Some players complained about the new USCF rule of not allowing players to listen to their favorite tunes on their IPods during the games. The reason for this rule is to help avoid cheating possibilities.
In my opinion and this is also my recommendation, don’t listen to music while playing chess. While you may like it and you think it may help you (that’s debatable), it may be rude to your opponents. Secondly, why bother developing a habit where it may not be allowed? I have not seen any top GM listening to music while playing chess in my 33 years in chess.
So if you are used to listening to music while playing, try to kick the habit. If you do not listen to music while playing, don’t start.
What is your take?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Obviously necessary. Apart from anything else, these things make a noise which is distracting for the opponent. I doubt it ever was legal under the laws to wear one.
Percy
I agree.
This is a no-brainer really, they should not be allowed.
AS a musician and one who believes in the power of Music to heal and learn;in countless environments, I was flabergasted to find out that someone would be listening to their Ipod while playing chess with someone.
For both of the reasons you stated Susan
1.It is rude
2.It is probably not helpful to distract your mind like it might be in golf where I might hum a few notes internally to focus myself on the next shot.
Obvioulsy I haven’t attended many tournaments becasue I was astounded that it happens. I’d be very interested to hear from someone who has actually played chess while listening to music.
I thought I saw a picture of Carlsen listening to an ipod while playing, I could be wrong though.
Oh, to add to my previous comment about Carlsen, I forgot to say that I think it is rude too. My opponent was playing his music so loud once that…. anyway, then there are times when I don’t think it is so rude… for example I took mine out when my opponent kept coughing… very loudly…while I was trying to concentrate…
I totally agree with Susan.
I agree completely. Even in highly formal tournament chess, where you hardly speak to your opponent, chess is still a social game. Respect for the game and your opponent demand that you give both your undivided attention and not withdraw into a solipistic world of your own.
I posted the following on the USCF forums
Attitudes towards music will vary by generation. Even I am too old (32) to understand today’s music-craze. The younger generation prefers to listen to their favorite songs all throughout the day. Instead of becoming a distraction, music is sort of an energy boost, much in the way as coffee or other sources of caffeine. For example, they listen to music while doing homework for school.
I teach a lot of these high-rated high school kids. Those with iPods can choose the background sounds they want to hear. After a while, they don’t even consciously notice the songs–they aren’t distracted. In contrast, doors banging, coughing and noise from outside the playing room are definite distractions to most chess players. The iPod users don’t hear those.
Michael Aigner
It is difficult to compare a high-level GM tournament with what happens at the amateur level. At GM events, the organizers do their best to ensure silence in the playing hall because the players demand it. This is far from the case at most amateur tournaments. Even one player who coughs loudly can be a nuisance.
Michael Aigner
I enjoy listening to music… because the games take forever… I personally can;t focus on the game the full time when it’s dragging for 5 hours… but thats because i’m just an amateur at 1860 rating…
I like Susan’s comments because she seems like a “no nonsense” kind of person.
Top chessplayers can tolerate no distractions when they play in serious tournament competition. Also even lesser chess players who would give their best in any game should strive to be free from distractions. Total concentration is the goal.
On the other hand I can easily believe that for casual games it is ok to listen to music. It does not optimize focus and concentration in the strictest sense but it can be entertaining and pleasant to watch a game while listening to music.
I seem to recall that Larry Evans in a discussion of Bobby Fischer’s preparation for the 1972 World Chess Championship said that he and Bobby would go over opening lines with rock music playing on the radio in the background. Was this ideal for Fischer’s concentration? Was the music distracting to Fischer? I’m sure in some sense Fischer was distracted. Nevertheless Fischer who was the best player in the world in the early 70’s found it enjoyable to listen to music sometimes while playing chess.
I believe that music is fun and chess is fun and sometimes the two synergize in a way that is most pleasant. On the other hand at the board in a serious competition total focus is everything. Anand, Kramnik, Leko, Carlsen, Susan Polgar, Judith Polgar, Sofia Polgar and other strong players cannot give their all at the board unless there are no distractions. And that includes music from Ipods. So I think USCF’s ruling is correct but I still think music is an ok thing and in a casual environment can be fun to listen to while examining a chess game.
There was an interesting “Science Friday” program a while back which dealt, in part, on the relationship between noise and concentration. The guest noted that in certain cases, certain noise (particularly “white noise”) can help improve concentration.
http://odeo.com/audio/1910274/view
Brad Hoehne
Hi. Does anybody have a link to the official wording of the rule and when it goes into effect? I am very easily distracted by any noises during a game, and I would really like to be able to try to get this rule enforced when people with their ipods turned way up play against me. It seems only fair that if I have to reverse my practice of writing down moves first (which is very confusing after doing it the other way for several years and which was an important step in my mental process), that my opponent can’t distract me with their music.
I was not aware that this was a USCF rule. I thought it was a rule that CCA is using for their tournaments. For example Foxwoods:
http://www.chesstour.com/fox07.htm
I’m surpised that there is so much anti-iPodism here, I myself don’t see a problem with bringing it along. Susan says she hasn’t seen this sort of thing happen in over 33 years, and thats mostly because 33 years ago there weren’t music devices that you could fit into your pocket. When I play chess online I always have some tunes playing, it’s relaxing, and its something to do whilst you’re waiting for your opponent to actually move. It removes some of the boredom from the game. Some people seem to think that its rude, but I don’t really see how, mind you, I am a teenager, and see people use iPods all the time, and probably accept it as the norm. I never play at tournaments (I live in the country) so I haven’t seen this issue to be a problem. I think this rule will just stop younger people from getting into chess.
