Just the Rules: Roll Your Eyes Moments

You reach a moment in your contest that needs a TD. A survey of the playing area reveals no chess official in sight — not in the room, not in the hall, not in the TD room, etc. You stop the clocks and go on a hunt for help. The TD has vanished. When you return to your game you notice the TD is now settling a dispute at another board. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You tell the TD that you are withdrawing. You are instructed to use the withdrawal sign-up sheet. Hey, you already told the TD. You don’t need to do extra paperwork too. You get paired the next round anyhow. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

It is time for round one to start. You pre-entered the tournament and arrived in plenty of time before the start of the first game. Due to the long line of at-the-door entries at the site, round one is delayed. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You show up for the State of Confusion Open and realize you left all your equipment at home. That’s OK, your opponents will have theirs. Your opening game adversary has no equipment either — they thought all the equipment was provided by the organizer. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You make a claim during time pressure. It is your move. The TD promptly comes to your board. She listens to both sides of the case being made. In the meantime, neither you, your opponent, nor the TD stops your timer. Your chess clock runs out of time. Your opponent claims a win. You lose on time. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You are all set to start your next round game. At the posted time no pairings appear — what gives? There is still a contest going on from the last round?! After the TD announced the start of last round’s games one wood-pusher arrived 45 minutes later. His seated opponent was a good sport and waited for them to arrive before starting their clock. The game is a tough back-and-forth. Due to that contest’s late start, it is now holding up the beginning of the next round for everyone else. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You park yourself at your board awaiting the arrival of your opponent. After a one hour “no show” you claim your point. When you go to note your victory on the results sheet, you notice your alleged opponent already claimed the victory. It turns out you were seated at the wrong board the whole time. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

You win an exciting back and forth contest. Both you and your opponent quickly adjourn to the fast-food joint down the street to analyze the ins and outs of the game and enjoy a bite or two of food. You both then head back to the event. When the pairings go up for the next round. You can’t find your name. With your victory you should be in the two-point score group. Then you discover your pairing in the one-point score group. Huh? The TD points out that you never reported the results of your last round game. They did try to find you but, alas, you were hidden in a fast-food establishment away from the site. It’s a “roll your eyes moment.”

Do you have a “roll your eyes moment” tale to tell?

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 “One Move at a Time”, “The Chess Angle” and his interview hosted by Kathy Lin (Columbus Chess Academy).