Chess Player Strip Searched

[Brendan O'Gorman]

I can't see myself leaving my mobile in my car at the 4NCL once I have checked out (or before checking in, given I have at least twice had to leave luggage at reception as my room wasn't ready before the Saturday game started)

I particularly can't see me leaving it in someone else's car if I wasn't driving that weekend - in fact, I can't see me leaving it anywhere other than in my trouser pocket, switched off of course for the duration of my game

I don't have any issues if my opponents do the same

Is this a minority view?

Not as far as I'm concerned. I really hope someone can get a grip on this nonsense. The recent Colwyn Bay congress - everyone with a phone paid a small 'fine' and registered their number with the organiser - shows the sort of loopy solution that may emerge.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Not as far as I'm concerned. I really hope someone can get a grip on this nonsense. The recent Colwyn Bay congress - everyone with a phone paid a small 'fine' and registered their number with the organiser - shows the sort of loopy solution that may emerge.

How is that a 'solution'? (It does seem rather loopy)

[Rob Thompson]

If you take the battery out, does it count as a complete mobile phone any more?

[Roger de Coverly]

How is that a 'solution'? (It does seem rather loopy)

It's the recommendation of the Chess Arbiters Association. Given that the arbiter at Colwyn Bay is the manager of the 2014 British, I'd rather suspect the same idea will be forced on Aberystwyth participants.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

How is that a 'solution'? (It does seem rather loopy)

It's the recommendation of the Chess Arbiters Association. Given that the arbiter at Colwyn Bay is the manager of the 2014 British, I'd rather suspect the same idea will be forced on Aberystwyth participants.

I believe details may be revealed in the programme for the championships, but that doesn't seem to be available yet.

[JustinHorton]

Do the programmes get sent to competitors?

[Brendan O'Gorman]

I've just heard from the congress manager that he hopes to have the programme online tomorrow with printed copies available for players at Aberystwyth.

[Roger de Coverly]

Do the programmes get sent to competitors?

In recent years, it's been distributed to your board just before the first round. The content of it, sometimes extended content, is available on the website as a download.

[JustinHorton]

That's a relief, if they posted it to me I'd be gone before it arrived.

[Peter Sowray]

I can't see myself leaving my mobile in my car at the 4NCL once I have checked out (or before checking in, given I have at least twice had to leave luggage at reception as my room wasn't ready before the Saturday game started)

I particularly can't see me leaving it in someone else's car if I wasn't driving that weekend - in fact, I can't see me leaving it anywhere other than in my trouser pocket, switched off of course for the duration of my game

I don't have any issues if my opponents do the same

Is this a minority view?

Mick

I'm sure you're in the vast majority here and I would have supported your position until quite recently.

But here's an example of the problem ... I recently witnessed the following in an event in England. Player A is up against Player B. It's Player A's move and he is away from the board for at least ten minutes and he is out of sight. It's a complex position, and he has a number of possibilities including one sharp option which might be strong but looks risky. He comes back to the board and plays this move almost instantaneously. His behaviour looks suspicious to me and I sensed that Player B felt the same though he didn't do anything about it. I checked later out of curiosity and the move Player A chose was the engine's number 1 pick.

Was Player A cheating? Honestly, I've no idea - I don't even know if he had a mobile phone on him. But it all felt fishy.

Now don't get me wrong ... I think instances of cheating using a mobile are rare. But ask around and you'll hear of a few cases where players have been caught already. The instances I know about are all players around the 1900-1700 mark. The temptation to have a quick peak at some software is obviously too great.

When I play at the 4NCL, I always have a laptop with me which I use to prepare before the game. Obviously I already have to make arrangements so that this isn't on my person during play and it is no further inconvenience to do the same for my mobile. So, on that basis, I think the ACP rule is a sensible compromise solution to something that is a problem already and may become more of a problem in the future.

But, of course, I understand if you take another view on this.

Peter

[Roger de Coverly]

It's Player A's move and he is away from the board for at least ten minutes and he is out of sight.

