So loss in American Champs

[Phil Thomas]

So is a player with a bit of a history.
He could well be Autistic and need everything spelled out to him. This is not however the arbiter's job.

The arbiter told him not to make notes on his scoresheet or he would forfeit the game. This. as Andy says, seems a bit extreme going from warning to loss of game without any of the punishments in between for what is after all not the most serious way of using notes. It could certainly be distracting to an opponent and as such had to be stopped.

The arbiter says he told So he would lose the game if he wrote messages on his scoresheet again. So took this literally and wrote them on a piece of paper instead.

If this was an ordinary player with severe autism I would have some sympathy for his situation. However, it is difficult to accept that someone could get to his level of play without knowing the Laws adequately regarding using notes.

So appealed requesting only that the game should not count for rating. He did not appeal the Arbiter's decision. The Appeals Committee did not agree. Even if it had it is uncertain that FIDE would have agreed not to rate the game.

Have to agree with the Appeals Comittee to have the game rated.
Otherwise each time I find myself losing - - -rather than resign I could write some notes to encourage myself to get disqualified from that game and not lose any grading points.