British Chess Championships 2011

[Alex Holowczak]

Yours does a different version to the question I was asking, because I was wondering what would happen if someone was seen using a mobile phone in the playing hall. (If it had been an MP3 player, it must have been one without earphones because the person was not wearing any yet was still looking down into the device whilst walking through the hall. (but as we have since found out, even MP3 players were not allowed). When it was pointed out to the person that such devices were not allowed within the playing hall, the FIRST reply was "It is not on." However, as the screen was still lit up, it was obvious that the device was still switched on, but when this was again pointed out to the person, a reply came back of "P** off".

Alan, which of the arbiters pointed this out to the miscreant?

[Adam Raoof]

I was walking around the hall with my iPod / mp3 player checking my emails when I was told off....

Given the allegations against Feller and the French match captain at the Olympiad, you do not want anyone potentially in contact with the players, even if only by line of sight, to be receiving external communications.

I agree, and I can only offer in my defence the fact that the two players I was in communication with at that time failed spectacularly to haul themselves off the bottom boards of the Major Open...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I was walking around the hall with my iPod / mp3 player checking my emails when I was told off....

Ah. This is getting quite funny.

[LozCooper]

I was walking around the hall with my iPod / mp3 player checking my emails when I was told off....

Given the allegations against Feller and the French match captain at the Olympiad, you do not want anyone potentially in contact with the players, even if only by line of sight, to be receiving external communications.

Agreed. Having said that, locating the bookstall in the playing area might lead to one or two conspiracy theories

[Alan Burke]

Alex H .. in the case I was refering to, it would have to be a hypothetical arbiter of course !

[Alex Holowczak]

Alex H .. in the case I was refering to, it would have to be a hypothetical arbiter of course !

Oh, OK. Well, in the case you're referring to, if the person who is telling off the miscreant is a hypothetical arbiter, then the abuse seems fair enough. After all, hypothetical arbiters can be a right pain in the backside.

However, if a real arbiter came along with the same request, there wouldn't be a problem. They might even ask to see the device for confirmation, at which point, with all curiosity satisfied, everyone can go their separate ways and waltz merrily into the sunset.

[Roger de Coverly]

In contrast, some spectators were listening (presumably to music) through headphones from an i-pod. You can't communicate with someone using such a device and therefore we considered that to be fine, though I respect Alex M's interpretation.

It appears ipods now do email.

http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/features/mail.html

That uses wifi rather than a mobile phone network, but many chess events now take place in premises with wifi.

http://www.ponds-forge.co.uk/about_ponds_forge/

Conferencing and Events - Our city centre location and versatile event spaces are ideal for a variety of events and we have free Wi-Fi internet in meeting rooms and public areas.

I suspect you can load a chess engine to an ipod
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/features/app-store.html

So an ipod is essentially an iphone with the facility to make phone calls over the mobile phone network removed.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I'm certainly not aware of any incident that took place along these lines, certainly not in the way described. Do you know any more than me?

I think some people may be (incorrectly?) reading between the lines of this post:

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... 465#p69864

It could reasonably be inferred that Alan was talking about an actual incident, and you (Loz) were responding and saying that you were unaware that the rules covered MP3 players, leading others to assume that this hypothetical actual incident involved an MP3 player.

Lots of things can be infered and assumed but it's not always the best way to answer a question The incident I am aware of, is rather different to the one described by Alan and so I assume the two are un-connected. The one I am aware of involved a respected International Arbiter being aggressively confronted by a spectator who refused to say who he was and on realising he was in the wrong refused to apologise. I spoke to the Arbiter in question who was somewhat shaken from his unnerving experience.

I'm confused now. Which one had the MP3 player? The International Arbiter or the spectator?

[Adam Raoof]

In contrast, some spectators were listening (presumably to music) through headphones from an i-pod. You can't communicate with someone using such a device and therefore we considered that to be fine, though I respect Alex M's interpretation.

It appears ipods now do email.

http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/features/mail.html

I think Sean was referring to a dedicated ipod, rather than the iPod Touch, which can do all those things and more.

More tournaments will simply follow the practice in other Mind Sports (such as backgammon and Scrabble) and just ban any electronic devices from the playing area.

Talking of Mind Sports, anyone going to this excellent event?

http://www.boardability.com/

[Adam Raoof]

I'm confused now. Which one had the MP3 player? The International Arbiter or the spectator?

The theoretical arbiter was in fact a spectator. The hypothetical spectator was acting in loco as an arbiter. The theoretical mp3 player was in the possession of the theoretical arbiter who was spectating. Theoretically I am not sure why the hypothetical spectator took it upon himself (or is it herself?) to intervene....

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Talking of Mind Sports, anyone going to this excellent event?

http://www.boardability.com/

Thinking about it. Is the "Diving Chess" for real?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I'm confused now. Which one had the MP3 player? The International Arbiter or the spectator?

The theoretical arbiter was in fact a spectator. The hypothetical spectator was acting in loco as an arbiter. The theoretical mp3 player was in the possession of the theoretical arbiter who was spectating. Theoretically I am not sure why the hypothetical spectator took it upon himself (or is it herself?) to intervene....

That makes things clearer. From what Loz said, it sounded like the arbiter was acting as an arbiter and accosting the spectator and got abused for it. At least that is what people would assume when the word "arbiter" is mentioned. The way you and Loz were dancing around the topic earlier, I thought you two were disagreeing over it, when it seems both of you were just trying to avoid mentioning names. Does the hypothetical spectator hypothetically post here?

[Alex Holowczak]

Does the hypothetical spectator hypothetically post here?

You mean in reality, or hypothetically?

[Adam Raoof]

Does the hypothetical spectator hypothetically post here?

That would be telling.

[Alex Holowczak]

Does the hypothetical spectator hypothetically post here?

That would be telling.

Theoretically telling, hypothetically telling, or actually telling?

I'll stop this now...