I am directing at the Continental Class where we are using FIDE rules for the Master section. I had a case arise and would like to know if anyone knows how the rule is applied in actual FIDE events. Please review the following article 4.3 of the FIDE handbook.
4.3 Except as provided in Article 4.2, if the player having the move deliberately touches on the chessboard:
In our rules, there is also the “intent to move” idea as part of the touch move rule. I had a claim where a player centered a piece without first saying adjust. His opponent agreed he was just centering the piece but still wanted him to be forced to move it. I ruled that as he did not intend to move it, just to center, he was free to have the actual moved piece stand. Before touching the piece being adjusted, he had written down the move actually made for what it is worth. The actual move was made after touching the adjusted piece.
Please ignore the writing down of the move first. I warned him that that was not permitted in FIDE rules.
My question is, has anyone seen this happen in a FIDE event with a ruling by an experienced FIDE arbiter, preferably in another country that does not commonly use USCF rules? If yes, how was the rule enforced in actual practice?
Ernie - These can be judgment calls, and that’s why the Preface to the FIDE Laws of Chess so clearly states:
Note Article 4: The act of moving the pieces, section 4.2:
You report that the player in question violated the rule against writing down his move in advance, and that you warned him against that, but you say we should otherwise ignore that for purposes of this touch move issue. However, in violating the one rule, the player clearly indicated intent as to his move, then adjusted another piece prior to playing the move.
Recently, we saw an incident in the FIDE World Cup in which a player brushed his king while reaching for a piece that had to be moved, and the players and arbiters didn’t handle the situation seemlessly. We have rules, we have arbiters, and we have a goal of fairness and of chess games being decided by the moves of the players (within the time permitted, of course - and that came up today in Bilbao).
It seems to me that you used your discretion to produce the equitable outcome.
Hal Bogner
International Arbiter
PS - Although it was outside of the bounds of FIDE play, I had to rule on a similar situation last May:
My feeling is that the words that are missing from Article 4.3 are “…with the intention of moving or capturing…” Basically, I think that “…deliverately touches…” means exactly that. If it is obvious that the player was adjusting the piece based on how you described this situation. I would, therefore, rule as such, although I would give the player a warning and remind him that, in the future, he needs to express his intent.
Every month, I read a column on ChessCafe.com called “An Arbiter’s Notebook” by Geurt Gijssen. IA Gijssen is considered by many to be the authority on tournament rules (FIDE, of course). He also happens to be the Chairman of the FIDE Rules and Tournament Regulations Commission and writes that monthly column in which he answers questions from arbiters all over the World (I have asked a couple myself). Anyway, in more than one column (July 1999, November 1999, August 2004, Januay 2010, August 2011 and probably others) he has addressed the adjust and touch-move issue. Page 8 of the August 2004 article is particularly helpful in your situation. He does add the “intent” part in it. For more, please go to chesscafe.com/archives/archi … 20Notebook
I e-mailed Stewart Reuben and he also agreed. He gave me permission to quote him so here is what he said. I had also asked him how he handled someone writing the move down first which is why he discussed that also.