Offering a draw to a deaf player

[Ian Kingston]

Does anyone know the best way to offer a draw to a player who is either deaf or very hard of hearing?

I ask because I have seen a couple of recent instances in which a player who is partially deaf failed to hear his opponent's draw offer and went on to lose. (He might have declined the offers and lost anyway, but that's beside the point!)

I cannot find any guidance on the English Deaf Chess Association's website, but I presume that's because when both players are deaf they use sign language, which solves the problem.

[Alex McFarlane]

You could either write down your offer (technically writing your move with an = sign beside it and showing that should suffice) or sign by crossing the index finger of both hands.
The latter is probably best. Make your move, hold out both hands making the cross sign and press your clock. This method is also used when people speak different languages.

[Ian Kingston]

Thank you - I'll pass the information on.

[harrylamb]

As someone who is partially deaf and getting worse as the years go on. I have this problem. I find that the simplest solution is for my opponent to offer a draw and then write the offer on his score sheet in accordance with the rules. Ie write (=). I always know that they have said something, but if they whisper to me I do not know if it is "would you like a draw" or "would you like a drink" or whatever. But if they then write (=) on their score sheet. It becomes very clear to me what they have said.

The really nice thing about this solution is that often people do not know I have a hearing problem. So just by doing what they are supposed to do under the laws of chess the problem is solved.

I always make a point of saying no thank you (or yes thank you and extending my hand out to my opponent). So they know that I have heard them.

Incidentally I think that the Germanic habit of saying nothing to turn a draw down is to be regretted. This happens regularly to me when I play abroad especially in Germany, and in turn I do not know If my opponent has heard the offer or not

[Ian Kingston]

As someone who is partially deaf and getting worse as the years go on. I have this problem. I find that the simplest solution is for my opponent to offer a draw and then write the offer on his score sheet in accordance with the rules. Ie write (=). I always know that they have said something, but if they whisper to me I do not know if it is "would you like a draw" or "would you like a drink" or whatever. But if they then write (=) on their score sheet. It becomes very clear to me what they have said.

The really nice thing about this solution is that often people do not know I have a hearing problem. So just by doing what they are supposed to do under the laws of chess the problem is solved.

Unfortunately, very few players seem to know the law about recording the offer of a draw on the scoresheet. It didn't happen in either of the cases that I observed.

[Stewart Reuben]

As Harry points out the Law is very useful and has now been around for some time. When I was chief arbiter in Roumania for their national team championship it was invaluable. Suddenly a player would be speaking to a third party in a language I didn't understand. One glance as the scoresheet told me the player was consulting his captain about a draw offer.

Perhaps we should emphasise more that the draw offer mut be recorded on the scoresheet. But how? Before the start of play is useless, nobody listens. In the programme for Hastings or the British Championship would be a good idea.

Even I sometimes neglect to record a draw offer. I'll leave you to surmise why I say 'even I'.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I didn't know about this "law" until very recently - and still can't claim to observe it that rigourously

When did it come into force??

[Paul Cooksey]

I didn't know about this "law" until very recently - and still can't claim to observe it that rigourously

When did it come into force??

2009 FIDE rule changes. I'm doing it, but I think I'm in a minority. I've had a few quizzical looks.

I found this much less annoying than the 2005 rule changes mentioned in another active thread. I used to write my move down before playing it, and am still not used to the change now.

But still, better than the 2013 changes, forbidding draws and requiring evening dress.

[Stewart Reuben]

More important is that from 2013, when your game is on a demo board, you will be required to play your move on the board, then play it on the demo board and only then press your clock.
You will not be required to wear an evening dress - unless you are proven to be male. Females will be required to wear their national costume.
Writing the move down in advance was clearly taking notes and should never have been allowed. Fischer complained in 1970.

To set the record straight. The requirement to record the offer of a draw has been part of the Laws of Chess since 1997. This is indicated with the symbol (=). I have tried to persuade ChessBase to include this important part of the history of the game. It is a pity people have not read the Laws for 14 years, well 15 as they were agreed in 1996.

[Richard Bates]

My impression was that most people observed the law. Perhaps it's just me. I've certainly been doing it since it came in - simply a very good way of making sure that the opponent knows the offer has been made or that you have heard it. Shame that FIDE doesn't concentrate on such useful new laws these days in favour of those designed to destroy chess*.

Bit worried to learn that i engage in Germanic practices though (unless i'm excused because i acknowledge draw offers on the scoresheet rather than usually responding with a negative).

*of course the new ECU rules on draw offers will doubtless leave draws reverting to verbal offers only (followed by a contrived repetition as required) - leaving incriminating evidence on the scoresheet is perhaps not a good idea.

[Stewart Reuben]

It occurs to me that, for those who find it surprising that there is a 15 year-old Law, that they don't know about, should try the online arbiters test to be found on www.certificateofmerit.org.uk. Anybody scoring 20/20 gets a free credit for the English Certificate of Merit. Anybody scoring less than 10/20 should not be allowed out at night.
People spend many hours studying chess and don't find it strange that they don't know the rules?

[Paul Cooksey]

So I did the certificate of merit test, and can still go out at night. Just.

I learnt one vaguely useful thing, but I would have selected "I don't care" for about a quarter of the questions if it had been an option.

[Stewart Reuben]

Paul >I learnt one vaguely useful thing, but I would have selected "I don't care" for about a quarter of the questions if it had been an option.<

No, one has to be very careful that only one response is correct in a multiple choice test. 'Slap the person failing to follow the Laws
had to be deleted for this reason. 10/20 is a very low benchmark considering responding randomly should nett 5/20.

[David Sedgwick]

You could either write down your offer (technically writing your move with an = sign beside it and showing that should suffice) or sign by crossing the index finger of both hands.
The latter is probably best. Make your move, hold out both hands making the cross sign and press your clock. This method is also used when people speak different languages.

This is not universally understood. There was an incident in the Guernsey v Palestine match at the last Olympiad, when the Guernsey player offered a draw to his opponent in this way - and the latter thought the "sign of the Cross" was an insult to his Moslem religion.

10/20 is a very low benchmark considering responding randomly should nett 5/20.

4/20 surely, as there are 5 possible choices for each question.

[Stewart Reuben]

My arithmetic is appalling, or my typing skills. Or both.

At one Hastings in the Premier we made little cardboard huts for each board displaying 1/2-1/2? They were placed by the board face down and when an offer was made displayed so the spectators knew what was going on. This only works where there is only one game per table.

Kasparov Kramnik match 2000. When the player offered a draw he flicked a switch and a light came on. Very illuminating for the spectators.