Ross J
The 5:05 PM anonymous post is correct: The new rule that Susan mentioned is not a USCF rule. It is a CCA rule, which applies only to the 4 biggest CCA tournaments (World Open, Foxwoods, Chicago Open and NAO), and no others.
For specific citation and detailed discussion, see this thread: http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2248&start=0
Moreover, the rules say the restrictions may be waived for players who are not in contention for prize money.
Bill Goichberg, who heads both the USCF and the CCA, is on record saying he’s against having the USCF legislate anti-cheating rules at this point in time, but he feels such decisions should be left up to individual tournament organizers (such as his own CCA).
” I have not seen any top GM listening to music while playing chess”.
I saw Hikaru Nakamura listening to an ipod at the 2004 Millinium chess Festival.
While I like to listen to music as I play i found that it was audible to my opponent so i chose not to listen. However there is another reason for banning an mp3 player..because chess instruction,i.e podcasts or lectures in mp3 format could be used on them ( centralize! active king…well you get it.
As I posted at the USCF forums, I do listen to music when I play if it’s noisy. I play in a number of places where there is almost nothing separating the playing room from from where non players are hanging out and talking. Also I’ve found at some of the big tournaments I’ve played in it gets very noisy outside the main playing room.
I prefer Mozart, Brahms, Bach, etc over the noise. I have some focusing issues and the music helps me relax, and stay more focused on the game. It’s interestig the number of times where the musical tempo has matched the temp of play.
I have played a few 2200+ players who have also listened to music while playing. These players tend to be much younger then me, and I suspect they’re not listening to Mozart. 🙂
I agree listening to music while playing can come across as rude. That’s the reason I never come to the board aleady listening to music. I want to make proper contact with my my opponent before the game commences. I don’t start listening until I feel it has become necessary. (Noise, nerves) I also stop the music and remove the earphones before the game ends. Again regardless of the outcome I want the interaction between my opponent and me. I also make sure that I keep the volume low enough that people around me can’t hear my music.
If you want to interest young people in Chess you had better learn to change your stodgy rules and opinions. I bet when Susan was growing up they barely had CDs nevermind ipods. If you all want to make chess apealing to the younger generation allowing ipods is mandatory. You are always talking about positive marketing – well this is a great way for the USCF to discourage interest.
Sorry, but opinions change from one generation to another and I assume the younger generation will change this ipod generation. I think the ipod rule is rediculous as is Susan’s admonishment not to use a computer on her problems.
These opinions and rules are sure to make the USCF obsolete.
I am glad one of the posters clarified that this is a CCA rule and not a USCF rule.
I played in the Minnesota Open a couple of weeks ago, and in the first round, both my opponent and I were listening to our iPods after we shook hands and wished each other a good game. After the game we talked about our game.
As there is seldom any eye contact or talking once a match begins, I don’t see the problem of listening to music. I do agree that you should not be wearing music up to the table as a means of disrespecting your opponent, but I think once you have begun, listening to music is okay.
Not only professionals, but serious amatuers of any rating have a right to play without the appearance of impropriety. You shouldn’t need to have a high rating for your opponent to refrain from using electronic devices during a game.
Any electronic device can be altered to assist cheating. It would be trivial to set up an mp3 device with an FM radio receiver to combine broadcast on an otherwise unused frequency with the mp3 music. Such FM broadcast devices are easily available as “car kits” for cd/mp3 players. Such a device could then be “checked” by the TD and it would appear to be a normal mp3 player, and “pass” the test. The assistance cheater would observe the game as a spectator and at critical positions broadcast from the skittles room, using text-to-speach from the laptop also running the chess engine, with the broadcast device easily hidden in the laptop bag.
I don’t think this happens very often. The weekend swiss tournies I go to often have a few people listening to mp3 players, but they’re not winning many games. But that doesn’t make it okay to engage in ambiguous behavior at a tournament.
It’s easy and common for higher rated players to dismiss the need for typical tournaments, because they don’t consider them “serious.” But really an 1100 fighting for the class E prize is often just as serious a competitor as a master fighting for the top prize, and deserves the same respect. And after all, in a typical tournament it’s us fish paying entry fees that makes the top prizes possible.
Paris, that is a great comment…especially the final paragraph where you state that every serious amateur deserves respect — even the 1100 fighting for the Class E prize.
That view is an eloquent antidote to all the chess-hating drivel one sees on “fan” blogs like Daily Dirt. A great many who post there — despite being Class E players themselves — constantly express contempt for anyone who plays tournament chess but lacks a FIDE title (or who has a title with the letter “W” in front of it).
I’m 55 and a chess coach, and I don’t see a thing wrong with listening to music during a game IF no noise can be heard by the opponent. I know, I know, we didn’t do it like that in the old days, but everything changes, whether you like it or not, and this hurts no one.
The questions are
1) Do the IPODs distract opponents who are trying to play their best?
2) Can IPODs be used in any material way for cheating?
From what folks here are saying IPODs can be used quietly. If so, then the only issue is whether they have serious cheating potential.
Regarding paris’s comment that appropriate behavior is important to serious competitors regardless of rating I hope noone has suggested otherwise. However, certainly chess professionals are the most obvious example of serious competitor since professionals cannot afford to be otherwise than serious.
So for serious players distractions and cheating potential are of critical importance.
Regarding whether organizers or the USCF should concern themselves with IPODs, I’d say it is reasonable for the USCF to pass rules that disallow any distractions that materially prevent an opponent from giving their best. So generating audible noises should be disallowed under USCF rules which I assume it is.
Regarding disallowing equipment categorically which a)could potentially provide unfair assistance with making good chess moves but b)in standard use is not used to cheat I’d say the USCF should not pass such rules. However, if someone uses any equipment to cheat then I assume that is against current USCF rules because it is against the rules to cheat.