"Touch Move"????

I was playing at an otb tournament last weekend, and in one of my games, when I was ahead a rook, and a few games from checkmate, I reached for a pawn, and in doing so acidently knocked over my rook. I picked it up without bothering to say "I adjust", or whatever I would say, and my opponent announced that I had to move it. I called the TD and he agreed. As there was only one place to put it, I move it there, my opponent captured it, and I consequently lost. Is this really correct?

Technically that is correct, you have to announce "J`adoube" (french for I adjust) or you ust move the piece that you touched, I must admit I dont see that ever in practice at my local chess club and I believe that it is no longer strictly enforced everywhere but it is still a chess rule:

http://rules.chessdom.com/jadoube-rule

Originally posted by Pigface1
Technically that is correct, you have to announce "J`adoube" (french for I adjust) or you ust move the piece that you touched, I must admit I dont see that ever in practice at my local chess club and I believe that it is no longer strictly enforced everywhere but it is still a chess rule:

http://rules.chessdom.com/jadoube-rule

but if I accidentally knock it over?

Originally posted by clandarkfire
Is this really correct?

Unfortunately, yes. You have to be careful while physically making moves.

Hmm, I couldnt say for sure about an accidental knock over, most decent people would accpet this and not claim the J`adoube move, sounds like you had one harsh petty opponent that will win at ANY cost... unlucky..

Originally posted by clandarkfire
but if I accidentally knock it over?

I understand where you're coming from, but people accidentally forget to press their clock, etc. too. And when it's you causing the accident, the rules tend to penalise you. Regard it as enforcing a level of discipline.

its a pity, next time I will be very careful.

Originally posted by clandarkfire
I was playing at an otb tournament last weekend, and in one of my games, when I was ahead a rook, and a few games from checkmate, I reached for a pawn, and in doing so acidently knocked over my rook. I picked it up without bothering to say "I adjust", or whatever I would say, and my opponent announced that I had to move it. I called the TD and he agreed ...[text shortened]... it, I move it there, my opponent captured it, and I consequently lost. Is this really correct?

The safest thing for you to have done would have been to finish moving the pawn BEFORE you reset the accidentally knocked-over rook. That way any claim by your opponent of touch move would really be lame.

However, USCF Rule 10E applies to your situation.

Rule 10E: "Accidental touch of piece - A director who believes a player touched a piece by accident should not require the player to move that piece. For example, a player's hand reaching across the board may inadvertantly brush the top of a nearby king or queen, or a player may hit a piece with an elbow."

Unfortunately, rulings on these types of claims are often difficult for the TD. It all boils down to whether the TD thinks the piece was deliberately touched.

If it really happened the way you say it happened, then you got a raw deal. Life's not always fair, unfortunately.

Originally posted by clandarkfire
I was playing at an otb tournament last weekend, and in one of my games, when I was ahead a rook, and a few games from checkmate, I reached for a pawn, and in doing so acidently knocked over my rook. I picked it up without bothering to say "I adjust", or whatever I would say, and my opponent announced that I had to move it. I called the TD and he agreed ...[text shortened]... it, I move it there, my opponent captured it, and I consequently lost. Is this really correct?

I'll also add that many times either I or my opponent has accidently knocked over a piece. Most of the time neither one of us bothers to say "I adjust" (although it's safer to say so), as it's clearly obvious that it was an accident. The piece just gets replaced, and we continue the game with no incident. I think as you get older and wiser, you have less of a need to try to win games by falsely claiming touch move when a piece has been accidently knocked over.

It's got to make you wonder if your opponent wanted to play chess or just win whatever the cost. Sounds like a desperate man to me.

Originally posted by Varenka
I understand where you're coming from, but people accidentally forget to press their clock, etc. too. And when it's you causing the accident, the rules tend to penalise you. Regard it as enforcing a level of discipline.

I can live with that, fair enough. But I would just feel bad in the skin of the other player which insited to win in way that cheap. I rather lose, but with dignity. This seems like Pyrrhic victory to me.

Originally posted by clandarkfire
I was playing at an otb tournament last weekend, and in one of my games, when I was ahead a rook, and a few games from checkmate, I reached for a pawn, and in doing so acidently knocked over my rook. I picked it up without bothering to say "I adjust", or whatever I would say, and my opponent announced that I had to move it. I called the TD and he agreed ...[text shortened]... it, I move it there, my opponent captured it, and I consequently lost. Is this really correct?

You'd have been alright if you went ahead and moved your pawn and then picked up the rook.

And one last comment. When I started playing otb tournaments, the $19 that I spent on the USCF rule book was probably the best chess investment I ever made. I read the book twice before I ever entered a tournament. If any of you tournament players out there don't own a rule book, I highly recommend that you get one and read it. I'm convinced that it will help you down the road.

Originally posted by clandarkfire
its a pity, next time I will be [b]very careful.[/b]

lol

Last night in my legue match my opponent played an illegal move when he overlooked that he was in check. I pointed it out, he apologised and he did another move that blocked the check. With his revised move he moved the same piece he had touched. I let it pass ...life is too short and I don't even know if there were any other options other than to play on. I had been outplayed for most of the game and it would have seemed wrong to claim a win due to an accident.

Given Clandarkfires experience I wonder if it's valid to say the french for: "whoops I just knocked that over by accident"