Many of you will recall that I am running unrated chess tournaments at a residential facility for juveniles with severe substance abuse disorders. Our players are almost all beginners.
Today I saw someone play …Qb2-f2++. She released the piece. However, she did not realize that it was checkmate, changed her mind about the move, and returned the piece to b2. Her opponent did not object to her seemingly taking back her move.
What, if anything, should I have done in this situation?
Thank you!
Laugh it off. You can’t always be too serious about rules when dealing with absolute beginners.
Bill Smythe
A purist would say that releasing the piece determined the move, checkmate happens when a legal checkmating move is determined, and checkmate ends the game, so at that point the TD should stop the (ended) game and let the result stand.
A practical person would point out that enforcing that result would depend the skill of the TD and which game the TD happened to watch, so using the “TD as witness” variation (one used so much that most people think it is the standard rule and TD intervention is the variation) then the TD should not intervene unless called in.
Personally, if the event is small enough, or non-rated, I’ve had no problem being a purist (and providing a teaching moment). The scholastic nationals go the practical route.
This is something that the original poster will have to decide for himself. Either decision is defensible.
If you can remember the position, do so. Otherwise, you might interrupt for a moment and “take their picture” - but really photograph the board.
Then after the game, show them the position to provide some instruction.
Thank you very much for your help!
@kbachler: I do have a photograph of the final position! 