Do you say "Check" or not??

[IM Jack Rudd]

I once announced mate in seven. Mind you, it was in a simul, where this sort of thing is more acceptable.

[Alex Holowczak]

8.12 is perfectly consistent with the Laws of Chess: it simply classifies all mobile phones as "authorized by the arbiter" for the purposes of the competition.

You are correct - I missed that.

[Rob Thompson]

I won't raise it with mine, because, tbqh, no-one cares. In the league we're all just social players, and only there to enjoy it. I've found before that the somewhat laid-back attitude with regards to possible "cheating" where i have played is very different to that in a place like London. Maybe it's because everyone knows everyone else

To clarify, discussions are not on moves, but more along the lines of "You've got an interesting position there haven't you?" and "Do you think you will be able to win your game?", the latter often by captains trying to assess how their team is doing. I've even observed one player take his phone out and have a conversation with his (non-chessplaying) girlfriend during one of these breaks, without anyone batting an eyelid

[Geoff Chandler]

I never announced check but if my opponent has wandered off and I move
whilst he's away when he returns I do indicate in a casual sort of way
what my last move was.

I never thought anything of it, possibly considered it a form of good manners.
It certainly is not intended as an insult and I've seen stronger players do it.

On the rare ocassions I'm away from the board, I a rarely go for stroll,
and my opponent indicates his move I simply nod and get on with it.
No big deal.

That was a lad in Scotland, a Mr Green, who always announced check
in a loud voice. Always. Even during skittle matches.

At an Edinburgh Congress after a series of loud checks which resulted
in sniggers and growns from the rest of the players he finally got a warning.

Peace had been restored when a few minutes later,I think it was David Duncan,
who was on the other side of the room suddenly announced a loud CHECK.

For that brief moment the games were forgotten as everyone,
Well everyone that I saw chuckled, smiled and appreciated the gag.
Wonderful.

[David Shepherd]

I probably say check more often than I should, but one example of why you shouldn't say it happened last year when I was playing a friendly blitz against a junior (in the way of things no doubt he will soon become a GM). He announced checkmate in a complicated position, I pointed out it wasn't - when asked why I did something I don't think I've ever done before - but I couldn't resist and removed his king from the board

[Matt Mackenzie]

I never announced check but if my opponent has wandered off and I move
whilst he's away when he returns I do indicate in a casual sort of way
what my last move was.

I never thought anything of it, possibly considered it a form of good manners.
It certainly is not intended as an insult and I've seen stronger players do it.

Agree totally. I am astonished anybody is that bothered by it tbh

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

I'd rather my opponent did not announce "check" or, more irritatingly, point to the move he or she has just made.

I am also inclined to warn them for "distracting ones opponent".

As somebody who regularly leaves the board for a wander, I quite appreciate sitting back down to my opponent singling out his last move. I’m sure I could figure it out by myself but it does save a few seconds. I usually do a similar gesture; I don’t however announce check unless I’m playing an absolute beginner.

[johnmcbride]

Ernie Lazenby wrote

I agree with John re those who try to point out to me the move they have just made while I away from the board. My response is always the same 'I dont need you to tell me what move you have made thank you I know where all the pieces are and where they have come from' Usually shuts them up and puts them on the back foot. I have always considered it insulting to me that someone thinks I dont have a grip of whats what on the board.

Are you normally that rude to people outside chess, who are just trying to be helpful. A simple "It's ok you don't need to tell me" would suffice.
Players don't tell you their last move to distract you, it is just the sportsman thing to do, unless politely told otherwise. It is obvious that a lot of people do indicate moves if their opponent was away from the board. So it cannot be considered a minority problem of people doing annoying things on purpose, crunching, burping and talking at the game.

The game is just a game and being civil to each is far more important than trying to put someone down.

[Andrew Camp]

I never announce check.
I agree with John re those who try to point out to me the move they have just made while I away from the board. My response is always the same 'I dont need you to tell me what move you have made thank you I know where all the pieces are and where they have come from' Usually shuts them up and puts them on the back foot. I have always considered it insulting to me that someone thinks I dont have a grip of whats what on the board.

