Question 1

Why can't my students register themselves?

Accepted Answer

ChessQuizLab has no public sign-up for students. You create each student account yourself with a temporary password and hand it over privately, so no stranger can join your class list.

Question 2

How do I reset a student's password?

Accepted Answer

In the Students tab you can either set a new password for the student straight away and tell it to them, or send them a reset email. Reset links expire after 60 minutes.

Question 3

Can a student account become a teacher account?

Accepted Answer

No. Roles are fixed when an account is created and cannot be promoted or demoted. If a student later needs to teach, they register their own teacher account.

Question 4

I forgot my own password. What now?

Accepted Answer

Use the reset link on the sign-in page. You will get an email with a link valid for 60 minutes; new passwords need at least 8 characters with an upper case letter, a lower case letter and a digit.

Question 5

Do quiz links expire?

Accepted Answer

No. Every quiz has a stable link that keeps working until you delete the quiz. Deleting a quiz also deletes its positions and all recorded attempts.

Question 6

Why can't my student see the quiz I created?

Accepted Answer

Two things are needed: the quiz must be switched from Draft to Published, and the student must be ticked in the assignment panel for that quiz. Publishing on its own does not give anyone access.

Question 7

Can I edit a quiz after students have taken it?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can edit the title, description, prompts, positions, solutions, tags and the order of positions at any time. Attempts already recorded keep the scores they were given.

Question 8

How do I accept more than one correct line?

Accepted Answer

Turn on Allow variations for that position, then record each acceptable line and save it as a variation. Any recorded variation counts as correct, and you can also randomise which reply the opponent plays.

Question 9

Can I set up a position that isn't reachable by playing moves?

Accepted Answer

Yes — turn on Position setup, clear the board, then click or drag pieces into place and set the side to move and castling rights. You can also paste a FEN string.

Question 10

Why won't the board let me play a move?

Accepted Answer

The board enforces the FIDE rules of chess, so illegal moves are simply refused. If a legal move is refused, the question is set to strict mode: only the coach's solution move is accepted, so keep looking.

Question 11

Why did a piece move by itself?

Accepted Answer

You only play one color. The opponent's replies come from the coach's recorded line and play automatically after each of your moves.

Question 12

Can I retake a quiz?

Accepted Answer

Each quiz allows one attempt. Your coach can re-open it to give you one more try; your earlier attempt stays on record so progress can be compared.

Question 13

What happens if I submit after the deadline?

Accepted Answer

The submission is still accepted and marked. It simply carries a Late badge in your coach's results.

Question 14

Can I change my answers after submitting?

Accepted Answer

No. Submitting sends your answers to your coach and cannot be undone.

Question 15

Where do results appear?

Accepted Answer

In the coach's Results tab, the moment a student submits. Results are grouped by class, and each student has a page with every attempt broken down question by question, including a small image of each position.

Question 16

Are results emailed to me?

Accepted Answer

Not at the moment. Every completed attempt is recorded in your dashboard instead, where you can review and adjust it.

Question 17

Can I change a score?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can override the automatic score for an attempt and add a note explaining why — useful when a student's line is sound but not the one you recorded. Only you and the site administrator can read the note.

Question 18

What is the difference between the two sets of charts?

Accepted Answer

Current standing uses each student's most recent attempt, so it shows where they are now. Progress over time compares the first and latest attempts of re-opened quizzes, so it shows improvement.

Question 19

Why is a theme missing from the theme chart?

Accepted Answer

Theme charts are built from the tags on each position. Untagged positions cannot be attributed to a theme, so tag positions as you create them.

Question 20

Can students see their own charts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each student sees their own score trend, theme strength and retake progress on their dashboard — never another student's.

Question 21

Where do the Lichess, Chess.com and US Chess ratings come from?

Accepted Answer

From each site's own service, using the username or US Chess ID recorded on the student. US Chess supplies both the tournament (over-the-board) and the online ratings plus the membership expiration date. Ratings refresh once a day, and the Refresh button checks immediately. If a name is misspelled or a site is down, the last known numbers stay on screen with a short note.

Question 22

Why is a US Chess puzzle rating blank?

Accepted Answer

US Chess does not publish a puzzle rating, so that cell stays empty. It lists Regular, Quick and Blitz, which we show as classical, rapid and blitz, both for tournament play and for its online play.

Question 23

How is a class average worked out?

Accepted Answer

For each site and each rating type, it averages the students in that class who have that rating. The number in brackets is how many students that average is based on.

Question 24

How do I change the pieces or board colors?

Accepted Answer

Open the Settings tab and pick a piece set (Cburnett, Merida, Alpha, Chessnut or Unicode) and a board theme. The choice is saved to your account and only affects what you see.

Question 25

Can I paste a FEN?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The position editor has a FEN field, so you can bring a position straight over from an analysis board.

Question 26

What does sharing a quiz expose?

Accepted Answer

Only the quiz itself: its positions, solutions and tags. Other coaches never see your students, your assignments or your results.

Question 27

What happens when another coach copies my quiz?

Accepted Answer

They get their own independent draft copy. Editing or deleting it has no effect on your original, and their students' results never mix with yours.

Question 28

How do I report a problem or suggest a feature?

Accepted Answer

Coaches can use the Feedback tab in the dashboard. Pick a category, write your message, and the site administrator's status and reply appear in the same tab. Students should tell their coach.

Frequently asked questions

Accounts

Quizzes

Taking quizzes

Results and marking

Appearance and setup

Sharing quizzes

Getting help