Just to clarify: (Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.)
For all tournaments beginning in 2012, the delay is supposed to be advertised as well as the starting time, i.e. “G/XX + d/YY”, correct?
If delay is not mentioned in the TLA, is d/5 assumed? Or d/0? Or is the TD free to do whatever he wishes?
From the top of page 10 in the rulebook:
For all regular rated events in 2012, the 5 second standard for delay obviously applies (absent of any other information.) It should apply for dual rated events as well.
For quick chess in 2012, the total of minutes of time + seconds of delay/increment must add up to less than 30, so G/26;d3 is quick rated only and G/27;d3 will be dual rated in 2012.
Organizers running events with time controls of G/25 through G/29 are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to specify the delay or increment setting that will be used in all pre-tournament publicity so that there are no ambiguities or misunderstandings by players or by the USCF office as to whether an event was intended to be quick rated or dual rated.
Also, keep in mind that rule 5Fa is repealed as of 1/1/2012, so if the time control is advertised as G/25;d5 then both delay and non-delay clocks must be set to 25 minutes, and if it is advertised as G/30;d5 then both delay and non-delay clocks must be set to 30 minutes.
And if it is advertised as G/30 WITHOUT SPECIFYING EITHER INCREMENT OR DELAY, then G/30;d5 is assumed and both delay and non-delay clocks must be set to 30 minutes. The old 5Fa rule can still be used IF INCLUDED IN ALL PRE-TOURNAMENT PUBLICITY.
I posted this, then noted the line about including it in pre-tournament publicity, and deleted it, then decided to repost just to get clarification…
We run a lot of dual-rated tournaments (typically G/30 d/5) but every few months we hold evening quads where we want to do the quickest dual-rating times we can so that we end at a reasonable time. For these we’d like to go G/25 d/5. So far, so good, since this totals to 30 minutes, the minimum for dual-rating.
But we sometimes have people play who don’t have delay clocks. The Rulebook Changes document says that all clocks have to be set to the same base time, which in this case would be 25 minutes. But this would make any games played on analog clocks QUICK RATED, being under 30 minutes.
This seems contradictory to me, and it seems like there is no way you could have this section dual-rated.
My gut feeling is to have the analog clocks set to 30 minutes, the minimum for dual-rating, but I want to be sure I’m doing the right thing. Is this covered in the rule revisions somewhere, and I just missed it? Can we say “G/25 d/5 or G/30 for analog clocks” in our publicity (effectively the old Rule 5Fa) and have this be OK as far as the USCF is concerned?
Yes, the 2012 rule is that analog clocks are set to the same amount of time as delay-capable clocks. (This, in effect, penalizes owners of analog clocks for having less-standard equipment.)
You can advertise your event as G/25;d5 (Analog:G/30), but this is a major variant and must be included in all pre-event publicity, prominently posted on site, and included in pre-game announcements.
You will also need to make it clear to players that if a clock has delay capabilities, it MUST use the delay time control, and that if there is a choice of clocks, a delay-capable clock MUST be used rather than a clock that does not support delay (eg, an analog clock.)
You may find that players with delay clocks might choose not to play in such an event.
I think Mike Nolan’s reply, while quite good, may not have explicitly addressed the base question. Games played with an analog clock set for 25 minutes (with, obviously, no delay) are dual rated provided the advertised time control for the section is G/25 d/5. It is not necessary to make concessions to players with non-preferred equipment for the time control by giving them additional time; in fact, as Mike points out, that would be a major variation that must be included in all pre-tournament publicity.
Basically, if players want all the time to which they are entitled, they should use a digital clock with delay or increment capability.
Nope.
For the event to be regular (dual) rated, the announced control FOR THE TOURNAMENT must be at least 30 (main minutes plus delay seconds).
If some games are played at G/25 d/0 because of obsolete equipment, that doesn’t change the fact that the announced control is G/25 d/5.
So, go ahead and just announce G/25 d/5. Games played on analog clocks would then just be G/25. Of course, if either player furnishes a delay clock (and is on time for the round, and knows how to set it, blah blah blah) he has the right to insist that the delay be used in his game, provided he so insists before making his first move.
Bill Smythe
Correct, the total time per player in minutes (MM) plus the delay/increment in seconds (SS), MM+SS, must be at least 30 for the event to be dual-ratable.
That means if there is no delay in use, there must be at least 30 minutes on the clock at the start of the game. Delay-capable clocks and analog clocks would both be set the same way, such as to 30 minutes, with the delay feature turned off for delay-capable clocks.
For delay-capable clocks (which are preferred equipment) you could use something like G/25;d5. However, without adding the major variant ‘(Analog: G/30)’, analog clocks would also be set at G/25, per the 2012 time control rules.
The 2012 rules are in many ways easier to understand than the 2011 rules, because the players and the TDs all know in advance exactly what the proper clock setting must be for any clock.
Thanks for the replies. We’ve made up signage that shows the tournament time control (G/25 d/5, dual-rated) and settings for delay-capable clocks (25 minutes, 5-second delay) and analog clocks (25 minutes), plus the fact that delay clocks are preferred and must be used if available.
Nice to have this cleared up – I didn’t want to make the mistake of assuming we knew the right settings and getting it wrong.
The fact that players now get less time with an analog clock than with a delay/increment-capable clock (because they don’t get the delay or increment time) should act as an incentive for players to get a delay/increment-capable clock.
You’d think. And then you see TLAs for events that say GAME/25, d/5. Analog clocks play GAME/30. Sigh.
Alex Relyea
I believe that USCF still sells analog clocks. I wonder if it would be willing to give a discount of the purchase price of such a clock on the purchase of a new digital one?
USCF does not sell chess equipment; USCF Sales does. In spite of the name, the United States Chess Federation has no control over USCF sales (currently, House of Staunton) and simply licenses the right to use the name “USCF Sales.”
The USCF has indeed not sold chess books and equipment for several years now.
There are very smart people on USCF Executive Board. They can have their cake and eat it too. The folk wanting to reach USCF homepage is routed to USCF Sales, but USCF is not responsible for what’s being sold there.
…and your point is?
If my point with the cake is unclear, I can rephrase it as: USCF managed to have it both ways. It speaks of the amazing intelligence of our leadership (if the words “very smart” are unclear).
P.S. I would have liked for USCF to retain “veto power” on the products sold under USCF Sales label as part of the contract with the House of Staunton.
Actually, I don’t think this would be a problem if the USCF updated the “Introduction to Tournaments” and “Running Tournaments” PDF files on this site to mention delays and increments.
Bob