English Chess Forum

This was discussed on another thread but I have a new slant.

A friend of mine, Bob France, who seems to attract disputes, turned
up tp play a league match that officially started at 7:30pm.

Come 7:30pm Bob sat down at the correct board and started his opponents
clock. The match had not started because some of the players
had not turned up but the captains were there.

10 minutes later Bob's opponent turned up and demanded the clock be re-set.
Both team captain agreed.

There followed a minor row but in the end Bob relented.

Was Bob correct in starting the clock?

In another incident involving a player turning up late.

Bob sat down at the board, the match started and Bob made his move.
His opponent turned up and wanted the board turned around so he could
see the 'numbers' the correct way up.

It was one of those boards that had the algebraic notation around the edge
but only on two sides.

Again Bob finally relented but only after a few words were exchanged.
(see what I mean about attracting disputes.)

Two Non-Bob items that you will find amusing, they cracked me up.

On one of the other sites I play at, Red Hot Pawn, the system does not recognise
a draw in the C.C. games, players have to claim it.

Just found out two less experienced lads have been moving bare Kings
around for weeks.

and

Some of these games have long time controls. They run one tournament that has
a time control of 21 days per move.

Found a game a few weeks back that been going on for over two years.
White missed a mate in one!!

Imagine looking at the same game for over two years and missing a mate in one.
I still get reduced to a giggling wreck thinking about it.

The clocks should been started on all boards at the scheduled start time of the match.

I do not allow my players to start their clocks at random times.

I choose to act as arbiter when I am team captain to minimise random and illegal chess behaviour amongst players.

I train them to use proper (DGT) clocks.

I train them to abhor adjournments and adjudications just like you would potty train an infant : my method is simple :

They are not selected if they show a tendency to adjourn

Training works!

Edinburgh got rid of adjourments years ago and now
add 10 or 15 minutes quick play to keep the game between
the two players.

Also we found stronger players were not playing in the league because
weaker players would head for move 36 and seal irrespective of the position.

It meant in some case a 2300 player having to travel to the away
venue again just to make two or three moves.

Adjudications were abolished 25 years ago.

If an official start time is in the rules, that's when you start, unless you sportingly decide to give the opposition a bit of extra time. As for turning the board round to help see the numbers, as long as his clock keeps going, why not?

Kevin Thurlow wrote:As for turning the board round to help see the numbers, as long as his clock keeps going, why not?

Because it is distracting to the opponent. Both players are entitled to look at the board and analyse the position regardless of whose move it is. If one player asked for the board to be turned round and the other objected I think you would have to uphold the objection.

Ian - I think Geoff was suggesting this happened when Black arrived late and White had played his first move. Not somewhere in the middle game!

I'd like clarification on the numbers around the board.

I try to set up boards 'correctly' - ie white on a1-h2 and black on a7-h8. What I find slightly tricky in a game is transposing moves where the board has been set up the other way round. If my opponent made a request to switch then as long as the orientation ended up correct then no problem. If, however, such a move would set the board up so that I'd have to transpose everything then I'd politely decline the request and continue playing.

Bob had White the numbers were correct for him, though he does not need
them he's a 1.P-K4 man.

On these boards the Numbers go up the left side of the board
and letters along the bottom. So the number appeared upside down
to Black and he had no letters.

Most of us would not bother but it affected this lad.

Worse thing that happened to me regarding board & pieces was playing
the University once and they had a matchbox for a Rook.

Have you ever tried castling with a matchbox?

Geoff Chandler wrote: Have you ever tried castling with a matchbox?

When I was a beginner, I tried to castle Queen-side with my Queen. So my rook ended on c8, and my Queen on b8. I just mistook the Queen for the King...

Last year though, one of my opponents castled badly. He castled Queen-side through a Knight check, but I just ignored the fact that it was an illegal move and took the rook anyway... He still didn't notice.

Geoff Chandler wrote:Bob had White the numbers were correct for him, though he does not need
them he's a 1.P-K4 man.

On these boards the Numbers go up the left side of the board
and letters along the bottom. So the number appeared upside down
to Black and he had no letters.

This doesn't make sense, it seems to me. Either the letters/numbers were in the "right" place or they were not. They can't be "right" for one player and "wrong" for the other.

I think what he's saying is that the numbers were technically in the "right place" for both sides but they only appear on one edge of the board - in otherwords they were 2 inches from his opponent and he couldn't see them from his side of the table.

I'm more surprised by the revelation there are actually people who play serious competitive chess who need to see the numbering on the board in order to be able to notate !?

James Coleman wrote: I'm more surprised by the revelation there are actually people who play serious competitive chess who need to see the numbering on the board in order to be able to notate !?

Given how many people with autistic spectrum disorders there are playing chess, I'm less suprised by it.

James Coleman wrote:I think what he's saying is that the numbers were technically in the "right place" for both sides but they only appear on one edge of the board - in otherwords they were 2 inches from his opponent and he couldn't see them from his side of the table.

How would that be solved by turning the board round? Surely the only solution would be for the players to swap colours!

IM Jack Rudd wrote:autistic spectrum disorders

See http://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/page/autism_76.php

Yes, good point Richard, I don't understand it either now.