I suspect you have not dealt with quite as many tournament players as I have. There was, for example, the one who demanded that I stop the invisible voices from distracting him. Then there was the guy who wanted the TD to turn down the hurricane. Not to mention the guy who demanded that his opponent stop looking at him.
I have said repeatedly on this thread that a TD should make reasonable accommodations for handicapped players. I absolutely reject the suggestion that a tournament must do so at the player’s sole discretion.
There is a huge difference between accommodating a player by PROVIDING a score-taker, and by PERMITTING one. If the player provides his own score-taker, that might be regarded as a reasonable accommodation, whereas if the organizer is expected to provide one, that could be another horse entirely.
Analogously, all the drivers in rfeditor’s NASCAR race provide their own automobiles, so the quadraplegic could be reasonably expected to do the same.
I agree that a TD cannot be expected to provide a scorekeeper. What is bothersome, though, is the attitude that I think can be seen between the lines of some of the posts, namely: that the TD is not obligated to grant an accommodation, but that out of the goodness of his or her heart, he or she can decide to do so.
That idea, if you think about it with a little empathy, is offensive. That’s not saying that there isn’t a judgement call here. There is. But the kind of temperament behind that call is what makes all the dfifference: between someone who says, 'Welcome" and someone who says “So what ELSE do you need?”
The question of access is a relatively narrow one; what is more difficult to address and measure is the quality of the environment that is created even if access is given.
But you’re not talking about access. You’re talking about special playing conditions.
I can understand why you find “lack of empathy” offensive, but I have to say that I find equally offensive the “sense of entitlement” I find on the other side.
May I remind all of you that there are chess tournaments which are not wheelchair accessible. In fact, the TLAs have a code for wheelchair access. The ADA laws regulating commerce have not stopped any organizer from hosting an event in an inaccessible venue. Fortunately for those of us in wheelchairs, these events are becoming rare.
Anyways, it is quite important for the player to provide advance notice by calling ahead. There are many hidden obstacles to accessibility that a player might not realize but an experienced TD should know about. The USCF rules give the TD plenty of latitude in how to handle the situation and any court would first look towards those written regulations for whether (a) they are reasonable and (b) the organizer applied them reasonably.
I am quite surprised that the TDs at a national level tournament would permit a disabled player to have his or her parents record moves during the game. Maybe that’s normal at a local event, but the formality of a state or national championship requires, imho, an impartial assistant. For example, at the recent CalChess Scholastics, a blind player received help from a volunteer.
Michael Aigner
P.S. I am still amused at the occassional big tournaments which have an elevated stage (no ramp) for the top couple of boards. One of these days, I will cause some TD a headache when they have to move my game against a prominent GM.
Or a backache because they carry you to the board. I noticed last year at the US Open the top boards were not on a stage so they didn’t have to move your game.
The best one of these cases I can remember was the guy at a major Philly tournament a few years ago who claimed a religious exception to the time delay clock. He claimed to be a 7th Day Adventist and it was against God’s law to delay time!! Reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode.
I think one of the points to remember in this whole discussion is that a tournament is a “private event”. A space is rented and while entries are taken from USCF members, there is nothing that prevents an organizer from disallowing someone from participating based on many possible reasons. I don’t think an ADA lawsuit would win in this case.
I also think it is no big deal to allow the ADHD kid to play without keeping score, deducting time off his clock for not keeping score, with the explanation to him that he loses the right to all possible claims that involve keeping a reasonably accurate scoresheet. Whatever is offered to the ADHD kid is offered to the opponent (scorekeeping assistance, not keeping score with time deduction) and life goes on. Why turn a problem into something more than it is.
A few years ago at one of my events, there was a guy off his meds who was loudly talking to himself and bothering people. I placed his game as far away from anyone else as possible, creating a board for him on the other side of the room. After losing on time after 2 moves he eventually w/d.
[i]i]The best one of these cases I can remember was the guy at a major Philly tournament a few years ago who claimed a religious exception to the time delay clock. He claimed to be a 7th Day Adventist and it was against God’s law to delay time!! Reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode…
A few years ago at one of my events, there was a guy off his meds who was loudly talking to himself and bothering people. I placed his game as far away from anyone else as possible, creating a board for him on the other side of the room. After losing on time after 2 moves he eventually w/d.[/i][/i]
Sort of makes you wonder which is the more serious mental illness, doesn’t it? The only difference I can see is that one person is bothering other people. One could of course have pointed out to our devout Adventist that, in the universal scheme of things, delaying time is a relative thing. But accepting that proposition sort of undercuts the whole logic of their fundamental assumption, doesn’t it?
MIke’s point of renting a private room is a cogent one, and one I had not considered. Would this be analogous to a restaurant renting space? Because THAT is surely covered under federal law. Or would it be more like a wedding party, in which the only price of admission would be the envelope discretely deposited in the bride’s silken purse?
It may come to that. There was/is a pro golfer who was allowed to ride in his cart from hole to hole when other players are required to walk between each hole.
I noticed last year at the US Open the top boards were not on a stage so they didn’t have to move your game.