Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

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Michael Farthing
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Re: Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

Post by Michael Farthing » Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:40 am

There was no mass walkout on my behalf when the chief arbiter at a congress a week ago suggested to me that my hearing aids should be electonically scanned :-(

PS It did happen - but he was joking.
PPS I suppose it is a genuinely feasible way of cheating.

David Sedgwick
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Re: Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

Post by David Sedgwick » Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:53 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:10 am
There 's a claim here that anything with a battery in it meets the definition of an "electronic device" in the Laws, in an article explaining why a player was defaulted for wearing a battery operated watch.

The FIDE Laws are deficient because they do not define what is meant by an "electronic device" in the glossary, or anywhere else.

If the author's opinion is correct it would be illegal for me to have my car keys with me while playing.
In England at least, I feel that there would be an implied permission for you to wear a watch and have your car keys in your pocket, unless the event Regulations stipulated otherwise.

However, FIDE recommend that all watches are banned at top level events and this is now enforced at an increasing number of such events, for instance in the Grand Chess Tour tournaments and at the Olympiad.

In the article which you quote, GM Adhiban admits that he forgot that watches were banned at the event in question.

Michael Farthing wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:40 am
There was no mass walkout on my behalf when the chief arbiter at a congress a week ago suggested to me that my hearing aids should be electonically scanned :-(

PS It did happen - but he was joking.
PPS I suppose it is a genuinely feasible way of cheating.
Yes it is. On a future occasion an arbiter who wishes to examine your hearing aids may not be joking
Last edited by David Sedgwick on Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:58 am

"There was no mass walkout on my behalf when the chief arbiter at a congress a week ago suggested to me that my hearing aids should be electonically scanned "

I have raised the issue of hearing aids with ECF, so they are aware. I tend to take mine out at the start of the game and put them in their boxes, partly to show I'm removing them and also to tell the opponent not to whisper draw offers. (I don't expect them to shout either, but at least attract my attention first.) Things looking like hearing aids are an obvious way to receive messages. Of course my plan is dependent on having small hearing aids, and many players still whisper at me.

I do know a player who has an insulin pump, so he has to explain to opponents that it might go "beep" occasionally. Obviously, he can't switch that off. Luckily, everybody has just accepted this.

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

Post by Alex Holowczak » Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:22 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:22 am
But maybe they have more sense.
India is the home of arbiters - and the regulations they are obliged to enforce - finding new and original ways of defaulting players to stop them playing chess. I'm sure English arbiters have many faults, but this isn't one of them.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Tata Steel 10th-28th Jan 2020

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:42 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:58 am
I do know a player who has an insulin pump, so he has to explain to opponents that it might go "beep" occasionally. Obviously, he can't switch that off. Luckily, everybody has just accepted this.
Possibly the same player, or a different one with an equivalent problem, but an intermittent beep was accepted by the 4NCL arbiters.