Move determination vs move <D>etermination

[William_H_Stokes]

@relyea

@jwiewel

There have been players at blitz tournaments who will play white, make their first move under clock-move rules, NOT press the clock, and then claim an illegal move win when black responded while it was still white’s move. That has occasionally worked with inexperienced TDs caught by surprise, but with more experienced TDs it will sometimes result in the claimant not only being denied but being less likely to be looked upon favorably with future claims (yes, I know that such attitudes are not supposed to occur but TDs do have normal human reactions).

That’s a good reason not to have clock-move tournaments, blitz or otherwise.

Alex Relyea

I agree wholeheartedly!

[jwiewel]

@wilecoyote

@jwiewel

There have been players at blitz tournaments who will play white, make their first move under clock-move rules, NOT press the clock, and then claim an illegal move win when black responded while it was still white’s move. That has occasionally worked with inexperienced TDs caught by surprise, but with more experienced TDs it will sometimes result in the claimant not only being denied but being less likely to be looked upon favorably with future claims (yes, I know that such attitudes are not supposed to occur but TDs do have normal human reactions).

If I were handling that claim, that stunt would instantly earn the claimant the standard penalty under blitz rule 18 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

@Blitz rule 18

Standard penalty for first offense is to add one minute to the opponent’s clock. There may be circumstances where a penalty assessed may not be standard (e.g. repeat offenses, unsporting behavior, etc…) and is left to the discretion of the tournament director.

The blitz rules had not yet been added to the USCF rulebook in 2005 (that Supernationals was the first one where I heard of this attempt, and such stories meant that I wasn’t bothered by my flight arriving too late to allow me to work that blitz).