Two of the things necessary for a clock to get FIDE certification are the following:
"5.4.1. In approved clocks, when one clock reaches zero in an increment mode time control, the other clock does not run further and retains its last display. For Rapid and Blitz tournaments, when one of the clocks reaches zero, the other clock may be set to continue to run until it also reaches zero.
5.4.2. In approved clocks, when both flags fall down must be seen which flag fell first."
It’s completely unclear from this if this means all Rapid and Blitz time controls or just those without increment. It’s also not clear what should happen in standard time controls without increment or any time control with delay.
What the FIDE rules really want is to avoid a situation where both sides have flagged and you can’t determine who ran out of time first. I was told by IA Andrzej Filipowicz “According to the actual FIDE rules it is not important the clock is freeze or not because everybody can see who first overstepped time (black flag) in classic, rapid and blitz.games.”
Therefore, in order for a clock to get FIDE certification, wouldn’t it be simpler to say something like: “The clock must not allow a situation where both sides have flagged and you can’t determine who ran out of time first. This can be achieved by having the clock “freeze” when one player runs out of time or allowing both players to run out of time but having a clear sign on the display as to which side ran out of time first. A certified clock can support both methods.”
On the small matter of delay vs increment, FIDE uses the term “increment” to refer to either cumulative addback (what we in the USA call increment) or non-cumulative addback (what we call delay). This is clear from the FIDE Glossary, and also from the following FIDE rule:
That’s about the only thing clear in this section of the FIDE handbook.
When FIDE says “in an increment control, ABC, but in a Rapid or Blitz tournament, XYZ”, that’s like saying “if the car has four doors, rule 1 applies, but if the car is green, rule 2 applies”. Which rule applies to green four-door cars?
Well, that’s one arbiter’s opinion, and it definitely sounds reasonable.
Indeed. The only problem is, that suggestion achieves a degree of clarity not found anywhere else in this section of the Handbook. And FIDE can’t allow that, now, can they?
