Is this a win?

[Nick Burrows]

There are countless things that can distract a players concentration while playing. It is his responsibility to remain focused and is part of the skill of playing. So long as the distraction wasn't caused intentionally, it is simply part of the game. Otherwise we end up giving 2 minutes every time a piece is knocked over.

[David Williams]

All I can say is that I think you did the right thing. You say that in future if you win on time because your opponent is so bone-headed or ignorant of the rules that he doesn't even ask you for a draw, that you will claim the win. Nothing wrong with that in my book, but if my actions have unwittingly contributed to the situation, however slightly . . . not so sure. One of those where I might concede the draw myself, but wouldn't claim it if I was on the other side. And not entirely satisfied whatever the outcome.

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick >Otherwise we end up giving 2 minutes every time a piece is knocked over.<

You would have liked he World Mind Sports in Beijing. The rule was that you LOST if one of your pieces fell over. I watched Jovanka Housk make her move with her queen, put it on the board. It was blitz. Pressed the clock and, in slow motion, the queen fell over. A loss, It would have been the same for rapidplay. Of course, it was not FIDE RAated. Similar incidents were quite frequent.
I asked the Chief Arbiter, Ignatius Leong, whether th pieces were standard. He said yes, butI didn't believ him.

[John Clarke]

I watched Jovanka Housk make her move with her queen, put it on the board. It was blitz. Pressed the clock and, in slow motion, the queen fell over. A loss,

At first glance that doesn't seem in accordance with the laws of physics. Place the queen, press the clock, and then the queen falls over? Short of the set having been doctored somehow, this could only have happened if the queen was rotating gently on its base like a top (improbable, but not completely impossible). Left to itself, it might have settled back on to the square. But evidently some force or other (a gentle one would be enough, such as the shock-wave from pressing a clock-button) disturbed the equilibrium and caused it to tumble.

A small point, though. Once Jovanka had pressed the clock, that completed her move, didn't it? The piece fell after that. You could assert that it wasn't unarguably her responsibility.

[Stewart Reuben]

I think she, and many others, must have placed the piece very slighly 'quivering'. The queen for Jovanka was probably starting to topple as she pressed the clock. I guess the pieces were top-heavy.
You knoq Ignatius. He liked to find ways to default players. Your argument would not have found favour with him.

I played only one game, blitz. I had no problem except I lost it.