Unsolicited advice : have the laws of chess been broken?

[Alex Holowczak]

This is all a moot point anyway. He can't really complain about getting advice from other players over the sealed move at an adjournment. He's about to get advice on his move from a computer engine, if not some of the best players at his club.

[Jonathan Bryant]

The various posts so far taken together, I think, just go to show how difficult it is to legislate for infringements of even perfectly valid and good rules (for simlar difficulties see the thread concerngin what to do when your opponent writes the move down before playing it).

I would like to see the player's captain and team play a role in these kind of situations. If we policed ourselves accurately they'd be no need to for a league to issue formal bans. Our clubmates can keep us in line. Certainly when I was a captain I wouldn't have dreamt of picking a player who would embarrass the club by suggesting sealed moves to his colleagues (especially if they compounded the offence by thinking it was OK to do so).

This is in situations where the circumstances are as stated of course. Genuine errors are definitely possible.

I was playing once and at the end of the session my team-mate came over and - assuming we were looking at a position that was about to be sent for adjudication (pretty common in those days) - said something like "If you're careful on the kingside you can just push your pawns in the centre and you'll be winning easily". He was more than a little shamefaced when I told him we were still playing. I can't remember the outcome of the game or whether the intervention made any difference but my opponent certainly didn't make any complaint.

[John Upham]

Since I posted this item, the perpetrator has apologised to the victim who is not taking any further action. I have explained to the perpetrator what he did was wrong and he has assured me it will not happen again. All is well that ends well.

[Anthony Taglione]

In a situation such as this, my view is that the team is responsible for its members. The team should default the whole match, rather than just the game, for the behaviour of one of the team members bringing the game into disrepute. However, that's just my gut feeling and without consideration of any laws of chess conduct.

[LozCooper]

This is all a moot point anyway. He can't really complain about getting advice from other players over the sealed move at an adjournment. He's about to get advice on his move from a computer engine, if not some of the best players at his club.

I guess the only difference is that the sealed move could turn out to be crucial and he shouldn't be getting help with the move as the game is still in progress. Hopefully most players involved in leagues with adjournments will know not to say anything until the envelope is sealed and the clocks are stopped. Admittedly some players may be stumbling on adjournments for the first time.