CHESS WITH LUKE MCSHANE
Sunday June 21,2009
AT LAST YEAR’S Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Fide decided to test a new rule which would award a player a loss by default for turning up late to the board.
In my view, rules don’t come much sillier than this one.
Turning up late does nothing to distract your opponent, and comes with a natural penalty – your clock runs down.
I believe the intention was to give chess a more professional image, but this is not the way.
The rule was also in use at the recent Chinese Championship, with rather sad consequences.
In an earlier round, the 15 year old girl grandmaster Hou Yifan, playing in the men’s section, was defaulted for being just seconds away from the board, despite having already filled out her score sheet.
Later, this stupid rule even helped determine the winner.
Wang Hao led by 1.5 points, but he was beaten in a well played game by 16-year-old Ding Liren in the penultimate round, narrowing the gap to a half point.
In the final round, Ding Liren scored a win by default. Wang Hao tried to win at all costs in the final round to regain the lead, but wound up losing.
Of course, Ding’s absurd stroke of luck doesn’t detract from an excellent performace. He began the event with a 2458 rating and no title, but will surely be another name to watch.
Source: http://www.express.co.uk
Dumb rules.
I also think this is a bad rule. When we were discussing this before, some people brought up professional athletes – how they are always on time. That is not a good analogy. Athletes need to get there early (1) to get in their uniform, (2) to discuss strategy for the game (3) for the coach to decide the starting lineup, etc, (4) to get physically warmed-up. None of that applies to chess.
Totally silly rules.
I don’t think it’s a stupid rule. I do think “Historian’s” points in a prior entry are well taken. If one shows up late to an exam, they don’t get to start late, they get a 0. Instructions for a test are given before the start, and to not distract the student’s that are already seated and trying to concentrate, late comers are given a 0. If you’re playing a leisurely game of chess as a hobby, then no problem, your friend can wait for you, but in a tournament, being late should be considered as a forfeit in any sport that is to be taken seriously. But hey if you don’t think that chess should be taken seriously, and think it’s a stupid rule, then don’t participate in tournaments. Plain and simple.
Actually, I brought up professional athletes—ATP pro tennis—and showed from the official rulebook that they do not have to be on time. But they do have to be “on-site” and are subject to fines for up to 15-minutes lateness.
When I was in school, if you showed up late for an exam, that meant that you had less time to take it. Much the same as showing up late for a chess game.
“I also think this is a bad rule. When we were discussing this before, some people brought up professional athletes – how they are always on time. That is not a good analogy. Athletes need to get there early (1) to get in their uniform, (2) to discuss strategy for the game (3) for the coach to decide the starting lineup, etc, (4) to get physically warmed-up. None of that applies to chess.”
All true, but in chess there is a traditionl ceremony (established long before there were any writen rules) that takes before every game begins – handshake!
How can you handshake if your opponent is not there? You can’t, hence the game can not really begin without both opponets being present.
“1 hour late” rule was idiotic, and for once FIDE was right to abolish it.
P.S.: Lets say that my opponent comes 10 minutes late. Hi clock is of course already running (hence the game has begun), he comes to the table and offers me the hand. Imust accept the handshake, but can i at the same time complain about the disturbance? He is clearly disturbing me during the game!