Just The Rules: Quiz-a-mania is Runnin' Wild

Image

This columnist has come across enough material to create another fun quiz for your enjoyment. Let’s get started!

That can’t be my pairing!!

1. After the pairings are posted for the first round, Player A approaches the TD and points out that the pairings are wrong. Why? They are paired against Player B, a member of their club. Five members of the club, including both Players A and B, all entered the event all at once together online. The TD should have known to not pair them against each other. After checking the early entry fee records the TD cannot find any non-pairing request. What can the TD do at this point?

• A) The TD can do nothing. Player A must play Player B since they did not request a non-pairing.
• B) Player A must play Player B in round 1. The TD will avoid pairing club players against each other for the first half of the event in future rounds.
• C) The TD can look at the pairings around this game and see if a reasonable switch can be made. The TD will avoid pairing all the club players against each other for the first half of the event in future rounds.
• D) All of the above.
• E) None of the above

What time was the clock set for?

2. You and your opponent are in time trouble in a game with 90 minutes per player and 15 seconds of increment per move. You still have several minutes left. Your opponent’s digital clock is displaying all zeros on move 60. You claim a win on time. Your opponent disputes your claim. They point out the clock was set with an increment of 10 seconds instead of 15 seconds; therefore, the missing time (5 seconds per move) should be, and can be, added to the playing time. The clock is theirs. They set it wrong. What did the TD Rule?

• A) The TD agrees, after checking the clock settings, with your opponent via rule 16P1—the increment was not set properly and is handled like a 16P claim (erroneously set clocks).
• B) The TD denies your opponent’s claim. The wording of rules 16P1 and 16P can’t be applied here as the game is over.
• C) The TD does some math and calculates that by move 60 each of you were denied that extra five seconds of increment time per move, or 300 seconds (5 minutes). The TD resets both timers by adding 5 minutes to each clock. The game continues.
• D) All of the above.
• E) None of the above.

Blitz Chess—you gotta be fast.

3. In a rated US Chess Blitz game your opponent grabs a piece from the board and hesitates before setting it on the intended square. During that hesitation their digital clock displays those dreaded zeros, meaning that they are out of time. You have mating material, so you claim a win. They claim that the intended move was going to be checkmate; therefore, they did not lose. They claim that you lost and they won. “That’s the rule,” is their explanation. What did the TD rule?

• A) The TD upholds your opponent’s claim, you lose
• B) The TD rules that the game is a draw.
• C) The TD denies your opponent’s claim, you win.
• D) All of the above.
• E) None of the above.

Solutions:

1. Rule 28T tells us that players can request a non-pairing as long as it does not cause any pairing problems. But if those requests come late — like after the pairings are made — that is a problem. TDs have workarounds if they choose, but are not required, to use them. So, in this instance, “D” is the correct answer.

2. In rule 16P1 the rulebook solution when there is no delay or increment set is: “The delay or increment should be set for the remainder of the game.” Since this game is over, rule 16P1 — and/or rule 16P — can’t be applied. Players need to make a claim about any clock issues before the flag falls: they had the entire game to notice any irregularities. Given that the clock owner (your opponent) set the timer, their claim just might be a dirty trick. Or is it? Did they plan the clock miscue? This is fodder for a lot of investigation. The best bet by the TD here is answer “B.”

3. “C” is the answer. Why? Your opponent’s flag fell before checkmate was delivered (Chapter 11, rule 7c). Besides, the wording to the rule they cited does not appear in the rulebook. One of the challenges with Blitz chess is that there are many different types of local rules that players might be used to, but these rules cannot be used in officially rated US Chess events.

The free, updated US Chess Rules (Chapters 1+2 + 9 + 10 +11 from the 7th edition rulebook) are now downloadable and available online.

Want more? Past columns can be found here or by searching the Chess Life Online archives.

Plus, listen to Tim when he was a guest on the US Chess podcast “One Move at a Time.”