(c) Steve Boniface, BCF Arbiter, Bristol
Note: the compositions below contain some matters of interpretation
and opinion and should not be thought of as a definite guide, rather
than an accompaniment for the official text of the Laws.
COACHING & LAWS I
=================
A) Read the Laws
-------------
Be honest. Which of these is most accurate for you?
1) I have never actually looked at the Laws of Chess
2) I have only consulted the Laws when I need to.
3) I have read through the Laws at least once.
4) I have read the Laws but don't really understand them.
5) I have a fair grasp of the Laws.
6) I have a good working knowledge of the Laws.
B) Do you have a copy of the Laws of Chess? Is it...?
1) A tiny light-blue paperback.
2) Kazic's yellow paperback ( Competitor's Handbook
3) A small green hardback.
4) A small red hardback.
5) The BCF Yearbook of 1995.
6) A 6 page A4 document dated 1997.
7) Stewart Reuben's recent book ( Organizer's Handbook )
8) I don't own a copy.
C) Are you aware of the changes from 1997?
1) What changes?
2) I've heard of some.
3) I know all the important changes.
4) I know all the changes.
COACHING & LAWS II
==================
D) Do you know the difference between the terms...?
1) Quickplay
2) Rapidplay
3) Blitz
E) Are you aware of the difference in the Laws depending on which of
the above variations is involved concerning...?
1) Illegal positions
2) Illegal moves
3) Time penalties (for illegality)
4) Draw claims (last phase)
5) Flag falls
6) Recording moves
7) Winnable positions
8) Arbiter's duties
F) Do you know how to claim a draw in the correct manner, and for what
reasons...?
1) In the `normal' phase of a game
2) In a quickplay finish
3) In a rapidplay game
4) In a blitz game
G) MISCELLANEOUS - When can you / should you...?
1) Stop the clocks
2) Write your last move down
3) Claim a draw for repetition or under 50-move rule
4) Leave the playing area when it's your turn to move
5) Leave the playing venue when still playing
COACHING & LAWS III
===================
The guide to a trouble-free event:
----------------------------------
1) Read the brochure carefully. (Beware of information on Teletext or
the Web. It may have got there second- or third-hand). Apart from
making sure you get to the right venue at the right time, there can be
important information about:
* Start times - these may vary from day to day
* Rate of play - occasionally this may vary in different rounds
* Default times - this has traditionally been an hour or half-an- hour,
but events can now very this.
2) Observe Laws and rules scrupulously. It would be devastating to
lose an otherwise won game on a technicality or careless breach of the
Laws. A few DOs and DON'Ts:
* DO follow the touch-move rule. There is a myth that it does not apply
in rapidplay or blitz. It does.
* DO move the king before the rook in castling. Technically, you could
be forced to move alone. This is rarely enforced but it's still the
law.
* DO keep your score up-to-date as far as possible. This will help you
keep in control and avoid missing moves out.
* DON'T visit the bookstall during play. It looks suspicious.
* DON'T visit the analysis room during play.
* DON'T talk to other players, especially not in the playing arena. You
might be discussing the weather, but your opponent doesn't know that.
3) KNOWING THE LAWS CAN GAIN YOU POINTS! A surprising fact, but
true. A few examples:
REPETITION RULE. Many players have a perfectly valid claim under this
rule but spoil it by making the move before claiming. Read the rule
50-MOVE RULE. Much rarer, but in a long ending it may appear. Think
twice about making a pawn move which would make the count start again.
CLAIM A DRAW IN THE LAST TWO MINUTES. It's your right. If you DON'T
make a claim, you CANNOT be given a draw once your flag has fallen.
RESUMPTION AFTER ADJOURNMENT. Did you know that if your opponent who
sealed is not present, you can seal in reply?
COACHING & LAWS IV
==================
The Player and the Arbiter
---------------------------
The main duty of an arbiter is to allow a chess event to happen
efficiently and peacefully. He or she will answer questions, give
advice, and arbitrate in disputes between the players. He also has
almost unlimited powers within the playing area, and can impose
penalties including expulsion from events. In this kind of case there
would almost certainly be much wider repercussions, such as withdrawal
of invitations from future events.
