Rules changes passed at the 2009 Delegates meeting:

New 14H:

14H. Claim of insufficient losing chances in sudden death.

14H1. Explanation.

This procedure is not available for games in which a clock is being used with either the time delay or the increment properly set, whether the game begins with such a clock or one is added during the game (14H2a). If such a clock is not being used, or such a clock is being used without the time delay or increment feature in operation, the following procedure is available.

In a sudden death time control, a player on the move with two minutes or less of remaining time may stop the clock and may make a claim of insufficient losing chances.

14H2. Resolution of 14H claim.

The TD will inform the opponent of the player making the claim that a draw has been offered by the claimant. If the draw offer is accepted then the claim is resolved and the game is a draw (14B).    

14H2a. The Draw offer is not immediately accepted and a properly set delay clock is immediately available for the game.

The claimant gets half of the claimant’s remaining time (rounded to the nearest second); the opponent’s time is unadjusted; the time delay is set for the standard delay announced at the start of the tournament. After the claimant’s clock is started, the 14H draw request by the claimant becomes a draw offer under 14B3, Draw offer before moving. Penalties for rule infractions remain standard. The claimant may win, lose, or draw the game. 

TD TIP: There is no rule allowing players, after the game has started, to ask for a properly set delay clock to be placed on their game, which would replace an analog clock or an improperly set delay or increment clock. Only the TD can initiate placing a clock with time delay capabilities on a game after a 14H claim has been made and the steps of 14H2 have been applied. As a result, the player wishing to place a time delay clock on the game must first make a 14H claim.

TD TIP: The director should inform the claimant and opponent that when the claimant’s clock is started that rule 14B3, Draw offer before moving, is in effect. The opponent has the right to ask the claimant to make a move before the draw offer is rejected or accepted by the opponent; however, if the claimant makes a checkmating (13A) or stalemating (14A) move, the game is over.

14H2b. The Draw offer is not immediately accepted and a properly set delay clock is not available for the game.

The director has four possible ways to resolve the claim.

1. A director who believes the claim is clearly correct should declare the game drawn. The exact drawing and non-losing chances of any position cannot be calculated, but a director wishing a more precise standard may consider the likely game outcome if a delay clock were placed on the game. See also 14I, Advice on claims of insufficient losing chances in sudden death under rule 14H and 14H3, Conferring with players.

2. A director who believes the claim is clearly incorrect should deny the claim and may subtract up to one minute from the claimant’s remaining time. After the claimant’s clock is started, the 14H draw request by the claimant also becomes a draw offer under 14B3, Draw offer before moving. Penalties for rule infractions remain standard. The claimant may win, lose, or draw the game. See also 14I, Advice on claims of insufficient losing chances in sudden death under rule 14H.

3. Deny the claim while inviting a later re-claim. There is no adjustment of either player’s time. After the claimant’s clock is started, the 14H draw request by the claimant becomes a draw  offer under 14B3, Draw offer before moving. Penalties for rule infractions remain standard. The claimant may win, lose, or draw the game.

4. Watch the game while reserving judgment on the claim. The director should make every effort to resolve the claim before the flag of either player falls (5G). There is no adjustment of either player’s time. After the claimant’s clock is started, the 14H draw request by the claimant also becomes a draw offer under 14B3, Draw offer before moving. Penalties for rule infractions remain standard. The claimant may win, lose, or draw the game.

14H3. Conferring with players.

A director who is unsure how to rule may confer privately with either player or with both players separately regarding the player’s plans. The director should be careful not to say anything that might assist the player if the game is resumed.

14H4. Player with fallen flag may not claim.

A player whose flag is down (5G) may not claim insufficient losing chances. 

14H5. Delay Clock, a clock with time delay capabilities, or Increment clock, a clock with  increment capabilities.

If either a properly set Delay Clock (5F) or a properly set Increment Clock is used, 14H and 14I are not in effect; i.e., no claim of insufficient losing chances may be made. The reaction time provided for by the delay or the added increment time for each move is likely to be sufficient for a player with insufficient losing chances to hold the position.

20N. Electronic communication devices. Except for medical devices, electronic devices including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, computers, PDA, remote internet access, and two way radios are strictly forbidden to be used in the tournament room. Exempted from these regulations are chess clocks, approved electronic scoresheets and personal wristwatches (without alarm). Noise deadening earphones, noise canceling devices, non-electronic earplugs and music players may be used at the discretion and with permission of the tournament director, as long as such devices do not cause a disturbance to the opponent or players on nearby boards.

TD TIP: All of the following violations are considered serious and should be treated as such. However, director’s discretion to penalize (or not to penalize) is advised taking into consideration all the known factors, such as is the activity clandestine or attempted to be hidden or is it open and obvious to all? What kind of activity is taking place? Make certain that any penalties imposed are unbiased, and consistently enforced.

20N1. Disturbing noise or disruption of games. Audible disruptive noises such as a cell phone ring tone, pager beep, alarms and other noises cause a disruption in the playing hall. These noises are often very loud and disturb the entire room. The following are guidelines for penalizing such disturbances:

1. First offense standard penalty is to subtract 10 minutes or half the remaining time from a player’s clock, whichever is less. Variant: Depending on the importance of the event the standard penalty may be up to immediate loss of the game in progress. If a variant is used, it must be announced at the opening remarks for the event and posted prominently in the playing hall and at all entrances.

2. Second (and subsequent) offense for the same player during the same event is loss of the game currently in progress.

3. If the incident occurs in the playing hall, but after the offender’s game for the round is completed while other games are still in progress, then the above penalties apply to the subsequent round. In the case of a loss (e.g. second offense), that player is not paired for the next round.

4. If the incident occurs after the game for the last round is complete while other games are still in progress, the offender is treated like a non-participating spectator and is ejected from the playing hall. Variant: Depending on the importance of the event and the disturbance created, the player may receive a ½ point total score penalty for prize distribution.

Add to Rule 34-E, Calculating Swiss Tie-

Breaks:

TD TIP. The TD should realize that in the unique case of multiple players all finishing the tournament with perfect scores (winning the maximum number of games possible in a tournament), the standard tiebreaking systems would not have the same relevance as they would in outcomes where the players finished with less-than perfect scores, and could have otherwise done better. It is impossible to improve on a perfect score. Therefore, in the special case of more than one player finishing with a perfect score, the TD should make every effort possible to have a playoff among all players with perfect scores, to determine the winner of the event. The playoff does not have to be rated, and the time control can be faster than the time control used for the tournament (but should allow at least five minutes per player). A special playoff to break perfect-score ties does not need to be announced in the tournament publicity, but should be announced to the players at the beginning of the tournament.

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