Just the Rules: Is the On-Site Appeals Committee Still Relevant?

Did you know you can appeal a TD’s ruling right there at your event’s site? There are some hoops to jump through first, but it is possible (emphasis on the word possible).

If you surmise that the TD’s ruling is out there in left field all by itself, you can do something about it. More often than not a player will send in their $50 fee — refundable if the appeal is not frivolous — for one of the US Chess Committees to evaluate. It is not a short process.

Also available is to have a tournament on-site appeals committee judge your case (rule 21I). They are judge and jury: read on.

The Ins and Outs

One: The TD will see if they can find at least three unbiased wood-pushers willing to take on the appeals task. This alone can be a chore and a half. The committee members do not have to be players in the event: they could be bystanders. The rules recommend that two of the three committee members have TD certificates equal to, or higher, than the event’s chief honcho. They should have no connection to either player in the dispute. You can well imagine if one of the contestants had a relative, team member, or friend on the committee: that just looks bad. Equally shady would be to have a committee member be in a position to gain a prize if the group’s decision goes one way or another.

Two: The appeals committee will hear evidence. The two adversaries and the TD get a chance to make their cases.

Three: They will talk to unbiased witnesses. Often other wood-pushers heard or saw something regarding the disputed ruling.

Four: Of course, the rulebook’s view will be consulted.

Five: A verdict will be issued. The committee is limited to judging if the TD’s ruling was correct or not: they can’t substitute their own judgement for the TD’s. Their ruling has the same impact as if they were one of the tournament’s directors.

Forming an appeals committee, presenting evidence, deliberating, and issuing a ruling takes a lot of time and effort, I assure you that you can count on it. There is an alternative: The Special Referee.

The Special Referee

A simple phone call to an experienced TD can take the place of an appeals committee. If no one comes to mind, a list of available referees can typically be found on any affiliate’s US Chess dashboard’s TD/Affiliate page. That referee is unbiased — a key factor — and can render a judgement in short order after jumping through the same hoops as an onsite committee. By the way, an onsite appeals committee is allowed to consult with a special referee or simply turn the case over to them.

The Escape Hatch

But, there is an escape hatch to this entire process nestled away in the wording of 21H4, “…the director shall appoint a committee (21I) or a special referee (21J) to hear the appeal, unless the orderly progress of the tournament would be disturbed by such action.” So, the TD is not required to act on your request. An appeals committee, or a special referee, could easily, for one example, devour announced round starting times.

As you can imagine the work of the appeals committee — or even a special referee — in a fast time control, or a blitz, tournament may take more time than it takes to essay an entire round. That is going to be fairly disruptive. At the very least it may hugely impact the next round’s starting time. That’s when the 21H4 trap door opens and your request may be denied.

So, is the on-site appeals committee still relevant? How about those special referees?

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 podcasts “One Move at a Time” and “The Chess Angle.”

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 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. US Chess awarded the 2022 Tournament Director Lifetime Achievement Award to Tim. He is also a member of the US Chess Rules Committee plus the Tournament Director Certification Committee (TDCC). His new column, exclusive to US Chess, “Just the Rules” will help clarify potentially confusing regulations.