Opponent Made An Illegal Move In A League Game

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Did you claim the extra 2 minutes for the illegal move? "

I was arbiting at Spectrum Dudley, and watching a time scramble, white had about 1 minute and black about 6 minutes, but I thought he might stop recording soon. Black was winning easily... He played f6, and as he was writing the move down, his opponent lifted his hand and thought better of it, whereupon black played Kf7 (possibly thinking that the opponent had moved). White noticed and spoke, but I was already reaching for the clock to stop it. I pointed out it was two consecutive moves and added two minutes to the white clock (explaining why) and put the K back on g8. Black then protested that he had been distracted by his opponent. How? "He was talking to me!" "Er, yes, he spoke to you as you had two consecutive moves!" Anyway, they quickly reached time control and black won later, and came up to apologise and said he was a bit confused during the game.

[Sean Hewitt]

Changing subject completely, a mobile phone went off earlier in the evening. In this league (the Thames Valley League) the rule is that the second such incident from the same player loses the game. But it seems to be happening quite a lot now. It can be distracting if it happens at the wrong moment. Maybe there should be a rule that you gain time on the clock or something the first time it happens. Something to discourage it.

What might discourage it? Perhaps loss of game?

I have never had this happen in a match I've played in until last week. This season, thanks to David Pardoe, the rule was changed in the Stockport league so that it's also just a warning for the first offence. I felt sorry for the opponent of my team mate (whose phone it was that went off) when he blundered a piece on the very next move.

On the same subject (if you forget to check before the game starts), is it acceptable to check your mobile phone during a game to make sure it is switched off?

Yes.

[Richard Thursby]

On the same subject (if you forget to check before the game starts), is it acceptable to check your mobile phone during a game to make sure it is switched off?

Better that than it ringing during play.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

On the same subject (if you forget to check before the game starts), is it acceptable to check your mobile phone during a game to make sure it is switched off?

Better that than it ringing during play.

Some phones make a noise when you switch them off. Technically, I think that breaches the regulations.

[Alex Holowczak]

On the same subject (if you forget to check before the game starts), is it acceptable to check your mobile phone during a game to make sure it is switched off?

Better that than it ringing during play.

Some phones make a noise when you switch them off. Technically, I think that breaches the regulations.

Of course that would lead to your defaulting. Which is why you go to the bathroom to do it...

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

On the same subject (if you forget to check before the game starts), is it acceptable to check your mobile phone during a game to make sure it is switched off?

Better that than it ringing during play.

Some phones make a noise when you switch them off. Technically, I think that breaches the regulations.

This happened in the 4NCL last season. One player wasnt sure if his phone was off. He took it out and turned it off at the board. His opponent watched what he was doing, claimed to hear a noise which put him off and claimed a default win. - Pathetic in my opinion, but the rules are the rules.

[Alex Holowczak]

This happened in the 4NCL last season. One player wasnt sure if his phone was off. He took it out and turned it off at the board. His opponent watched what he was doing, claimed to hear a noise which put him off and claimed a default win. - Pathetic in my opinion, but the rules are the rules.

At the risk of repeating myself - he should have gone to the bathroom and done it there! No one could have claimed to have heard it then.

[Sean Hewitt]

Or just open it up and take the battery out!

[Peter Shaw]

This happened in the 4NCL last season. One player wasnt sure if his phone was off. He took it out and turned it off at the board. His opponent watched what he was doing, claimed to hear a noise which put him off and claimed a default win. - Pathetic in my opinion, but the rules are the rules.

At the risk of repeating myself - he should have gone to the bathroom and done it there! No one could have claimed to have heard it then.

Sneaking off to the bathroom with your phone might be considered a little suspiscious...

[Alex Holowczak]

This happened in the 4NCL last season. One player wasnt sure if his phone was off. He took it out and turned it off at the board. His opponent watched what he was doing, claimed to hear a noise which put him off and claimed a default win. - Pathetic in my opinion, but the rules are the rules.

At the risk of repeating myself - he should have gone to the bathroom and done it there! No one could have claimed to have heard it then.

Sneaking off to the bathroom with your phone might be considered a little suspiscious...

Well, if it's in your pocket, and you keep it there until you get to the cubicle...?

[Ian Kingston]

Or just open it up and take the battery out!

Which, of course, might make more noise and cause more distraction than simply turning the thing off.

[Sean Hewitt]

Or just open it up and take the battery out!

Which, of course, might make more noise and cause more distraction than simply turning the thing off.

Maybe. But as it would be you rather than the phone making the noise, you couldn't be defaulted

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Some phones make a noise when you switch them off. Technically, I think that breaches the regulations.

Of course that would lead to your defaulting. Which is why you go to the bathroom to do it...

Unless your phone is in your coat, which you obviously need to take to the bathroom. What about alarm clocks in luggage dotted around the 4NCL playing rooms on the Sunday?

[MSoszynski]

In a league game in Hull, over twenty years ago, I had the white pieces and
perpetrated the following masterpiece:

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 d6 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. dxe5 Ne8 6. Qf3+ Kg8 7. Qb3+ d5

And here, after a very long think, I played 8. e5xd6 en passant check. My shocked opponent resigned and went home. The
result stood.

[Alex Holowczak]

Some phones make a noise when you switch them off. Technically, I think that breaches the regulations.

Of course that would lead to your defaulting. Which is why you go to the bathroom to do it...

Unless your phone is in your coat, which you obviously need to take to the bathroom. What about alarm clocks in luggage dotted around the 4NCL playing rooms on the Sunday?

Well keep it in your pocket then?

If you need an alarm clock to wake up for an 11am start, and it goes off during the game (which means you set it to go off after 11am - the start time of the game), then in my opinion, you deserve all the wrath from the arbiters that is about to come your way.