Audible signals from chess clocks

Running Chess Tournaments
1

In a recent local tournament a question came up regarding clock setup, namely, should the clock be set to make an audible beep when time expires? The 4th edition USCF rulebook said a beep was not only legal but highly desirable. The 5th edition rulebook doesn’t even discuss the possibility of an audible signal.

  1. Is it still legal (under 5th edition) for the clock to beep when time is up?

  2. If one player wants the clock to beep when time is up and the other player wants it not to beep, how should the clock be set?

2

See rule 5G, an audible signal such as a beep is an acceptable substitute for a flag.

3

42B1. Signaling devices cover this.

4

42B1. Signaling devices. Timers with move counters and flag fall indicators are legal. Move counters, however, should not be relied upon and in cases of a time forfeight claim only the scoresheets of the players may be used to validate or repudiate the claim.

5

It is not that clear with the 5th edition. Have never made a ruling on the beeping of a digital clock for the end of the first or only time control.

If the clock is beeping during each move, would ask the owner of the clock to turn the beeping off: if the person on the same board as the owner ask it to be turned off, or other players on the other boards ask for it to be turned off.

With my personal clock, use the “Chronos II”. Have set the beeping to be turned off for each move, set the beeping to be turned off for the end of the time controls, set the pitch of the Chronos II at 0000, even the red light is turned off.

The only way to settle this issue, would be between the players or the director if the players are unable to settle the issue.

6

The rule book itself seems to be a bit mixed up on this issue. Here are the relevant rule examples I found:

Rule 16B. How to set clocks. “Time delay clocks should be set according to the manufacturer’s directions so that the device used to indicate a player’s time has been exhausted for all time control periods is activated. Such mechanism may include one or more of a beep, a light, a display of all zeros, or a display of a flag.”

Rule 5G. The flag. “Monitoring of each player’s time is effected by means of a clock equipped with a flag or other special device used to signal the end of a time control; the flag falls to indicate the player’s time has been used up. Some digital clocks have a beep, a light, or a display of all zeros to indicate that the player’s time has been exhausted.”

These rules seem to suggest that the beep function when time runs out on a digital clock should be turned on. And then there are rules like this:

Rule 13C1. Only players may call flag. “Only the players in a game may call attention to the fall of a flag;”

“Spectators, including players of other games, who point out the fall of a flag in any manner, may be disciplined by the tournament director to the point of expulsion from the playing room, loss of their own games, or expulsion from the tournament. The recipient of such assistance may also be penalized.”

I believe outside assistance in any game to be a serious offense, and any outside aid to bring attention to a player’s fallen flag is wrong. It is the player’s responsibilty to pay attention to the clock situation, and nothing should be allowed to alert the players. This is exactly what I feel is happening with the digital clocks set to beep when a player’s time runs out.

Why would we exclude other people from bringing attention to a fallen flag, and yet we allow another outside source (the clock) to do so? This concept does not make sense to me.

If we don’t want to allow any outside interference in a tournament chess game, then let’s not allow any outside interference, including the clock. I believe it’s as simple as that.

I announce to my players that any outside assistance in a game is illegal in a tournament, so all digital clocks are to be set with the beep at end function turned off. Any violators may be seriously penalized.

I have not yet had any problems with this issue in my tournaments.

7

Myself have a ‘chronos II’, have always set beeps off. Most owners of a ‘chronos’ or ‘chronos II’ do have the beeps turned on. The reason, as the beeps can be a problem for the players on the board, or the players around the clock. During the game, understand my own move with pressing the clock. If making a move and not pressing the clock, then its my problem not the clock. If making a move and failing to press the clock, the clock is not going to beep to tell me of my error. Why should it beep if making a move with pressing the clock, when a beep would be better telling me of my error.

Having a beep to tell the player they lost the game on time, is not fair in my judgement. As it is up to the players not the warning from the clock. In some digitial clocks, the clock will lock up, so the time will never show both clocks with expired time. With a clock that locks up like this, or having a ‘chronos’ set so the clock will lock up – are not the type of clock in my personal equipment. In my personal tournament history, never had a game won or lost as a player, with the flag down for regular time control. Had people resign a game, when they had less then one minute on the clock.

As a player do not like the beep, as a director want the beeps at a low pitch, if someone wants (beeps) to use it.