English Chess Forum

Recently I witnessed a game which i found very strange. Both players were very short of time, less than 30 seconds each left on the clock to complete the game, as you would expect an arbiter was watching the game. One of the players made two illegal moves in a very short space of time, but no action was taken, however the player who made the illegal moves then won on time. What are the rules in this situation and what should the arbiter have done?

The arbiter is required to give the opponent of the player who made the illegal moves two extra minutes for each of the illegal moves, although the rules do not specify exactly when he must do this (however, it is usual for them to be given at the time of the incident). In addition, the player who made the illegal move must retract it and make a legal move with the touched piece.

Thanks for that Jack, but it seems to me when the "pressure" is on the arbiter to act, nothing really happens, as I saw another incident at a congress last month, when a player made an illegal move and the arbiter just stood and watched. Now I know you are an arbiter, can you help explain why nothing would be done?

The arbiter may delay awarding the two minutes if he feels that awarding it at the time would help the transgressor more than his opponent (which is entirely possible in a time-scramble). Other than that, I don't know why an arbiter would just stand and watch.

It depends on the type of game. Was this standard play, rapid play or blitz?

Both games I have mentioned were standard play

Bizarre. If they had been rapid play then the arbiter is not allowed to intervene but, if it was standard play I can't explain it

Maybe worth asking the arbiter involved?!

Some arbiters are not strong players - so (s)he may not have noticed the moves were illegal, or may have been watching the flags, not the board!

In both games the arbiters did notice that there had been illegal moves made, I could tell by their facial reactions. It just seems to me that they both "bottled" it!