How does Fuzzsjakk work?

Table of Contents.

Fuzzsjakk (Fuzzchess) was started as an inclusive initiative aimed at opening up the chess community to players of all levels — both across the board and beyond it. For us, the social aspect is just as important as the game itself. We believe chess should be fun, accessible, and unifying.

Through unique concepts like Fuzz Blitz Lounge and Chess Rave, we create arenas where both beginners and experienced players can meet, challenge themselves, and grow — in a relaxed, energetic, and creative atmosphere.

We’ve also developed our own systems and terms that contribute to making Fuzzsjakk a holistic and vibrant experience:
 – Our class system, which divides the community into skill-based categories
 – Fuzz Elo, a unique rating system that calculates ratings for our participants

We use SpillSjakk.no as a platform to organize our tournaments. This is where participants gather and where we generate match pairings, rounds, and standings. Everyone must create their own user and register for Fuzzsjakk tournaments there.

What are the class concepts?

What are the class concepts?
 The class system was created to include all skill levels – which is why we divide participants into several rating-based categories.

When you participate in Fuzzsjakk for the first time, we use your blitz rating from Chess.com as a starting point. Then, we update your rating after each tournament using our own Fuzz Elo system.

The three main categories based on rating are:

  • Amateurs: 0 – 999
  • Challengers: 1000 – 1599
  • Experts: 1600 – 2199

In Fuzz Blitz Lounge, we award the top 2 in the Amateur and Challenger classes, the best in the Expert class, the tournament winner, and the best female player.

We’ve also divided the Amateur class into two subcategories:

  • Rookie: 0 – 299
  • Beginner: 300 – 599

The top class is our elite category (Legend class), for those considered among the world’s best players:

  • Legends: 2199 – 2999

Fuzz Elo

The Fuzz Elo system was developed to offer our participants greater flexibility and a playful way to track their own progress. At the same time, it provides a unique rating that can be built over time — independent of official systems. This helps make Fuzzsjakk a fair, inclusive, and motivating arena for all levels.

When you participate in Fuzzsjakk for the first time, we record your blitz rating from Chess.com as your starting point. After that, our own Fuzz Elo system updates your rating after each tournament.

This system gives us a simple and fair way to track your progress — and currently serves as our temporary rating system. At the same time, we are working on improving the concept to provide an even more precise and inspiring way to measure progress and create a sense of mastery.

In 2025, we are launching a new and improved version of Fuzz Elo. At that point, the system will reset, and everyone will start from the same baseline. The new rating will be calculated based on tournaments from January 2025 onward. When we launch the new system, many of you will already have an updated rating — based on your 2025 participation — giving a realistic and current picture of your level.

Event-concepts

- Fuzz Blitz Lounge -

  • Rounds: 8
  • Time control: 5+2
  • Rating: Åpen rating
  • When: Usually on weekend evenings

Our tournament concept “Fuzz Blitz Lounge” is our oldest format and is based on blitz tournaments with electronic music in the background. Our tournaments have varied between 5+2 and 3+2 time controls, but we have now settled on 5+2. The number of rounds has also varied, but we’ve found our sweet spot with 8 rounds. We try to keep participants happy with as many rounds as possible within a time frame that feels comfortable for most. You don’t need to dedicate a whole day to Fuzzsjakk — just come, have fun for a couple of hours, and enjoy the rest of the evening. See information about next Fuzz Blitz Lounge here

Prizes:

  • 1x Best overall player
  • 1x Best Expert
  • 2x Best Challengers
  • 2x Best Amateurs
  • 1x Best female participant

- Fuzz Blitz Amateur Lounge -

  • Rounds: 7
  • Time control: 7+2
  • Rating: Amateur classes (for players under 1000 Chess.com rating)
  • When: Usually on weekend evenings

Fuzz Blitz Amateur Lounge is a low-threshold tournament for those new to the world of chess. It’s tailored for amateurs, beginners, and rookies — regardless of age or ambition level. We use a time control of 7 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move. The goal is to engage more people in chess and also create a social arena where the newest players can compete, socialize, and have fun.

Class structure and prizes
 To make the tournament as inclusive and motivating as possible, we divide the Amateur class (0–999) into subcategories based on Chess.com rating:

  • Rookie: 0–299 (the freshest players)
  • Beginner: 300–599 (new players with a bit more experience)
  • Amateur: 0–999 (all of the above + those reaching broader understanding)

 

Prizes:

  • 2x Best players overall
  • 1x Best Beginner
  • 1x Best Rookie
  • 1x Best female participant

You don’t need tournament experience or an official rating. All you need is a good attitude and the courage to play your first tournament!

- Sjakkrave -

  • When: One Saturday per year
  • Age: 18–65+
  • Who: Open to everyone, regardless of chess experience
  • Music: Electronic (House, Minimal, Techno, Hard Groove)
  • Price: 249 NOK (Student) – 299 NOK (Standard)

How do you make a “chess party” sound exciting? The answer was: “Chess Rave” — an electronic afterparty for our Fuzz Blitz Lounge.

One of our core values is to create a community where people can meet, socialize, and build relationships. We see social isolation and loneliness as some of society’s biggest challenges — problems that contribute to mental health issues, exclusion, and in the worst cases, tragic outcomes.

That’s why we’ve always had a clear goal: To create an inclusive space where it’s easy to participate, meet new people, dance, play — and break out of your own bubble. A place where you feel seen, and where participating is more important than performing.

We believe chess is a unique tool for connecting people — across backgrounds, ages, and life situations — without judgment. Just like language, music, film, and dance, chess is a universal expression. When you sit down to play, it’s not about looks, body, or status — it’s mind vs. mind. It’s a beautiful and powerful encounter between people, and we’ve seen time and again how it creates real connections.

Through Chess Rave and Fuzzsjakk, we not only want to combat loneliness but also make chess accessible, cool, and fun — for everyone. We want to bring chess to new forms and places, and open the doors for everyone to feel welcome. That’s what we’re passionate about.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I need to be good at chess to participate??

Absolutely not! Fuzzsjakk is for everyone – whether you’ve played for years or just learned how the knight moves. We have dedicated classes for beginners, and the focus is on having fun, learning, and meeting new people.

No. We provide everything you need – boards, pieces, and clocks. All you need to bring is yourself (and preferably a good mood).

You can cancel your registration, but tickets are non-refundable. We prefer to be notified well in advance.

We aim to start on time, but if you arrive a bit late and let us know, we’ll try to find a solution. If the tournament has already started, you might be able to join from round 2 – but that depends on attendance and capacity.

Yes, absolutely! We love having an audience, and it’s always possible to drop by to hang out, watch the games, and soak in the atmosphere. Fuzzsjakk is meant to be a social and open space – for both players and spectators.