I seem to remember a rule stating when photography, or possibly just flash photography, was allowed in tournaments, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere in the rulebook. Can anyone help?
I always treated flash photography as an annoyance and just followed the spirit of rule 21.8 of the scholastic regulations, which allows flash photography only in the first ten minutes of a round and requires any photography after that to not use a flash.
I have noted an increasing trend among parents to take pictures of their kids’ games during the round. This can be done in lieu of a scoresheet, as the kids often scribble moves in the wrong column if at all. Happening at open events and scholastic venues. I would prefer the kids learn to write their moves and not rely on mom and dad.
Generally, I have told “photographers” that they have five minutes to shoot with flash, and may do so afterwards without a flash. They must also stay at a distance from the player tables so as not to distract. Modern cameras are quieter and allow for more picture taking. When a news team showed up to one tournament during the middle of a round, we advised the players that the film cameras would be using bright lights. The players were allowed to pause their clocks during shooting. After about 5 minutes the cameraman got the shots he wanted and the lights were turned off. We had a couple of mild complaints, but we told them that this was part of the way to publicize the game. When we start having problems controlling chess papparazi, then we will know that chess has made it into the world of pop culture.
It is important to be crystal to the parents doing their kids notation
work that in no event are their notations admissible in any kind of
dispute arising from their kid’s game. Unless special circumstances
apply, like those for handicapped players, notation from others besides players have zero standing.
Kind of like coaches, as well. I will talk with kids about disputes, but
only them, except for explanations, only, to the coaches. For coaches
like parents, also have no standing.
Many rules outright state that the testimony of neutral witnesses is acceptable. I fully agree with you that claims of parties beyond the players have no standing, if that’s what you meant. Parent brings me their camera and say, “See! Opponent violated touch move,” get told player must bring the claim forward and parent has no standing. Player raises hand and makes a touch move claim and person in vicinity has camera (or better, video) and shows proof… I’m inclined to accept that at first blush.
Come to that, the only reason why I wouldn’t think a constantly recording video of a board couldn’t count as notation is that one could lose a lot of time trying to review video… If one accepts that clocks exist not as part of chess strategy but rather to keep games moving (something I believe on even days and disbelieve on odd days,) then is there a parallel to be drawn regarding notation? OTOH, there are lots of events with video coverage (Sinquefield cup being recent) but even with DGT boards they still take notation.
In the past I’ve very occasionally accepted recordings as evidence in circumstances that did not involce a requirement for a valid scoresheet, but I would not accept them for cases where a scoresheet is needed (3-fold repetition, 50-move, etc.). The angle of a recording is not always the greatest, so even if you opt to consider using them you should realize that they are not necessarily going to be definitive for you.
Citation please.