I saw somewhere on ICC that USCF-rated tournaments were coming back. I was wondering if the USCF ever put language into updated rules allowing time increments instead of mere time delay. I know in the past the resultant USCF unofficial policy was just to ignore the time increment factor and consider it time delay. However, a couple of years ago I made some posts that the USCF should have some increment rules in the books to have in use to make ICC tournaments completely legal under the rules.
So anything on increments get recently put in the rulebook? Or is it more of the “we’ll-just-pretend-they’re- the-same-thing” for ICC purposes?
I agree. It’s about time USCF revised its written rules regarding time controls. Equally important, it should adopt some standard abbreviations for increment (as well as delay) for its TLAs, and mention the subject of delays and increments in the TLA header information.
Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure there will be no problem if an organizer wants to use increment instead of delay, as long as it’s announced in the TLA (and other pre-tournament publicity). Surely, nobody is going to get nit-picky and demand that both increment AND delay be used in each game, on the grounds that delay is the default and its omission must be announced, or something stupid like that.
I don’t know the status of offering ratable events on ICC, but I really doubt that ‘increment’ versus ‘delay’ time controls is much of a factor or that the rulebook needs to be changed to make that possible.
I believe quick-only online events can be rated as long as the sponsoring organization (eg, ICC) is a USCF affiliate.
I believe that events with any time control are ratable, as long as they are organized by a USCF affiliate and a USCF certified TD signs the rating report, attesting that all USCF rules and procedures were followed.
That’s true, I’m sure, but I’d still like to see the USCF “official attitude” changed to put increments on an equal footing with delay. Delay could continue to be the default whenever neither is mentioned explicitly in the TLA, but otherwise, both should be encouraged equally, and there should be standard abbreviations for both.
Among other things, USCF would then be more in tune with the rest of the world, most of which uses increment rather than delay.
