Chess Arbiters Association AGM

[Andrew Zigmond]

In the contents list for New in Chess 2015#8, my eye was for some reason caught by the following article

'Sedated Sloths': Nigel Short on arbiters

For the record and having now scan read the article Nigel Short, aside from a reference to the strike at the 2008 Liverpool vs China match, mainly concerns himself with the failings of non British arbiters at elite events. It is not (thankfully) an attack on the British volunteer base. Among the incidents quoted is an arbiter failing to penalise somebody for castling with both hands and I agree at elite events you expect better.

By contrast I personally witnessed an arbiter pounce on a player failing to complete a move (pushing a pawn to the eighth rank and not promoting to a piece) and a penalty was applied. His `reward` was what looked like a torrent of abuse. As somebody who works in the service industry I know that's unpleasant enough when you're getting paid for the privilege ...

[David Sedgwick]

In the contents list for New in Chess 2015#8, my eye was for some reason caught by the following article

'Sedated Sloths': Nigel Short on arbiters

For the record and having now scan read the article Nigel Short, aside from a reference to the strike at the 2008 Liverpool vs China match, mainly concerns himself with the failings of non British arbiters at elite events. It is not (thankfully) an attack on the British volunteer base. Among the incidents quoted is an arbiter failing to penalise somebody for castling with both hands and I agree at elite events you expect better.

Presumably this is the incident discussed at some length on this Forum at http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... &start=300.

[Roger de Coverly]

Presumably this is the incident discussed at some length on this Forum

Indeed it is. The thrust of his arguments is that the Preface to the Laws of Chess which says " Too detailed a rule might deprive the arbiter of his freedom of judgement" has its own problems that it allows arbiters to "make it up as they are going along".

He asks whether the arbiters should have intervened at the double handed castling.

His other complaint is against the technical standard of arbiters from outside the UK, citing cases where valid threefold repetitions were denied and where poor decisions doesn't as in some sports lead to removal from elite panels.

He contrasts the lack of arbiters in domestic chess, quoting his league experience as a junior, with junior football. With the possible exception of the Aberystwyth encounter, there shouldn't be a dispute in chess as to whether a move is legal, so unlike football, a referee isn't needed to make judgements over legality of the play.

[David Sedgwick]

Presumably this is the incident discussed at some length on this Forum

Indeed it is. The thrust of his arguments is that the Preface to the Laws of Chess which says " Too detailed a rule might deprive the arbiter of his freedom of judgement" has its own problems that it allows arbiters to "make it up as they are going along".

He asks whether the arbiters should have intervened at the double handed castling.

His other complaint is against the technical standard of arbiters from outside the UK, citing cases where valid threefold repetitions were denied and where poor decisions doesn't as in some sports lead to removal from elite panels.

He contrasts the lack of arbiters in domestic chess, quoting his league experience as a junior, with junior football. With the possible exception of the Aberystwyth encounter, there shouldn't be a dispute in chess as to whether a move is legal, so unlike football, a referee isn't needed to make judgements over legality of the play.

Thanks Roger.

It seems that it's an important article which I, and other arbiters, need to read.