Proper OTB Etiquette

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
The game would hardly be worth playing if you weren't allowed to look at each other. Are there any rules on talking (i.e. is it allowed), or conversational etiquette? I've hardly played OTB since primary school (aged 7-10), where I used to talk and even sing a bit during games if I felt comfortable. The lad who was top of the chess ladder liked my si ...[text shortened]... during a game, whether about chess or other things, even so far as to not want to play at all.

Some chess players do not like noises or conversations going on while they are concentrating on a game of chess. I had completed a game and was outside the room with the door closed and talking to another player during the club tournament and another player, who eventually won the tournament, came out enraged at the fact that we were out in the hall talking. So different people take it differently. I think Bobby Fischer also got very upset with any distractions.

Originally posted by RJHinds
Some chess players do not like noises or conversations going on while they are concentrating on a game of chess. I had completed a game and was outside the room with the door closed and talking to another player during the club tournament and another player, who eventually won the tournament, came out enraged at the fact that we were out in the hall talking ...[text shortened]... nt people take it differently. I think Bobby Fischer also got very upset with any distractions.

Interesting to hear your story and about Bobby Fischer. I emphasise I have virtually no knowledge of tournament rules, and have never experienced a tournament, so do not necessarily fully understand the reality of playing chess OTB, but do you happen to know if there is any basis in tournament rules for those players having preferential treatment over those who might find silence unfriendly or even oppressive? Obviously I can understand players not wanting distractions, but isn't it uncivil not to acknowledge your opponent, or even to only do so by following any minimum prescribed rules, (which may be) eg. shaking hands and uttering a greeting? Or is this a grey area and determined by who has the strongest (or perhaps most bellicose) personality?

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
Interesting to hear your story and about Bobby Fischer. I emphasise I have virtually no knowledge of tournament rules, and have never experienced a tournament, so do not necessarily fully understand the reality of playing chess OTB, but do you happen to know if there is any basis in tournament rules for those players having preferential treatment ove ...[text shortened]... is a grey area and determined by who has the strongest (or perhaps most bellicose) personality?

The tournament directors seems to favor those who like silence. So you will have to check with the tournament director.

I guess that it is still acceptable in the USCF to talk to your opponent to ask him or her for his or her game score in order to check to see if yours has an omission or error. Am I right about that?

KOP

There was a player at one of the clubs i went to, in a match game somehow he managed to rob his opponent of an hour when the clocks were put back , and they only realised after losing on time.

In light of the "touch/move" rule, can anyone answer what happens if pieces are knocked off the board by accident? And what if a player touches a piece that he doesn't realize is pinned to the king?

Originally posted by vivify
In light of the "touch/move" rule, can anyone answer what happens if pieces are knocked off the board by accident? And what if a player touches a piece that he doesn't realize is pinned to the king?

If they are knocked off the board by a genuine accident, they would be replaced without penalty.

If you touch a piece which is pinned to your king, you must still move it if there is a legal move available (which would mean using it to take the opposing piece which is doing the pinning). If there is no legal move available you would have to move another piece.

Originally posted by e4chris
There was a player at one of the clubs i went to, in a match game somehow he managed to rob his opponent of an hour when the clocks were put back , and they only realised after losing on time.

At a rated club game I set my clock for 45 hours, but the TD was walking around and caught it almost immediately and reset the clock to 45 minutes.

From the Wikipedia article on chess:

<<If a player's time runs out before the game is completed, the game is automatically lost (provided his opponent has enough pieces left to deliver checkmate).>>

So if a player runs out of time, and the other player has just one minor piece, is this really counted as a draw in club play?

Originally posted by Paul Dirac II
From the Wikipedia article on chess:

<<If a player's time runs out before the game is completed, the game is automatically lost (provided his opponent has enough pieces left to deliver checkmate).>>

So if a player runs out of time, and the other player has just one minor piece, is this really counted as a draw in club play?

I have never seen it happen, but that is apparently the rule.

P.S. However, I have lost too many games in a winning position because my opponents claimed a win on time.

some tips!

1. Do not adjust pieces on your opponent's time.
2. To offer a draw, make your move first, then say "draw?" then press the clock.
3. If you have an issue at the board, do not directly talk to your opponent, inform the arbiter instead
4. It is not permitted to discuss games in progress with other players.
5. It is not permitted to take notes during games.

(I'm about to post these at our club🙂)

Originally posted by Paul Dirac II
From the Wikipedia article on chess:

<<If a player's time runs out before the game is completed, the game is automatically lost (provided his opponent has enough pieces left to deliver checkmate).>>

So if a player runs out of time, and the other player has just one minor piece, is this really counted as a draw in club play?

The FIDE laws of chess state that if it is possible for the side whose flag has not fallen to checkmate his opponent, then he wins the game. This means that it can be a form of selfmate where the side whose flag fell plays inconceivably bad moves. e.g. if Black's flag falls in the following position then White wins the game because a mate can be constructed:


See http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=124&view=article
and in particular article 6.9.

This rule is often overruled by local variations, e.g. by something to the effect that the player who did not run out of time wins if he could have won the game "with normal play". This is very open to interpretation, e.g. if one side is a piece down but still playing for a win (perhaps they need a win to win the tournament) then should they only get a draw if their opponent's flag falls?

There is also usually a local rule to prevent one player just trying to win on time without making any progress on the board. This is generally the most difficult rule of all to decide on in club games.

Originally posted by C J Horse
If you touch a piece which is pinned to your king, you must still move it if there is a legal move available (which would mean using it to take the opposing piece which is doing the pinning). If there is no legal move available you would have to move another piece.

There used to be a rule in Britain (I don't know if it was a universal one) that said if you couldn't move the piece you touched then you had to move your king! Knowing about this helps explain some very peculiar "blunders" that you sometimes see in club games played thirty or more years ago.

Brings us on nicely to Tarrasch -v- Alapin 1899

On chessgames it's mentioned as Lindemann vs Echtermeyer, Kiel 1893.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1242985