One more clock-based rules clarification of earth-shaking importance:
The 5th Edition Rulebook states that any beeps, lights, bells and whistles on a digital clock that show one player has exhausted his time should be activated: 16Bb, page 61.
As I recall, there was language in the 4th Edition that gave the reasoning: “The clock is an impartial witness—unlike a spectator who might point out one side’s fallen flag but not the other guy’s.”
Personally, I do not like the clock to indicate “flag-fall” in any way. That should be up to the players—or the arbiter, when we switch to FIDE rules after the moles complete their takeover of the Rules Committee.
I never set the “beep at end” or “freeze at end” or “beep at time control” options on either my Chronos or Game Time clocks. (To be clear, I have those options turned off or set to 0.)
However, this should be consistent either way, I think. It’s not an issue in 30-second increment games and is much less of an issue with a five-second delay—but even with delay it could still happen that in mutual time pressure a player does not notice the opponent’s clock reads 0:00.
I have never heard an announcement at a tournament about this, nor have I seen anything posted at a tournament site to guide players in how to set digital clocks. (Apart from the 5Fa deduction-for-delay.) I have never made such an announcement or posted such guidance as a TD, either…and in the Rulebook we have the classic “should” rather than “must” parsing.
I am frustrated by the USCF rules’ lack of clarity in how digital clocks should be set. The only guidance given appears to be in 16Bb and 42B. What follows is mostly personal opinion (that is, how I would decree things should be if I were made king for a day ).
Clocks should never beep, dang nabbit! (And get off my lawn!) A digital clock should operate silently. There is no excuse for beeping.
For USCF rules, clocks (in my opinion) should not be set to “halt on end” or “freeze at end”. However, take note of rule 42E (found in the rules update document, describing increment clocks). When I say “halt on end” or “freeze at end”, I mean that both clocks stop running when one player runs out of time. (In other words, the clock’s state does not change at all.) The TD Tip in rule 42E1 refers to the clock “freezing time” for the player who runs out of time in an increment time control:
I believe this is desirable behavior in an increment time control; the player out of time should not be able to “unflag” by adding the increment time once he has run out of time.
FIDE rules seem to complicate the situation. Personally, I think there is an inconsistency in the FIDE rules, but it could be my misreading thereof. FIDE Tournament Rules C.06 Article 10.c.8 reads “In case of accumulative or delay timing systems, the clock should not add any additional time if a player passed the last time control.” I interpret this as being consistent with the USCF rules; the clock stops at zero for the player out of time, but the opponent’s clock continues to run. However, Testing Procedure for Electronic Chess Timers B.08 article B.11 states “after flag fall in all but the last period the flag first fallen shall be shown for at least one minute; after flag fall in the last period the clock shall stop.” The DGT North American actually does “halt at end” in an increment time control when either player runs out of time (but not in other types of time controls, such as delay). I assume the DGT 2010 would do the same (I’m guessing that the DGT 2010 and DGT North American are basically the same clock with different presets and perhaps a different number of user-definable time controls). The DGT 2010 has passed the FIDE testing procedure, so I would assume “halt at end” is what FIDE requires in an increment time control.
I agree it is better for a clock to allow the non-flagging player’s side to continue to run after one player has flagged. That’s what USCF calls “standard” and it makes sense.
It’s hard to imagine many games with a 30-second increment in which flag-fall aka 0:00 on one side of the clock is overlooked—but it could happen. The Chronos operates exactly thus when “Halt-at-end” is set to 0; when that is set to 1, then the non-flagging player’s time freezes.
That’s a good point but it won’t arise much in practice. The larger point for me is that USCF rules should emphasize a digital clock as just that: a clock.
The features that make it preferred over an analog clock are primarily delay/increment capability and to a lesser extent precision—so a player knows ‘precisely’ how much time is left.
Apart from that it should be a clock: period. Lights, beeps, flashing flags, time freezes and move counters should be discouraged. I do not quite say “prohibited”—but if we had to dictate to players one extreme or the other that is the direction I would go.
Interesting about the DGT NA. That clock is next on my list, if I can get a good deal on one. (Any ideas on that?)
Generally speaking, I like lights and dislike sounds. However, I do keep the mip sound turned on on my Chronos Touch, because I prefer it to having opponents who slap the sensor multiple times on every move as if it were an elevator button that would provide better service with greater encouragement.
I don’t set any of the out-of-time features on my Chronos because it has never been clear to me what is acceptable. I do wish the USCF would just announce what is expected and go from there.
That being said, I think the rule should be that if your clock can indicate flag fall, with either a beep or light, it should. A clock is impartial in this regard and using it is a benefit to both players.
