Mobile Phones (and Grandmasters)

[Ben Purton]

when did chess become the samurai? For someone with an all or nothing samurai-esque psychology you do draw alot of games.

Ben

[Nigel_Davies]

when did chess become the samurai? For someone with an all or nothing samurai-esque psychology you do draw alot of games.

Ben

I'm sorry, but as you're getting personal I don't wish to speak to you again.

[Ben Purton]

OK its a valid question, Chess isnt war, it might immeitate it on some limited level. I would never even compare any chess players with the hero's in iraq etc.

Ben

[Richard Bates]

In the light of some people occupying an unlikely moral high ground, I wonder which is more detrimental to one's chess performance? A mobile phone beeping once during the game, or being woken up at 5 in the morning by a group of people who have forgotten to go to bed?

[Ben Purton]

who did it?

[John Upham]

In the light of some people occupying an unlikely moral high ground, I wonder which is more detrimental to one's chess performance? A mobile phone beeping once during the game, or being woken up at 5 in the morning by a group of people who have forgotten to go to bed?

Richard,

Maybe I was a victim of the very same selfish idiots who returned to their room at around 3am and attempted to open the door without first unlocking it.

The breaking of the door down continued for some time. I was in room 525 and the fools must have been nearby. Hopefully they were connected with wedding party / Hen night or whatever else was going on.

[Ben Purton]

I love the blatent attempts to claim this was somehow linked with Sharks. We werent staying in the hotel! and the one player who was(me) I went to bed early.

Ben

[E Michael White]

I believe had Lorin's phone beeped whilst he was playing a Grandmaster then he would have lost and it is this kind of inconsistency that gives arbiters (perhaps, particularly British arbiters?) a bad name.

Matthew

My theory is that what you have noticed, is some arbiters indulging in arbiter chess social climbing (ACSC).

This effect first became noticeable when 10.2 rules came into being. Some arbiters always tended to agree with the claim of the GM or the stronger player. Its a way of saying "Look I could be a good player if I wanted and I understand what the GM or stronger player is saying".

Another example of ACSC is when the strongest player in an event finishes their game. Some arbiters take the opportunity to break into loud conversation with the said player disregarding other lesser players who are still playing. This behaviour is again trying to appear to be in the chess circle of the elite player.

What we really need is an arbiter grading formula such as:- current arbiter grade - 50 x ( misinterpretations of the mobile phone rule) -25 x (unnecessary conversations with strong players) - 25 x ( each time the arbiter removes the pairing board before all players have arrived) - 25 x ( putting the pairing boards in silly places to prevent easy access) - 40 x ( getting the draw wrong) +25 x (admitting to any of these and not repeating them ).

[Ben Purton]

Why wasnt Gerry Walsh brought in to this!!!!! I mean he is the best arbiter in britain

[Richard Bates]

I love the blatent attempts to claim this was somehow linked with Sharks. We werent staying in the hotel! and the one player who was(me) I went to bed early.

Ben

I wouldn't dream of making such an accusation! Although i slept very well this weekend for once...

ps. if you never wake people up after a late night drinking session then I don't think you're drinking enough!

[John Upham]

Why wasnt Gerry Walsh brought in to this!!!!! I mean he is the best arbiter in britain

Gerry is a nice guy.

[Ben Purton]

Sorry I meznt welshy! who is the best

[Greg Breed]

I'll add my 2 cents to this discussion.

I've found that putting the mobile phone on silent b4 turning it off solves all problems.

[Roger de Coverly]

I've found that putting the mobile phone on silent b4 turning it off solves all problems.

It's alarming that the designers of modern phones have incorporated a feature where off doesn't mean off. There must be circumstances other than chess games where a phone should stay switched off.

I wonder whether the issue is akin to computers in that these days there are several forms of off including hibernate, stand-by and totally off. Given the usual complexity of a mobile phone operating system, I could imagine that finding the right form of "off" could be a challenge and it may be that "silent" and "off" means "really off" to some models. The Makepeace solution of removing the battery is safer though especially for a new phone where you haven't mastered any or all of the features.

[E Michael White]

It's alarming that the designers of modern phones have incorporated a feature where off doesn't mean off. There must be circumstances other than chess games where a phone should stay switched off.

It might just be possible with potential sale numbers involved for the ECF or FIDE to get a manufacturer to produce an approved Chess Tournament compatible designed phone with whatever features are needed.