That surely is the problem. Rather than devise nonsense rules defaulting players for putting their jackets on, address the problem at source. Other than necessity, perhaps once a game, it isn't acceptable to be out of sight of the opponent and arbiters, particularly in critical positions and when it's your move. In the example, he could equally have been a smoker, not that there are that many left, and I'm sure they are conscious of the need to avoid game discussion particularly with titled players.

In the 4NCL and e2e4 there are at least two security risks apart from the bathrooms. These are players returning to their rooms and players consulting those with access to chess software in the public areas of the hotels.

[Peter Sowray]

It's Player A's move and he is away from the board for at least ten minutes and he is out of sight.

That surely is the problem. Rather than devise nonsense rules defaulting players for putting their jackets on, address the problem at source. Other than necessity, perhaps once a game, it isn't acceptable to be out of sight of the opponent and arbiters, particularly in critical positions and when it's your move. In the example, he could equally have been a smoker, not that there are that many left, and I'm sure they are conscious of the need to avoid game discussion particularly with titled players.

In the 4NCL and e2e4 there are at least two security risks apart from the bathrooms. These are players returning to their rooms and players consulting those with access to chess software in the public areas of the hotels.

OK - perhaps you could draft something appropriate.

[Roger de Coverly]

OK - perhaps you could draft something appropriate.

In their way the existing (pre July 2014) Laws are completely adequate in 12.2 and 12.3(a)

12.2
Players are not allowed to leave the ‘playing venue’ without permission from the arbiter. The playing venue is defined as the playing area, rest rooms, refreshment area, area set aside for smoking and other places as designated by the arbiter.

The player having the move is not allowed to leave the playing area without permission of the arbiter.

12.3 (a) During play the players are forbidden to make use of any notes, sources of information or advice, or analyse on another chessboard

The issue is rather more one of enforcement and guidance, notably that if you have a device capable of running chess software or communicating with someone who has, switching it on is a potential contravention of 12.3 (a). This is contrary to a rubbish article on chessbase claiming the existing Laws didn't require a communication device to be switched off for the duration of the game.

I don't know the exact circumstances, but I gather Sean Hewitt defaulted a player for retiring to their car to use a mobile phone. No evidence of the use of chess software was needed, simply a contravention of the rule that a device remains switched off for the entire duration of the game.

[Peter Sowray]

OK - perhaps you could draft something appropriate.

In their way the existing (pre July 2014) Laws are completely adequate in 12.2 and 12.3(a)

12.2
Players are not allowed to leave the ‘playing venue’ without permission from the arbiter. The playing venue is defined as the playing area, rest rooms, refreshment area, area set aside for smoking and other places as designated by the arbiter.

The player having the move is not allowed to leave the playing area without permission of the arbiter.

12.3 (a) During play the players are forbidden to make use of any notes, sources of information or advice, or analyse on another chessboard

The issue is rather more one of enforcement and guidance, notably that if you have a device capable of running chess software or communicating with someone who has, switching it on is a potential contravention of 12.3 (a). This is contrary to a rubbish article on chessbase claiming the existing Laws didn't require a communication device to be switched off for the duration of the game.

I don't know the exact circumstances, but I gather Sean Hewitt defaulted a player for retiring to their car to use a mobile phone. No evidence of the use of chess software was needed, simply a contravention of the rule that a device remains switched off for the entire duration of the game.

So, in the case I cited above, what actions should the Arbiters and Player B have taken? You can assume that each Arbiter at the event was looking after about 30 games and no games were in time-trouble. You can further assume that the loos were about a minute's walk from the board and there was no line of sight.

[Roger de Coverly]

So, in the case I cited above, what actions should the Arbiters and Player B have taken?

Apart from noting the behaviour as possibly suspicious, very little. But you don't know it was mobile phone cheating, it could have been consult another player cheating. Equally the player was stronger than previously believed, so not cheating at all. It isn't cheating to play moves stronger than than your rating, even if the ACC would like to make it so.

But it illustrates the practical point. It's one of enforcement. Mere presence of a switched off phone should not be a cause of a game being defaulted. If you want it so, then for many practical purposes you are closing down or seriously restricting competitive chess as an adult leisure activity.