All persons in attendance are required to adhere to this code of conduct—players, parents, coaches, spectators, and tournament officials*.
 

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

2. Bullying, harassment, or threatening behavior toward a player or tournament official 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. But parents should not feel reluctant to ask a tournament director 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. Players, parents, and spectators are expected to treat the tournament venue (school) with respect. Children must be supervised between rounds. The following could result in expulsion from the tournament and possible suspension from future OSCO events: 

   • Any action that results in damage to school 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 school property.
      

7. A person who is expelled from the tournament may not remain at the tournament site. If an expelled player’s guardian is responsible for more than one player and another guardian is not present, the other player(s) may have to be withdrawn from the tournament.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 are at the discretion of the chief tournament director. A player who violates this code of conduct, as well as that player’s team, will be ineligible for awards. Other penalties may include time penalties, game forfeiture, expulsion and/or suspension from future OSCO events.
    

• US Chess may also issue sanctions against any player, parent, spectator, or tournament official if the offense is a violation of its Safe Play policy.
   

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