bbentrup:
This would seem to be at odds with the following statement in rule 5B:
“Players, not tournament directors, are responsible for knowing how to properly set (16B) their delay clocks. In any particular game, if the delay clock cannot be properly set, then the opponent of the player providing the delay clock may choose which legal clock is to be used.”
Not quite. The rule you cite concerns responsibility. Mr. Sloan is not arguing that it is his responsibility to set incorrectly set clocks, but that it is both his right and, in general, a good practice. He wants to avoid potential confusion later and is willing to do the extra grunt work at the beginning of the round. He has seen how incorrectly set clocks can lead to major problems. I, for one, commend the practice.
I don’t think we have any major disagreement. But it should be noted that the rule does not say that it isn’t the TD’s responsibility to set improperly set delay clocks. What it says is that it isn’t the TD’s responsibility to know how to properly set delay clocks. That’s an important distinction, in my opinion, because it means that knowing how to properly set delay clocks isn’t one of the qualifications for being a TD. And, for that reason, checking and correcting delay clocks cannot be a standard practice for TDs, since some won’t know how to do it.
I’m not sure that Ken would even check the delay on the clocks, just that the correct time was set, e.g. if the time control was 40/2, SD/1, then check for analogs be set to 4 o’clock and digitals show 2 hours for each side. If players are using the wrong time controls then you can correct that problem early. It is a very good practice to develop as a TD and I personally do it at all the events I am responsible for.