We don’t need a bunch of draconian rules to handle a few people who cheat in big money tournaments. Chess is a hobby for most of us. I’m not a doctor, but I’m on call at work most of the time. If you ban cellphones, one of two things will happen. 1) I’ll bring it anyway and keep it on vibrate. 2) You’ll lose a player. We want to encourage people to play the game. If you make me choose between my hobby and my livelihood, guess which one wins? Regarding iPods and such, let the players listen to their music as long as they don’t play it too loudly. Chess is supposed to be fun. Don’t ruin it for everyone because a handful of people cheat. I understand you don’t want to make it easy for them to cheat. However, if they’re desperate enough to monkey around with an iPod, they’re going to find a way to cheat regardless of what you do.
While I have an IPod Touch for use as my PDA, I don’t listen to music with it. I don’t like the rechargable battery.
I use a Creative Zen Nano and have a Sansa as a backup that both use a single AAA battery for about 18 hours of play. Neither one of these units has much of a display to navigate a menu. I also just use it for music so it is simple to understand the impossibility of my using it to cheat.
I also use earbuds. I have some nicer ones that actually have as their category, noise isolating. Because these are in the ear canal, the sound certainly does not leak out to bother anyone nearby. I have used these types of earbuds for quite a few years now, and have never received a complaint of them causing a noise/sound issue.
Also, I am doing this as a hobby. I certainly don’t want someone telling me I can’t use my music as a noise control issue, the way I presently do. I’m not going to cheat either.
I do use a cell phone, as I am a doctor, but that doesn’t matter either. I used to use the vibrate mode a lot. Now I either turn off all the sounds and vibrate where the phone simply lights the display when it is “ringing”, or I turn the darn thing off. If I was in a situation where I needed it on to be “on call”, I would most likely do the former. It really isn’t hard to catch the thing light up, grab it while getting up from the table, and then answer it on the way out of the playing area. I’ve done that quite a few times with it being no big deal.
I also will inform my opponent and the TD that I am leaving it on, if I do so. I also am happy to tell them that I don’t need to stinkin’ cheat to beat their sorry…
I agree totally with this concept and suggestion.
I usually pick one of my chess music play lists and let it just play. Though at times depending on how I feel mentally or the complexity of the position I might change music in the middle of a game. I listen to various pieces of classical music. Some of the pieces are very soothing, and help me when I’m hyped up or nervous. Other pieces are more lively I’ll listen to them when I need a pick me up. Rossini and Mozart opera overtures are great pieces for when I’m feeling a little sluggish.
One tournament I was playing a kid who seemed very concerned about what I was doing with my iPod. Every time I fiddled with it he’d lean over to see what I was doing. In that particular game I had changed play lists a couple of times or was fiddling with the volume. At one point I left the room to use the bathroom. As I was coming back towards the room, I’m changing music, and there’s my opponent standing in the hallway watching me. I muttered something about listening to Mozart.
Personally I don’t think having opening lines on a play list would be much help to me.
I prefer Frankie Yankovic.
Bill Smythe
I had to Google him, because I’m not up on my music from the 40s unless it’s 1840 or 1740. 
Frankie Yankovic was still recording as late as 1997, a year before his death at age 83. In fact, his best recordings are his last two, Songs of the Polka King volumes 1 and 2.
Bill Smythe
I agree that those players who do not cheat should not have to obey the rules.