Castling: Moving the Rook First—Maybe?
The TD listened carefully as the player made his claim: “My opponent touched his rook first and then they castled. They must move that rook, and they can’t castle on this move. That is the rule!” The TD denied the claim. He pointed out that this tournament was using the “Rook touched first” rule variation from the 7th edition of the rulebook. That rule variation is clear: there is no penalty for touching the rook first. “But,” the player pointed out, “that rule states an announcement to that effect needs to be made at the start of the tournament.” The TD reminded the player that the rule variation announcement was made just before round 1 began. “I was not here at the start of that round,” declared the player. The TD then further pointed out, “We also posted all of our rules variations here at the event and on-line. That rule variation you are referring to only requires us to make an announcement about its use at the start of the event—which we did. By the way, that web page address for all of our rules variations was publicized in all of our pre-event publicity.” The player’s opponent gets to castle this move.Which Deleted Rule Still Has A Variation?
The tournament was using sudden death time controls. The two weekend chess warriors were using an old style analog clock. The player’s clock showed less than two minutes of playing time left for him to complete his game. He was a piece up in a superior position. He made a 14H claim—Insufficient losing chances. When the TD arrived at the contest he let the opponent know the claim was the same as a draw offer. The offer was rejected verbally. The player’s opponent further pointed out that the 7th edition of the rulebook deleted rule 14H. The player interjected: “But rule 14H—despite being deleted—is alive and well and labeled as a variation! In fact that variation is exactly the same as the old, deleted, rule 14H.” As the TD noted, the variation use does not need to be announced in pre-event publicity. And the rule givers did not mention any requirements to announce the 14H variation at the start of the tournament. The TD ruled: “The 14H variation is being used at this tournament, so I uphold the claim—the game is a draw.”Like Rodney Dangerfield: Analog Clocks “Can’t Get No Respect.”
When the general of the black army is late for the start of his contest, he forfeits his right to choose the equipment—or does he? The player of the black pieces is 5 minutes tardy for the start of the round—G/30, increment 10 seconds. His opponent has already set up the equipment, including an analog clock. The player assigned black insists on using his digital increment capable timepiece. The TD agrees and the increment capable clock—properly set and reflecting black’s tardiness—is placed on the game. In this instance, white’s analog device would even get undermined by his opponent’s delay-only capable clock. The TD would simply set the delay clock for 10 seconds, the amount of increment time. BTW, if the game sported a delay time control, and not increment, the TD still would have made the same decision—with black’s delay capable timer replacing white’s analog clock. Now-a-days analog clocks are at the bottom of the pecking order—the rule of thumb here is that a digital chess clock is preferred over an analog clock—even if the captain of the black pieces chooses all the other equipment. The US Chess Rules (Chapters 1-2+11 from the 7th edition rulebook) are now downloadable and available on-line. Tim Just is a National Tournament Director, FIDE National Arbiter, and editor of the 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of the US Chess Rulebook. He is also the author of My Opponent is Eating a Doughnut & Just Law, which are both available from US Chess Sales and Amazon/Kindle. Additionally, Tim recently revised The Guide To Scholastic Chess, a guide created to help teachers and scholastic organizers who wish to begin, improve, or strengthen their school chess program. Tim is also a member of the US Chess Rules Committee. His new column, exclusive to US Chess, “Just the Rules” will help clarify potentially confusing regulations.Categories
Archives
- December 2024 (17)
- November 2024 (18)
- October 2024 (35)
- September 2024 (23)
- August 2024 (27)
- July 2024 (44)
- June 2024 (27)
- May 2024 (32)
- April 2024 (51)
- March 2024 (34)
- February 2024 (25)
- January 2024 (26)
- December 2023 (29)
- November 2023 (26)
- October 2023 (37)
- September 2023 (27)
- August 2023 (37)
- July 2023 (47)
- June 2023 (33)
- May 2023 (37)
- April 2023 (45)
- March 2023 (37)
- February 2023 (28)
- January 2023 (31)
- December 2022 (23)
- November 2022 (32)
- October 2022 (31)
- September 2022 (19)
- August 2022 (39)
- July 2022 (32)
- June 2022 (35)
- May 2022 (21)
- April 2022 (31)
- March 2022 (33)
- February 2022 (21)
- January 2022 (27)
- December 2021 (36)
- November 2021 (34)
- October 2021 (25)
- September 2021 (25)
- August 2021 (41)
- July 2021 (36)
- June 2021 (29)
- May 2021 (29)
- April 2021 (31)
- March 2021 (33)
- February 2021 (28)
- January 2021 (29)
- December 2020 (38)
- November 2020 (40)
- October 2020 (41)
- September 2020 (35)
- August 2020 (38)
- July 2020 (36)
- June 2020 (46)
- May 2020 (42)
- April 2020 (37)
- March 2020 (60)
- February 2020 (38)
- January 2020 (45)
- December 2019 (35)
- November 2019 (35)
- October 2019 (42)
- September 2019 (45)
- August 2019 (56)
- July 2019 (44)
- June 2019 (35)
- May 2019 (40)
- April 2019 (48)
- March 2019 (61)
- February 2019 (39)
- January 2019 (30)
- December 2018 (29)
- November 2018 (51)
- October 2018 (45)
- September 2018 (29)
- August 2018 (49)
- July 2018 (35)
- June 2018 (31)
- May 2018 (39)
- April 2018 (31)
- March 2018 (26)
- February 2018 (33)
- January 2018 (30)
- December 2017 (26)
- November 2017 (24)
- October 2017 (30)
- September 2017 (30)
- August 2017 (31)
- July 2017 (28)
- June 2017 (32)
- May 2017 (26)
- April 2017 (37)
- March 2017 (28)
- February 2017 (30)
- January 2017 (27)
- December 2016 (29)
- November 2016 (24)
- October 2016 (32)
- September 2016 (31)
- August 2016 (27)
- July 2016 (24)
- June 2016 (26)
- May 2016 (19)
- April 2016 (30)
- March 2016 (36)
- February 2016 (28)
- January 2016 (32)
- December 2015 (26)
- November 2015 (23)
- October 2015 (16)
- September 2015 (28)
- August 2015 (28)
- July 2015 (6)
- June 2015 (1)
- May 2015 (2)
- April 2015 (1)
- February 2015 (3)
- January 2015 (1)
- December 2014 (1)
- July 2010 (1)
- October 1991 (1)
- August 1989 (1)
- January 1988 (1)
- December 1983 (1)