You’re right that I shouldn’t have used the word complete. When the piece is released the move is determined not completed.
You’re wrong about this being about touch move. This case is a violation of rule 9A – touch move is rule 10B. This is also a violation of rule 11 J (intentionally making an illegal move). Actually it could be several instances of 11J (if subsequent moves were made before the piece were restored to their proper place). It’s also a violation of the USCF code of ethics and rule 20A (sportsmanship). You could perhaps also make a case for rule 13I (refusal to comply with the rules).
In fact, this is such an outrageous case of cheating that there are several reasons for forfeiting the player.
I agree that it is unlikely to be a case of correcting an illegal move, and that would be the only way that this wouldn’t warrant expulsion from the tournament .
Also, I want to again make the point that the severe penalty is only called for if the “cheater” was an experienced player that understood “no takebacks” and not some young player in his first rated game. 11J, 20A, and 13I obviously only apply if the “cheating” player understood the rules that he was breaking.
Who can tell what you’re trying to say here? It sounds like you’re calling both players the “opponent”. To answer the question I THINK you’re asking, no. Not making a claim to the director is NOT the same as cheating. There might be several reasons for not making a claim:
New or very young players may be confused about the rules, their rights, and the proper way to enforce the rules.
The player may be timid or unsure of himself or simply not like confrontation.
The player may be winning so thoroughly that he doesn’t see the point in complaining (figuring that he’ll win no matter what – so why complain).
In no case would the victim seem (to me) to be trying to cheat his opponent or acting in an unsportsmanlike manner.
Of course, your question has NOTHING to do with this thread, since the cheating player’s opponent was NOT at the board and the cheating was NOT witnessed by the TD.
There is one major problem I have with this idea of cheating. If I am at my board, and my opponent is away from the board, can I clean the pieces, can I clean the board, can I adjust the pieces when my opponent is away from the board? Watched as a spectator and as a director, done it myself as a player: picked up a piece just to clean the piece or clean under the square. After the piece is clean, or under the square is clean, or the piece was adjusted – there was no malice done. If my opponent was not there, how can I say I adjust when my opponent is away from the board?
I’m just pointing out, one time or the other we have noticed or have adjusted a piece when our opponent is away from the board. If I have to clean under the square, I have to place the piece some place or just hold onto the piece when cleaning the square. If someone on some other board was looking, it could look like I moved the piece than moved it right back.
With the person that started this story line, it could have been cheating or it could have been adjustment of the piece. I’m just worried with the idea that someone could feel adjustment of the piece itself, when the opponent is not at the board would be grounds for forfeiting the game. As a director, it would be annoying if someone comes up to me to ask to adjust the board when the opponent is away.
I’m just looking at it this way, if my opponent is away from the board, but I want to adjust the piece for any reason. If I adjust the piece, than move some other piece, I could be found guilty of cheating and forfeited the game and expelled from other tournaments. Just to be on the safe side, I should demand to have the director come to my board, so I can say I adjust when the director is present at the board. If we as directors are so willing to forfeit and expel players because of a adjustment of the pieces when the opponent is away. It sure would drive every flood director at any large event with some new annoying rule enforcement.
No, it couldn’t. The question was about a player that made a move, took it back, and then made another move.
If you want to start a thread about when adjustment looks like moving a piece, go ahead, but that ISN’T what this topic was about.
BTW, when I’m at the board and my opponent is absent I still announce “I adjust”. If somebody sitting right next to me is watching closely enough to witness to a “touch move” then they’ll also notice me saying “I adjust”, even though I don’t say it any louder than I would directly to my opponent (a low whisper). Am I nuts, or do other players do the same? (may not be an either-or question )
That could be, but if I am at my board and looking at some other board two feet or ten feet away. If someone wants to clean the square on g1 and just moves the knight out, cleans the square, than place the piece back. I does look like I have moved the piece. I’m not sure if the guy just doing adjustment or moved a piece and moved it back.
The majority of the time players are going to do any adjustment, would be at the start of the game. If you were late to get to your board, so your opponent would be away from the board. When you do show up and tap me next to you as a witness, because you want to adjust the pieces. I sure would be scratching my head on that one.
What if as the director, I was standing over the board. The opponent is away from the board, as black was not at the start of the round. The player shows up, sits down, picks up the knight and place it any place on the board. Then cleans the square, than moves the knight back to its place. Than black move the pawn and press the clock. Black did not say ‘I adjust’, would not his claim of adjustment be null and void? If the adjustment claim is null and void, then he moved his piece and moved it back and move some other piece. Since he did not say ‘I adjust’ because his opponent is not there, now he was cheating.
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