by name, and start playing.

Step 3. Report the result

After the game the bot sends result buttons: win, loss, draw or opponent no-show. Tap yours. If your opponent reports the same, the game is scored right away. If only you reported, they get a confirmation request, and on silence the bot accepts your result. Made a mistake or the opponent reported otherwise? A dispute is raised and the organizer sets the correct outcome.

Step 4. Follow the standings

The /standings command shows the live table: points and the Buchholz coefficient, recalculated after every round. You see your place in real time. How the tie-break works is explained in the article on the tournament FAQ.

Find a tournament in your city

Open the bot, set your city and check open tournaments with /open_tournaments. Sign-up is one tap, and the bot guides you through the rounds.

Open the bot in Telegram Browser version

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install anything to play?

No, Telegram is enough. Open @vibechessbot, set your city - and you can sign up for tournaments. No separate apps or sign-ups.

How do I know who I'm playing this round?

The bot sends your pairing privately right after the round starts. /my_pairing shows it again anytime - opponent's name and table number.

What if I tapped the wrong result?

If your result doesn't match your opponent's, the bot flags the game as disputed and passes it to the organizer, who sets the correct outcome. So a slip won't become final.

What if I have no Telegram?

You can still take part: the organizer adds you as a guest by name, you play like everyone else, and they enter your results.

Where do I see my place?

The /standings command shows the current table with points and Buchholz - it updates after every round.

Missing a feature? Message the developers

The bot is constantly improved based on real tournaments. If you need a feature that isn't there yet, message the developers right inside the bot with the /support command. Many features appeared exactly because organizers asked for them, and useful ideas get added quickly.

What to read next

Want to run one yourself - organizer guide. How it all works - how to organize a tournament. All the questions - tournament FAQ.