ADM: Modify Blitz rule 1a, which currently states “Standard time control (TC) for blitz is G/5 with no delay”, with the following
“1a.) The standard time controls for blitz are G/5;d0 and G/3;inc2.”
Rationale: G/3;inc2 has become a standard blitz time control and thus should be mentioned in addition to G/5;d0. Also, listing G/5;d0 as the only standard time control for blitz makes it seem like no increment or delay is recommended in blitz but rule 5E in chapter 1 recommends 2 seconds of increment or delay in blitz.
If the blitz rules are going to state a standard like it currently does, G/3;inc2 should be included with G/5;d0 since it’s basically on par with G/5;d0 these days.
A better question is why rule 1a is needed anyway. Considering that organizers of blitz events are required to announce the time control in advance publicity under rule 1b, specifying a definition for a standard time control seems redundant. Remember: These are the Rules of Chess, not the Recommendations of Chess.
Thanks Caleb, once again you’ve nudged me in the right direction (I brought the idea up of eliminating this rule before but didn’t seem to get any support for it). How about this:
ADM: Delete blitz rule 1a, which states “Standard time control (TC) for blitz is G/5 with no delay”.
Rationale: There are a number of reasons why this rule should be deleted. 1) It’s potentially confusing since it makes it seem like no increment or delay is recommended in blitz but rule 5E in chapter 1 recommends two seconds of increment or delay in blitz. 2) Some other blitz time controls, such as G/3;inc2, are quickly becoming just as “standard”. 3) The opening paragraph in the blitz rule chapter already states G/5;d0 is a commonly used blitz time control. 4) This isn’t a rule.
ADM: Delete blitz rule 1a, which states “Standard time control (TC) for blitz is G/5 with no delay”.
Rationale: There are a number of reasons why this rule should be deleted. 1) It’s outdated since some other blitz time controls, such as G/3;inc2, could be considered just as “standard” at this point. 2) It’s potentially confusing since it makes it seem like no increment or delay is recommended in blitz but rule 5E in chapter 1 recommends two seconds of increment or delay in blitz. 3) This isn’t a rule so there is no need for this to be a numbered rule in the rulebook. 4) The opening paragraph in the blitz rules chapter already states G/5;d0 is a commonly used blitz time control.
I have wondered if in addition to rules and TD Tips if we could use a ‘Best Practices’ section, for stuff like this. It isn’t really a TD Tip, since the TD doesn’t decide the time control, that’s the organizer’s responsibility. The TD’s job, strictly speaking, is to enforce the rules and the specific conditions of the event as designed by the organizer.
The time control for National Scholastics, and this includes the blitz events, governed by the scholastic regulations, have been under review for what is a better time control. Since the reaction has been mixed so far, the SC has recommended both time controls. Seeing how 2024 spring works out before seeing what to do for future.
The re-wording if anything should indicate that the organizer of tournament should announce, and that acceptable time controls range from X to Y.
Also. Delay instead of increment, which is commonly used at CCA Blitz events also needs to be recognized.
There are three words that have or might be used in describing time controls, with/without delay or increment: “default”, “standard” and “common”.
“default” would be a “rule-book” word that indicates what would be used if nothing else is specified. “common” would be a “non-rule-book” word, being nothing more than a suggestion to the organizer about common practice.
“standard” is sort of a hybrid that doesn’t really mean anything. The TD Tip in 5C has
When used, standard increment is 30 seconds (Regular).
Standard delay is 5 seconds (regular or dual); and 3 seconds (quick).
Standard blitz uses no delay or increment (see chapter 11).
Note that the last two lines are what used to be the “default” (per rule) whether that word was used or not. G/30 w/o a delay or increment specified implied G30d/5. G/5 meant G5/d0.
Then 5E has
5E. Recommended increment or delay.
For a mixed or repeating time control, or for a base time of 30 minutes or more, an increment or delay in the range of 5 to 30 seconds is recommended. For a base time of more than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes, an increment or delay of 3 seconds is recommended. For a base time of 10 minutes or less, an increment or delay of 2 seconds is recommended.
But
5E2. Organizer fails to specify increment or delay.
If the organizer fails to specify an increment or delay time in the time control (which may be zero to indicate no increment or delay), the minimum recommended delay specified in rule 5E shall apply.
5E really isn’t worded as a rule (it’s a description of common practice), but is partially elevated to a rule by 5E2 which gives the default. However, 5E (which isn’t really a rule) contradicts the 5C TD Tip (which also isn’t a rule) which describes the old default settings if delay/increment weren’t included. If someone advertises a G/5 blitz tournament, does anyone believe that they really intended G/5;d/2?
I don’t know if the 5C TD Tip contradicts rules 5E (the TD Tip uses the word “standard”, which as you said doesn’t really mean anything), but it might confuse some people because some people might interpret the “standard” increments/delays mentioned in the TD as meaning those are the increments/delays that are “recommended” to be used but they differ from the recommended increments/delays given in 5E. I’ve suggested to Tim Just on several occasions in the past that the “standard” increment/delays mentioned in the TD Tip should be deleted.
Again, these are the Rules of Chess, not the Recommendations of Chess. If the Delegates want to make something a rule, so be it, but they should not be filling the rulebook with recommendations about the best practices of organizing and directing chess tournaments. If a codification of official recommendations is desirable, US Chess should commission a compilation of said guidance as a separate manual.
The 10+2 is already there. The proposed change would be to add the “0 or”. Perhaps referring back to the mapping between time controls and rating category would be helpful.
However, if someone is determined to be confused, there’s little we can do to stop it.
There needs to be a rule (an actual rule) that says what the default delay is if the organizer fails to state one. (Not supposed to do that, but there needs to be a fallback in case of an error).
I don’t see anything wrong with using a 3 second increment or delay for blitz (for example, 5+3, 3+3) so I might recommend the range be 0-3 seconds for blitz. Also, I might use the term “For blitz rated events” instead of “For a base time of 10 minutes or less” since a base time of 10 minutes with at least one second of increment or delay is quick rated.
Also, for quick I don’t see anything wrong with a 10 second increment or delay (the world rapid championship is played at 15+10), So I might recommend the range be 3-10 seconds for quick. Also, I might use the term “For quick-only rated events” instead of “For a base time of more than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes” since a base time of 29 minutes with at least one second of increment or delay is regular rated.
However, all of this discussion is essentially moot if nobody submits an ADM on it.
If my proposed ADM to eliminate Blitz Rule 1a passes, there would no longer be a blitz rule numbered 1a. With no 1a numbering, it doesn’t make sense for there to be a 1b numbering so the 1b numbering would also be deleted (but the content of the current rule 1b would remain). Blitz rule 1 would then not having any sub-rules and would read as follows:
“1.) Each player must make all his moves in the time specified for the game. Time controls, including the use of delay or increment, are to be stated in any advance publicity and must also be announced or posted at the site.”