The Laws of Chess

[Andy McCulloch]

Alex, Ian's concern appeared to me to be the exclusion of parents from the playing area, and who would then be responsible for the safety of Juniors. He makes no reference to mobile phones (or electronic communication devices) and all the resultant problems.

Robin, this is from the FIDE document

FIDE LAWS OF CHESS TAKING EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 2014

'11.2 The ‘playing venue’ is defined as the ‘playing area’, rest rooms, toilets, refreshment
area, area set aside for smoking and other places as designated by the arbiter.
The playing area is defined as the place where the games of a competition are played.
Only with the permission of the arbiter can
a. a player leave the playing venue.
b. the player having the move be allowed to leave the playing area.
c. A person who is neither a players nor arbiter be allowed access to the playing
area.'

I think it clearly states the difference between 'playing area' and 'playing venue'.

People who are neither 'players or arbiters' are refused access to the 'playing area', but would, I suggest, be allowed in the rest of the 'playing venue'.

[Andy Howie]

I think (and I hope) that common sense will be applied when it comes to these rules in Scotland.

Are we going to prevent Parents from being in the playing room?

As for bringing phones to the venue at say SNCL. The laws seem to indicate that a lesser penalty can be imposed. So at the start of each round the arbiter does a public warning to all en mass who have a phone with them. That should cover it nicely?

[robin moore]

I am quite sure that common sense will prevail here and arbiters will clarify their interpretation of the rules for each event in advance so everyone is clear where they stand.

[David G Congalton]

Are we going to prevent Parents from being in the playing room?

I don't see where the rules state this at all.

At the Glorney 2013 and Liverpool 2012 junior events, the chief arbiter gave permission for parents and everyone else to be in the playing area before play started to take photographs, wish their children luck and whatever else needed done. Just before black started white's clock the playing area was cleared of all bar arbiters, players and official coaches, who had the chief arbiters permission to be in the playing area.

This didn't seem to cause any major issues.

From my experience, for most events parents are hardly ever in the playing area after play commences. At the South Ayrshire and Ayr congresses I expect most of them will congregate in the downstairs seating area or the analsysis room.

The playing area will be the rooms where boards are set up for competitive play, the boundaries of which are marked by doors, walls and windows.

The playing venue will be the above mentioned playing area, the first floor toilets and the entrance area where the water coolers will be this year. The area set aside for smoking is outside. Anyone daft enough to use a mobile phone or electronic device while they are still playing a game in any of these areas, including outside, will forfiet the game, unless it is a medical emergency.

For those bringing such items into the playing venue they should be switched off in the playing venue during playing sessions.

11.3 b. During play, a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone and/or other electronic
means of communication in the playing venue. If it is evident that a player
brought such a device into the playing venue, he shall lose the game. The
opponent shall win.
The rules of a competition may specify a different, less severe, penalty.

The last line of this rule will be applied. The different, less severe, penalty being no action at all provided the device is switched off, which seems penalty enough for those who suffer phone or ipad withdrawal symptoms, when they are deprived of the use of such products for any length of time.

All that said, it is good that the points have been highlighted, especially for our international teams playing in FIDE events and also for our own domestic competitions, where interpretations can sometimes be misunderstood by players, leading to confusion and a feeling of being done by the application of rules, such as the mobile phone one or the dreaded claim for a draw in the last five minutes.

[Ianbrownlee]

I think (and I hope) that common sense will be applied when it comes to these rules in Scotland.

Are we going to prevent Parents from being in the playing room?

As for bringing phones to the venue at say SNCL. The laws seem to indicate that a lesser penalty can be imposed. So at the start of each round the arbiter does a public warning to all en mass who have a phone with them. That should cover it nicely?

the problem with that is having possession of the phone not just switched off so if we come to the SNCL where do we put our phones, computers (which can be used as communication devices) etc, and again insurance etc comes into play

[Andy Howie]

You leave them in your pocket and Don't play with them in the playing hall. Read the last part where I said

So at the start of each round the arbiter does a public warning to all en mass who have a phone with them. That should cover it nicely?

If you look at the schedule of punishments available to an Arbiter, warning is one of them. Covers the laws nicely methinks...

[Alex McFarlane]

David - doing nothing about phones etc is not an option. 11.6 states that one of the penalties mentioned by Andy must be applied. A warning is the minimum.
More worryingly 11.7 states that constant refusal to obey leads to a loss. I can easily argue that being warned on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is acceptable but can you simply warn someone for ALL nine days of the Scottish?

In any case one other penalty is to fine people. Can I suggest that this might be a better option. At £1 per event this could be used to support a charity, the SJCA Educational Trust comes to mind, to fund-raise for new equipment or to support the Scottish teams. I imagine this could raise between £40 and £100 per event.

The suggestion of having boxes to deposit the phones and computers in is just not practical. Not only are there insurance and security issues but there is also the problem of transporting the boxes around. I can imagine several cars being required just to ferry the boxes to and from a congress.

With regard to banning parents and other spectators, this used to be done in events in England. The first time I saw this was at the British in Edinburgh in '85 when a section of the hall was roped off for the younger events.
I don't see this being widely applied by arbiters in Scotland.

[Ianbrownlee]

You leave them in your pocket and Don't play with them in the playing hall. Read the last part where I said

So at the start of each round the arbiter does a public warning to all en mass who have a phone with them. That should cover it nicely?

If you look at the schedule of punishments available to an Arbiter, warning is one of them. Covers the laws nicely methinks...

if you use that as a prerequisite then that's fine but players will need to know that before a tournament unless Scotland uses that as a standard for all tournaments and possibly league tournaments. Is this a matter for the AGM then as a motion could be placed suggesting a player can enter a playing venue with the phone switched off. Players have to be protected as well as arbiters, and what about tournaments such as the Nancy Elder etc , does this have to be set into the rules. In this fast moving society we find ourselves in, most people have mobile phones to the point we forget we carry them and most of us have jobs where phones are an essential part of communication. A simple set of rules is what we need

[Andy Howie]

Its not a matter for the AGM, it is a matter for every tournament organiser to decide how they are going to handle it.

Chess Scotland cannot dictate this to every league and tournament. It is up to them to decide how they are wanting to handle it.

[Ianbrownlee]

Its not a matter for the AGM, it is a matter for every tournament organiser to decide how they are going to handle it.

Chess Scotland cannot dictate this to every league and tournament. It is up to them to decide how they are wanting to handle it.

then it will have to be clearly detailed before each league and tournament whether phones are allowed on the premises or not, which rules are applied and how the arbiter deals with them. Surely chess Scotland if it is to be the national body should have a say on this or is Chess Scotland not the official representative body I thought it was. Also again I ask if these are FIDE events why do we have to adopt these rules carte blanche. I think a serious discussion on this is required urgently and not just on the forums. This will not go away

You say Chess Scotland cannot dictate this to every league and tournament and yet FIDE seems to be able to do so. Chess Scotland manage our grading system so they should have a say