Must one say 'Check'?

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
They generally won't be in the same section of the tournament as me.

If, however, I play beginners of course I point these things out to them plus their clock and I even disregard touch move at times (I tell them they should move but don't enforce it). As you say the intention is to encourage them to play and I know that I can play like a patzer and still win so these concessions cost me nothing.

The chess world needs more understanding people like you. My rating isn't very high, but I'd like to think I'm no longer a beginner. (I'd say I'm a novice.) I also try to be helpful to the beginners that I play, and I'm thankful that people were generally kind to me when I was struggling to develop my board vision. (Of course, I'm still developing it, but it's much better than when I started.)

In friendly games, I announce check, but not in tournament games. In fact, saying "check" is against the rules because you are not allowed to speak to your opponent other than to offer a draw or resign.

Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn
In friendly games, I announce check, but not in tournament games. In fact, saying "check" is against the rules because you are not allowed to speak to your opponent other than to offer a draw or resign.

I'm not sure about Canadian rules, but the USCF does allow saying check. USCF Rule 12F (Calling check not mandatory.) "... A player may announce check."

I guess that's the problem of discussing rules issues with people from many different nations.

As is the rough general opinion here, I rarely announce "check" in informal games, but I seldom announce it in tournament games, mainly because I always hope that they won't see the check and touch another piece, after which they have to move the piece to block the check/take the attacking piece if possible. 🙂

Originally posted by wittywonka
As is the rough general opinion here, I rarely announce "check" in informal games, but I seldom announce it in tournament games, mainly because I always hope that they won't see the check and touch another piece, after which they have to move the piece to block the check/take the attacking piece if possible. 🙂

Yeah, I guess the ultimate cruelty in a non-blitz USCF game would be for a player to have to give 2 minutes to his opponent due to the completion of an illegal move in sudden death, AND also have to move the touched piece as a result of a check so that it could be taken. A double whammy! (USCF Rule 11D does allow this.)

I've never heard the suggestion that chess rules vary from country to country before. 🙄

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I've never heard the suggestion that chess rules vary from country to country. 🙄

Sure, some USCF rules differ from FIDE rules, and I wouldn't think that all other countries follow USCF rules exactly. So yeah, I guess you've heard it now. 🙂

Some people announce check loudly when they are in a +/- position to psychologically scare the opponent. This is similar to the repeated draw/abort offers (when you are up in the game) you see on some sites like ICC though not Playchess.

I was playing a tmt game with a time limit of 30 moves in 30 min. against a much lower rated opponent and was sitting there pretty satisfied with my position. After all he was only rated about 1100; no way I could lose. A friend strolled by, glanced at the board, snickered & walked away. Thinking he was laughing at my opponent’s miserable position I happened to glance down & saw the guy had a mate in one. The guy thought and thought. I’m praying he doesn’t see it. So after what seemed like an eternity he finally played the mate. BUT…he never said anything so I quickly made a move and he replied just as quickly. We played on and I went on to win. I refused to look at the game with him after it was over and the poor guy never knew what had happened.

what's the point of saying check?!?!?! i understand that it's telling the other person he's in check. He should be able to see it for himself though.

Originally posted by masscat
I was playing a tmt game with a time limit of 30 moves in 30 min. against a much lower rated opponent and was sitting there pretty satisfied with my position. After all he was only rated about 1100; no way I could lose. A friend strolled by, glanced at the board, snickered & walked away. Thinking he was laughing at my opponent’s miserable position I happened ...[text shortened]... ed to look at the game with him after it was over and the poor guy never knew what had happened.

So, you were 1 win and 1 loss for that game! 😉

Aw, come on, ya shoulda done a post mortem. I can just imagine the conversation - "You moved here, I moved there, you moved here with mate, I moved there, you moved here... What? Mate? Oh yeah, I guess you didn't see that, huh?"

I always say it as a form of courtesy and insult. 😉

If my opponent gets annoyed, then he gets distracted and I have a slight advantage psychologically.

I say it really loudly when I'm playing correspondence chess. Is that allowed?

Originally posted by HolyT
I say it really loudly when I'm playing correspondence chess. Is that allowed?

LOL, yeah, scream it to the heavens, I won't mind.

Originally posted by Mad Rook
So, you were 1 win and 1 loss for that game! 😉

Aw, come on, ya shoulda done a post mortem. I can just imagine the conversation - "You moved here, I moved there, you moved here with mate, I moved there, you moved here... What? Mate? Oh yeah, I guess you didn't see that, huh?"

According to the rules of chess, he would get the win regardless of whether he sees that he has you in mate. So a timely post-mortum would have probably resulted in a dispute that he would have won.