ADM: Delete the following sentence from rule 15A: “The scoresheet shall be visible to the arbiter (tournament directors) and the opponent throughout the game.”
In its place, insert the following sentence: “The electronic scoresheet, scorebook, or paper scoresheet must be visible to the director and the opponent throughout the game.”
This ADM is motivated by the discussion in the thread USCF Rule 15A – “visible” score sheets.
#43 under Equipment Standards (p.243 in 6th edition) already defines “scoresheet” to apply to any approved recording device, electronic or otherwise. It would seem unnecessarily redundant to also include it in 15A (as #43 also refers back to that rule). But I like getting rid of “arbiter”, which sounds too FIDE to me. 
The scoresheet must be visible to the tournament director and opponent throughout the game.
Even though it is redundant, I think it drives the point home more and is much clearer in its intent by also saying “electronic scoresheet, scorebook, etc…”
+1
+2
Wouldn’t it be unfair that a player would have a legal way to hide the number of moves made on his scoresheet from his/her opponent if he/she was using a bound scorebook or Monroi, but would not have a legal way if he/she was using a stand-alone paper scoresheet?
I am not against the proposed rule clarification, but hoping someone can come with an even better solution.
Michael Langer
2015 Delegate - TX
Why would it be illegal to turn the paper over after writing the move down, and only turning it back when writing down a new move (or when asked by the TD to see the notation)? That’s the analogous situation to those who use hardcover books and keep them closed until they write down the move.
A player should not rely on the number of moves made on his opponents scoresheet!
tom
Good point, Scott.
What about adding the following? “The score itself needs to be available to TDs when necessary, but does not need to be visible at all times. Reason: Many scorebooks automatically close unless physically held open and many electronic scorekeeping devices show only the current position, require extra effort to go into scoresheet mode, must be taken out of scoresheet mode to record a move, and have a battery-saving measure to go dark when not in immediate use.”
As worded, that feels more like a TD Tip to me – and a good one.
So, does this ADM make it OK to have what’s written on the scoresheet (or in the scorebook) not visible to the opponent and the TD? I disagree with that. I thought the whole point of the rule was to make it possible for the opponent and TD to detect violations with regard to the scoresheet, e.g. making notes, or writing the move before making it, etc. without disrupting the game.
It’s easy to have a binder clip hold open a scorebook. I see that a lot.
-Matt
And we should not have the delegates voting on “TD tips”. They are not “rules”.
+1. There were various hard-back scorebooks in use at the Philadelphia Open this past weekend and I don’t recall seeing any of them clipped open. They do take up a lot of space when completely open so I understand this may be just a space saving decision. However, as Matt said, this does make it very difficult to ensure people are staying within the rules, particularly in FIDE rated sections.
Suggest this wording instead: “The electronic score keeping device, the scorebook, or the paper scoresheet must be visible to the director and the opponent throughout the game.”
Perhaps also consider: “The player must not take any action during the game the main purpose of which appears to be to remove the actual record of the moves from the view of the opponent. This latter phrase does not include any incidental actions that may have this effect, such as (but not limited to) an electronic scoresheet dimming for its power saving feature, a scorebook self-closing due to its binding, turning a scorebook over to hold the place to the correct page, etc.”