My son recently had an incident where an opponent objected to his Chronos Touch Switch Clock. The opponent demonstrated that he could not use a piece to press the button and claimed this causes an unfair disadvantage to him when he is in a time scramble. The opponent was white and had an analog clock that he offered as an alternative. We resolved the situation by using my DGT 2000 with Bronstein time delay.
The TD was aware that the player had an objection to the Chronos Touch feature in advance, as the player had stated it at the beginning of the 3 round G30 tournament. The TD and I researched the issue in the USCF Official Rules of Chess but could find no clear statement that a player is required to use a part of their body (hand presumably) to press the clock, rather than a piece. I looked through past forum discussions, but was unable to find this issue.
I would appreciate an official clarification regarding the validity of the Chronos Touch Switch Clock in USCF rated tournaments. If it meets USCF requirements, how should I respond to players that demonstrate the clock does not register when touched by a chess piece?
16C. Removing a player’s hand from clock.
Players must remove their hands from the clock button after depressing the button and must keep their hands off and away from the clock until it is time to press it again. See also 5H, Pressing the clock.
16C1. Using the clock.
Each player must operate the clock with the same hand that moves the pieces.
16C2. Picking up clock.
Each player is forbidden to pick up the clock.
16C1 in particular indicates the use of a “hand” to operate the clock; therefore, using pieces or anything else is not acceptable without permission from the TD.
Your son’s equipment was within the standards so should have been used. As Black he had the choice of acceptable equipment.
I read that thread and this issue was never “ruled on” by the USCF, IMO.
Thanks, Tim Just, for your quick response. I’ll put a copy of it with my son’s clock, in case it ever comes up again.
I seem to recall a comment somewhere that the Touch Clock used the temperature differential to register a human touch. Does anyone know if this is true?
Thats true. Its actually one of the more cost efficient ways to do a touch sensitive button. They use the same technology for the palm buttons on the machines where I work. Its based on a IR laser (infrared) bouncing off the surface from underneath the top of the button. I couldn’t answer it more specific than that though. What I think happens is that the reflected IR laser has an average wavelength coming off the latent surface, when heat is applied, it changes bounced wavelengths a tiny bit.
I know if my leather glove gets wet, the surface of the glove becomes more ambient tempurature and won’t work the palm button anymore, and I have to get a new glove.
While I wouldn’t argue that the Touch Chronos is valid equipment, I will argue the logic used by Tim to declare it valid.
The rule book does not explicitly state that the clock must be touched with a person’s bare hand, it only does so indirectly. But by the same token, the rule book also refers to “pressing the button” on the clock. So this also indirectly, and just as valid, states that clocks must have buttons, and must have buttons that can be pressed. The Touch Chronos clearly has neither.
So I would say the Touch Chronos is valid because it functions close enough within the confines of how a typical clock would function, not because the rule book claims you have to use your hand to touch the clock.
How is not being able to use a piece to press the button an “unfair disadvantage” to one of the players if the same is required of his opponent? Unless the complainant can document to me that only one side of the clock operates that way, I would reject the claim.
The Chronos Touch Clock qualifies as standard equipment.
Thats the first thing I was thinking: how can it be an unfair disadvantage? Its not like one button is touch sensitive and the other button is mechanical. /weird.
I would imagine that the complaining player would claim that the clock owner was use to it, whereas he wasn’t, thus getting a homefield advantage of sorts.
Back in the early 1970’s, my chess coach got a new Heuer Chess Clock. It was beautiful, with the big red buttons and brushed aluminum (I think) ends, but I digress… He gave me his old clock, which was a heavy duty wooden monster that had been around for a while. I don’t recall if the buttons were a little hard to press, but I do recall that most players hit the buttons with the piece whenever they took something. For whatever reason, this seems to be a habit that is more prevalent among older players. As an “older” player (48) I’ll also admit it’s a bit harder for me to change my habits than my son (age 10).
I am glad to hear that my son’s clock is legitimate for tournament use. If the same situation occurs in the future, and we have a second clock available, I have advised my son to offer to switch but assured him his clock is valid. It’s best to expend your energy examining chess moves rather than debating clocks.
That’s really a problem you can have with any type of clock. A player who is used to a mechanical clock, for example, may be accustomed to hearing a ticking sound when the clock is running and may therefore be a little uncomfortable using an electronic clock that doesn’t tick. The rule giving black the right to choose the clock insures that each player will get the homefield advantage about half the time.
Actually the clock does have a “button”. I’m not sure how one can touch it without pressing it in some manner - we have one in our house so I know how it works.
I think I would simply rule it as valid equipment. The Chronos touch is a chess clock that conforms to current USCF equipment standards. It is well known and used by enough players that it is not experimental or wildly new - not that experimental or wildly new have anything to do with equipment standards. It’s valid and that ends it.
(And personally, I wouldn’t feel none too happy about a player who starts banging the button of my Chronos [non-touch] with his or her pieces whether in time trouble or not. Don’t know if I’d complain about that or not, as I did the same thing in the past - with my clock, not someone else’s. But there is such a thing as having respect for someone else’s equipment, and learning how to “play nice.” )
The Chronos Touch is sold on the USCF website now, so that would imply that it meets all criteria for tournament play.
Heh, one of the reasons I got a touch clock was for the very reason I didn’t like opponents banging on my clock with thier pieces. Although most clock bangers don’t over do it, I’ve on occasion had an opponent in time trouble that would tend to bang the clock with thier piece harder and harder the more in time trouble they became.
Not necessarily - there have been many instances of equipment sold by USCF that was not suitable for formal tournament play. There’s more to USCF than tournaments!
But, yes - the Chronos Touch is eminently suitable for tournament play.
In fact, I can’t think of any other clock that would be considered “more suitable”. If you are Black, and supply a Chronos Touch, there is no question that your clock is the clock that will be used for that game. Period. Full stop. [well…there is one exception that rulesNits might enjoy ferreting out]
I own one. To avoid possible problems, I always make sure to explain to opponents that the buttons don’t move and that you must “press” them with flesh and not plastic. About 10% of my opponents had never seen one before and were interested in the technology; no one has ever complained.
There is another (perfectly acceptable) feature of Chronos clocks which causes much more concern and comment (easily explained - but it does generate questions) - the fact that time for the second time control is added when the time for the first time control goes to zero. All the necessary information is clearly visible on the display (at least it is the way I set it up) - but it’s sufficiently different from what most people are used to to require explanation.
This is only true for certain settings. The DL-C1 mode, for example, adds the next time control’s block of time immediately upon making the required number of moves. I think it would be better to use that rather than the mode that requires time to go to zero before showing the addition.
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