Rules question

[Richard Bates]

I like analogue clocks in the sort of venues where league chess is generally played. They are quite effective at masking all the various little distractive sounds - chairs scraping, people coughing, doors squeaking... Total silence is the major flaw of going digital.

[Jon Mahony]

Regarding the mobile phones rule, the Heywood congress this year seemed to be bad for it - No announcement was made at the start of any round telling anyone to turn their phones off and there were several instances of it happening -

The best one was in round 3, a player in the minor’s phone went off, and far from panicking and attempting to stifle it, as cool as you like he answered it and had a conversation lasting a couple of minutes, while sat at the board!

Amazingly, despite his board being right next to the arbiters desk, no one admonished him in the slightest!

My opponent’s phone went off in round 5, and again no one said a dickey bird - not that I minded, I managed to win anyway and I would hate to claim a game like that given the choice (though I know under the rules, the arbiter can just tell the offender he has lost, and that's that, I've seen it happen). At least my opponent seemed embarrassed and quickly tried to turn it off, I just smiled and mouthed that it was okay.

Not that this should take away from an otherwise brilliant congress - I had a great weekend, it's a good venue and I saw some people I only see twice or three times a year - for once a played some smashing chess too

[Michael Farthing]

for once a played some smashing chess too

Wish I could say the same

[But I did smile at the organiser as promised in another thread!]

[Jon Mahony]

for once a played some smashing chess too

Wish I could say the same

[But I did smile at the organiser as promised in another thread!]

I think I’d have fared less well in your section Michael! I did manage to drop a piece in round 3 which cost me my chances of winning it, but 4 out of 5 aint bad