English Chess Forum

A local league is likely to discuss a rule change whereby a player leaving the board and venue without resigning is banned for the rest of the season.

This relates to a specific incident where I wasn't present and I've only just heard about.

I would have thought it obvious that if you leave the board without resigning that you eventually lose on time.

The story seems to be that the player concerned left in a huff after his opponent consumed a banana.

There's also a proposal probably related to this incident that consumption of food and drink at the board be banned. Food at a pinch you might accept but over the top zealotry for an evening league, but not drink.

Is there anything about consumption of food and drink at the board in the fide rulebook?

Let's not bring back the one time forum regular who claimed it was his Inalienable Human Right (TM) to eat his own sandwiches at the board.

Clearly, the next version of the FIDE Laws needs to incorporate "Banana Split".

What about those who play in working men's clubs and like a pint with their game?

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2026 3:24 pm

Let's not bring back the one time forum regular who claimed it was his Inalienable Human Right (TM) to eat his own sandwiches at the board.

I do remember that, but I thought it was the proposition that he be allowed his own sandwiches when the venue tried to apply a prohibition on consumption of food and drink not purchased at the venue.

In https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012023 I couldn't find anything about consumption of food and drink at the board.

I believe I've seen it somewhere but that may well have been regulations specific to an event. Historically one of the more memorable examples of food at the board would have been the 1978 Baguio blueberry yoghurt.

Although aimed at FIDE competitions, it does say in the document preface that it also applies to all FIDE Rated events.

In https://handbook.fide.com/files/handboo ... _Rules.pdf it is covered in 9.5, no eating.

Derrick Walker wrote: ↑ Although aimed at FIDE competitions, it does say in the document preface that it also applies to all FIDE Rated events.

In https://handbook.fide.com/files/handboo ... _Rules.pdf it is covered in 9.5, no eating.

We are talking evening leagues where the games are NOT FIDE rated.

Walking out without resigning is covered in 9.3

9.3 A player who does not wish to continue a game, but leaves without resigning or notifying the arbiter, is discourteous. He may be penalised, at the discretion of the CA, for poor sportsmanship – see FIDE Handbook E.01 – Laws of Chess article 12.9

I know what the laws say - I was merely referencing the document you said you couldn't find.

I've learned my lesson now - don't respond to people who are more interested in their post count than an exchange of information.

Being banned for the rest of the season in September is a different penalty from being banned in, say, May. So there might need to be some thought about that in the context of a league environment as opposed to a tournament environment.

I had a case many years ago where a player was going to be mated in 1 move. He sat there for 5 minutes, and his opponent ill-advisedly said "Come on, you've only got one move!" The player said "I'm entitled to use my time however I like!" or similar. A minute later he got up and walked away, and his opponent came to speak to Matthew Carr, who reported all this to me. Unfortunately, there were more than 500 people in the Hall, and we couldn't tell if he was in there or where he had gone. The player had more than 35 minutes on his clock when he walked off, and returned with less than 1 minute on his clock, whereupon he sat down and acted as though he was studying the position. When his flag fell, and the opponent pointed it out, he acted in a surprised manner, as if to say "Oh, how did that happen - I didn't notice". I disqualified him from the tournament. So I suppose there is precedent for the sort of rule your league may introduce.

I think it is perfectly reasonable for drink to be consumed at the board, but I do think it is better for food to be eaten away from the board. There's often a lot of fumbling, noise, and other distractions going on. I take the point if it is a mint, or something, but something like a banana shouldn't be eaten at the board.

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2026 4:17 pm

. A minute later he got up and walked away, and his opponent came to speak to Matthew Carr, who reported all this to me. Unfortunately, there were more than 500 people in the Hall, and we couldn't tell if he was in there or where he had gone.

If you knew that he had left the playing venue, you could perhaps have defaulted him for leaving. The Counties final a while back is a precedent for this.

Some of this comes down to what extent, if at all, the match captains are allowed to act as arbiters in evening league matches.

In tournaments operated by Richmond Juniors, or by Richmond Rapidplays, we have the following regulation:

SPORTING & UNSPORTING BEHAVIOUR

Players are required to shake hands before the start of each game and at the finish of each game, as a gesture of sporting behaviour. If a player is unable to shake hands for cultural, medical or other reasons, please inform the Chief Arbiter before the start of the event. The handshake should in such a case be replaced with another culturally appropriate gesture of sporting behaviour, such as a bow or wishing the opponent a “good game”.

If you have a problem during the game, do not have an argument with your opponent. Pause the clock and stick up your hand: an arbiter will come along to sort out your issue.

If you do not wish to continue a game, you must inform your opponent of your resignation in good grace, or notify an arbiter if your opponent is not at the board. Either leaving the Playing Area and leaving the flag to fall, or sitting at the board in a hopeless position and refusing to move until the flag finally falls are unacceptable forms of conduct.

Violation of any of these norms may result in appropriate penalties under FIDE Law 12.9.

In my role as Chief Arbiter in other events, if asked by the Organiser to help with the tournament regulations, I will always propose something along these lines. It is up to the Organiser, then, whether or not to accept this advice.

In an adjacent league player X left the venue (but actually waited outside in their car) in a lost position.

His opponent (Y) then left the venue after having played a move such that X's timer was running.

X then sheepishly returned to the board, played a move and pressed his timer and Ys timer "flag fell".

Got to be one of the shabbiest examples of sportsmanship I've been made aware of.

The dispute continued for months.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2026 4:26 pm

If you knew that he had left the playing venue, you could perhaps have defaulted him for leaving.

Yes, you are right. We would have done. But we didn't know what he looked like, and we weren't sure whether he was in the playing area or not. Neither was his opponent.

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2026 4:17 pm

I had a case many years ago where a player was going to be mated in 1 move. He sat there for 5 minutes, and his opponent ill-advisedly said "Come on, you've only got one move!" The player said "I'm entitled to use my time however I like!" or similar. A minute later he got up and walked away, and his opponent came to speak to Matthew Carr, who reported all this to me. Unfortunately, there were more than 500 people in the Hall, and we couldn't tell if he was in there or where he had gone. The player had more than 35 minutes on his clock when he walked off, and returned with less than 1 minute on his clock, whereupon he sat down and acted as though he was studying the position. When his flag fell, and the opponent pointed it out, he acted in a surprised manner, as if to say "Oh, how did that happen - I didn't notice". I disqualified him from the tournament. So I suppose there is precedent for the sort of rule your league may introduce.

I think that you were wrong to disqualify him. People react in different ways to being in a losing position, and it is not wise to try and prescribe what the behaviour should be. Sitting at the board trying to come to terms with being in a lost position (even if mate in one) it is perfectly fine to take your time before deciding to resign. Some people sit in front of a lost position for 5-10 minutes or longer before resigning just before or as their flag falls. Seen that happen many, many times.

Sitting there for 30 minutes might be seen as excessive, as would sitting out a mate-in-one. But where do you draw the line? 15 mins? 20 mins? Mate in 3 or 4?

If you disqualified him for leaving the board, you again need consistency there. I would be perfectly happy to wait out someone like that, as long as I could stroll around the tournament hall observing other games while waiting to win on time.

(On food, noisy crisps packets are verboten!)