When I have set the GameTimer digital clock, I turn off all of the settings that might indicate the end of the game. I consider the red light flashing or the audible beeping to be the same as if a spectator had called the flag. Only the player should be able to call a time forfeiture. Anything else is an external cue.
I do not mind if one side freezes at zero allowing the other side to keep running until it runs out of time. If neither player notices, then the game is a draw. The Saitek Pro and the GameTimer each has a red light that goes on or pulses when the time runs out. I find that not acceptable. So too are clocks where the 0:00 flash repeatedly and the time for both sides freezes. That is too much of an external aid by a helpful “coach” or spectator.
For Pete’s sake, why? Maybe the numerical indicator should also be covered by a piece of tape, because players should know instinctively when their time has run out?
It is up to the player to notice when the time has run out. Having a red light go on or flash is no different than having a spectator calling out, “Flag!” It is an external cue. Would you like to see a player’s friends wave their arms or cough loudly to get him to notice the clock, too?
When are FIDE rules going to be applied to all US tournaments? With one arbiter for every three games to watch the clocks. Hey, that could be a job creating boost for our economy!
A spectator is not necessarily impartial. An arbiter or a mechanical device is. That is the difference and it is a significant one. I don’t see any reason, other than tradition, why the clock can’t indicate that someone’s flag has fallen.
When the numbers go to 00:00 is enough of an indicator that the time has run out. The player should notice this on his own. Having flashing lights or beeps is a cue to the player to look at the clock. Also sometimes disturbs other games.
Have been in a couple of severe time pressure games where both sides were so immersed in making moves that both players missed when the clocks went to zero. Which “flag” fell first? Who knows? It was up to us to see it happen. Neither of us did, so it was a draw. If the clock would have frozen, beeped, or flashed that would have alerted us to the time. So would someone calling out, waving, or some other outside influence. Since we are not yet using FIDE rules or procedures, it should still be up to the players to call “time” or “flag”. Hey, I think players should call their own flag, just as a player in golf penalizes himself for a rules infraction, but that rarely happens.
I must respectfully disagree with those who say that a red light or steady “0:00” is an unfair indicator for a time control expiring. I see these things (as well as the flag icon on some digital clocks) as being just like the hanging red flag that falls on analog clocks.
The clock is a piece of equipment. The information it shows is impartial. I have no problem with a clock displaying some indicator of flag fall. I think that’s what it’s supposed to do. The only indicator I object to is a beeping noise - but I think that all sounds should be turned off on a digital clock, to avoid possible distractions to other players.
Now, instead of the flashing “0:00”, I would prefer an upcount on the flagged clock, with maybe a negative sign or a flag icon showing. That way, if the flag fall was missed before a non-SD time control, the clock could easily be reset for the next time control to account for the time used during the upcount at the end of the previous time control. Or, if move counters are being used, the clock could automatically make such an adjustment at the appropriate time. (Of course, YMMV on move counters…)
Totally agreed. I find the opposition to automatic flag-calling really weird. It’s like the way that some people like the fact that umpires and referees sometimes blow calls in sports games because it “adds a human element”.
This has been a good thread, with both sides of this argument laid out clearly and consisely by reasonable people.
Let us hope the segue from here to the discussion of arbiter-involvement under the coming FIDE-inspired rules will prove as clear, concise and reasonable.
I understand the point you make, but I prefer to think that the digital clock equivalent of analog clock’s flag-fall is the reading of 0:00—accompanied in most cases by some (non-flashing) showing of bars or lines on the display.
That should be enough for the opponent to notice. Flashing lights, flags, and especially beeps go one step too far, I think.
A point in re a digital clock’s alleged impartiality: I suspect some evil genius could find a way to make one side of the clock beep and flash while the other does not. Similar to the clowns who used to mess with the ‘speed’ settings on the back of the old BHB analog clocks.
This is one more argument in favor of 30-second increment for slow rated games—or even 10-second increment rather than 5-second delay for faster rated games. Anyone who does not notice that an opponent’s clock reads 0:00 in a game with 30-second increment deserves not to win on time.
Besides, widespread usage of increment would help wean players away from analog clocks and bring us closer in line with FIDE.
I can agree to not using a sound to indicate a flag fall. But, I don’t have a problem with a small flashing light like on a Chronos. The attitude of “Well, you didn’t notice and therefore either deserve a draw or a loss” is not one with which I agree. Anything that allows the player to concentrate more on the game is more my philosophy. It would be like having a football game and allowing the teams to continue playing unless one of the coaches told a referee that time was up.
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