The player should treat the arbiter neither with fear nor with
over-friendliness. Even if the controller and player are from the same
club, the arbiter has been examined for impartiality, and no favours
should be expected. As long as players observe the Laws, the arbiter
will not interfere adversely. In fact, as when both players are
unable to keep score, he will endeavour to do so for them.
However, if a Law is broken, even if inadvertently, there may be a
penalty to suffer. Normally this is no more than loss of a few minutes
on the clock. The most common cause for such a penalty is failure to
record the game properly until the last five minutes of a time
control. This problem can be coached out of a player by:
1) Recording your own and your opponent's move immediately after each
is played. The Laws now allow you to do this in retrospect, but for a
player with recording problems this is better.
2) Some coaches recommend writing the chosen moe down before it is
played,and then making a final check for errors before executing it.
However some players are abusing this method and using it to examine
candidate moves one by one, erasing each move in turn.
ARBITERS ARE NOW TREATING SUCH ABUSE AS WRITTEN ANALYSIS, AND ARE
PENALISING IT ACCORDINGLY. Be very careful if you adopt this strategy.
The point is to check briefly for errors, not make notes on your
thinking.
3) Train to record moves more accurately by keeping score in
rapidplay and blitz games. It's not compulsory, but should leave the
player feeling more in control. It may also help positively in draw
claims.
If a decision goes against the player, it should normally be accepted
with good grace. Occasionally a bad decision will be made, but a
polite query is more likely to get results than a violent reaction.
Remember that if you ask an arbiter's opinion then you should be
prepared to accept it. If you believe it is an error in Law, you
should be allowed to appeal to the Chief Controller or an appeals
committee. However, this should be used sparingly, and only if you
know the Law properly yourself!
COACHING & LAWS V - ANSWERS
===========================
D) Do you know the difference between the terms...
1) Quickplay - a fast finish to a normal game
2) Rapidplay - a fixed-length game from 15 to 60 mins
3) Blitz - a fixed-length game under 15 minutes
E) Are you aware of the difference in the Laws depending on which of
the above variations is involved concerning...
1) Illegal positions
Rapidplay and blitz: after 3 moves played with incorrect
positions, board & clock stand
2) Illegal moves - Rapidplay: as normal on request
Blitz: loss if claimed before move
3) Time penalties (for illegality)
- Rapidplay: as normal on request
Blitz: none (lose or nothing)
4) Draw claims (last phase)
- Rapidplay: as normal
Blitz: no claims
5) Flag falls
- Rapidplay and Blitz. Arbiter does not call.
Both flags down = drawn.
6) Recording moves
- Rapidplay and Blitz: optional
(normal = till last 5m of controls)
7) Winnable positions
- Normal and Rapidplay: drawn if mate impossible with unskilled play.
Blitz: must have 'mating material' i.e. construct unavoidable mate
8) Arbiter's duties
- Rapidplay and Blitz: does not normally interfere unless requested
P.S. You may see that the intended harmonisation of the last set of
changes, viz. to unify the laws governing the different rates of
play, has been only partly successful.
F) Do you know how to claim a draw in the correct manner, and for what
reasons:
1) In the `normal' phase of a game
- repetition, 50-move, insufficient material
2) In a Quickplay finish
- as normal, plus claims in last two minutes
(i.e. opponent unable/unwilling to try and win by making
progress on the board)
3) In a Rapidplay game
- as normal, plus claims in last two minutes
4) In a blitz game
- can't in last two minutes (+ differences in material)
G) MISCELLANEOUS - When can you / should you
1) Stop the clocks
- to summon arbiter
2) Write your last move down
- not later than just before making next
3) Claim a draw for repetition
- when your turn to move or under 50-move rule
4) Leave the playing area when - it's your turn to move
= with arbiter's consent
5) Leave the playing venue when still playing
= with arbiter's consent