I just nod. No point being rude for the sake of it.

[Richard Cowan]

Nope. Sometimes I announce forced mate - but only If I'm very, very, sure!
You look like a bit of an idiot if you get it wrong - either if it's not mate at all, or if you get the number of moves wrong (quite easy to do if your opponent can give up all their pieces for example)

If my opponent comes back to the board and scans the board looking quizzically for my las move, I usually point it out, unless they're low on time and I'm losing (why did they wander off in the first place!?). I consider this to be polite, and un-obtrusive.

I have to say people saying "check" has never bothered me much - except in a forced sequence where it's quite obvious they're going to check you until you escape, i.e. going for a perpetual - I find it extremely annoying in these situations for an opponent to announce "check". Maybe that's just me!

I once announced mate in seven. Mind you, it was in a simul, where this sort of thing is more acceptable.

I'm glad you never did that when I played you! :p

[Eoin Devane]

Sometimes I announce forced mate - but only If I'm very, very, sure!
You look like a bit of an idiot if you get it wrong - either if it's not mate at all, or if you get the number of moves wrong (quite easy to do if your opponent can give up all their pieces for example)

A few years back, an opponent of mine said to me "You might as well resign now, this is forced mate". About an hour later, we shook hands on a draw. I suspect that I felt somewhat better about the half-point than he did!

[John Foley]

How about anouncing forced mate? ... ''check,and mate in 10''!

Was there ever a penalty for incorrectly announcing the number of moves? Something akin to bidding auctions in bridge. It could quieten the irritating forced-maters and provide a chance for the apparently losing side to find saving resources, tempo-gaining checks and blocks, if not a suicide mission.

I see that in the latest USA Championships, the players bid for game duration: the lowest bid prevailed but, in the game, a draw counted as a loss. The emergence of bidding in chess?

[Arshad Ali]

You look like a bit of an idiot if you get it wrong - either if it's not mate at all,

I've had opponents announce forced mates that didn't exist. I just don't talk during a game, except to announce mate or to offer a draw. I don't point out my last move to an opponent who may have walked off (but will indicate the move if asked) and don't announce check. I certainly don't want to discuss my game with anyone while it's in progress or indicate in any manner whether it's going well or badly. Other than being bad form, it's a distraction. As Alekhine once said, the only thing that exists for a player is the position in front of him. Talking about it distracts from concentrating on it and is bad joss.

[Alistair Campbell]

I never announced check but if my opponent has wandered off and I move
whilst he's away when he returns I do indicate in a casual sort of way
what my last move was.

I haven't voted, but Mr Chandler summarises my views (although I might announce "check" were I playing a novice, lest embarrassment be caused).

Speaking of which

There was a lad in Scotland who always announced check
in a loud voice. Always. Even during skittle matches.

And in particular after I'd left the Greek gift on one time in Grangemouth after 8 moves (i.e. about 30 seconds after the round had started).

The chat about indicating what move you've made brings to mind the story (recounted in Scottish Chess 218) of the player who didn't spot that a move had been made and thinking he'd merely forgotten to press his clock rectified the situation, allowing his IM opponent to play two moves in a row...

[Jon Mahony]

There was a lad in Scotland who always announced check
in a loud voice. Always. Even during skittle matches.

I had a junior in the last round of a congress doing that to me, it was really getting on my nerves (the checks weren’t threatening or anything, one was because he wanted to exchange dark squared bishops, the other was a ‘spite’ check after he lost the exchange ).

He then proceeded to offer a draw in practically a whisper - as it happens I took it because I was worried about missing a train and didn’t fancy slugging out a long endgame with my knight and bishop against rook - really wish I had though!

I tend to just whisper check; I have thought doing so may be an insult to some player’s intelligence, but I take the better safe than sorry approach.

By the way, can someone just clarify the rules in half hour rapid play, do we announce check there? I’ve heard if they miss it and make another move you can just take their king off the board - but different people at chess club tell me different things!