I’m a relatively new, fairly low-rated player (regular 1139, quick 930), and I’ve had something happen a few times that I’m not quite sure how to interpret.
I mostly play quick-rated (G/20) but also play “regular” when I can. And even during the quicker games (say, G/30 and faster), my much higher-rated opponent will get up and stroll about the room, watching some of the other games while I’m “on move.” And yes, I’ve even had a couple of instances where they’ve stepped away to place a fast cell-phone call.
Yeah, I know I’m just a patzer to them, and they’re overwhelmingly likely to win anyway. But isn’t this kind of disrespectful to do for such a short game? Let’s face it: if we go the full time-control, it’s still only gonna be a freakin’ 40-minute game!!
In longer games (say, G/45 and up), I certainly don’t mind this because you may want to stretch your legs, go to the restroom, etc. But for such a short game, it has the appearance of simply viewing me as an opponent not worthy of their best effort. And I’m sort of new at rated, tournament play to know whether or not this conduct is within decorum or if I’m just being insulted.
I realize that no rules are being broken (well, maybe the cell-phone thing), but I would think it’s just a matter of etiquette and politeness.
Some people just like to get up and move around some during the game. It is a good way to physically handle tension. I’m like that - rarely at the board if I’m not on move or writing down the move. That is true whether I’m playing a 1000 or a GM.
Alternatively, if this is only happening to you late in the games that you are ending up losing, then you might want to ask yourself if you are taking too long to resign. Often you will learn more by resigning when lost and asking your much higher-rate opponent to go over the game, than to play on in a hopeless position until it is mate in something (and they then won’t have the time or inclination to analyze the game).
Some players are just like that (walking around). Its not an insult, they probably do it alot of their games, regardless of the opponent’s rating.
TD’s need to enforce the no electronics ban. Mon Roi is the only electronic really allowed in a tournament. (other than maybe a DGT type setup for the top boards).
Technically DGT boards are allowed in tournaments, but it can’t be run without being attached to a computer under the supervision of a TD. So basically unless the tournament is using it for the top boards, in which the computer is under the supervision of a TD, its not really something you’d want to take with you.
Feeling insulted will only take you off your game. Some of them might be intentional, and some may be completely oblivious and just need to move around. Regardless of the moves the opponent makes on or off the board, the only person that determines how you handle is you. Mental strength alone could be worth about 100 rating points.
Since I am apparently one of those players being rude to Mark, let me add my two cents worth.
I tend to get up during all of my games, no matter what the time control and no matter what my opponent’s rating. I have never heard this behavior as being classified as rude until now. I suppose I could cut down on my liquid consumption before and during the game, and not have to make as frequent bathroom breaks as I do but this might not be the solution for others. We used to allow smokers to sit at the board and feed their addictions, we now require them to find a spot outside of the playing hall to catch a quick smoke. As a TD I don’t see someone getting up to catch a smoke or to relieve himself as being an issue that deserves intervention.
A few years back we had a strong player in Ohio who would read a novel when he played anyone below 2200. I was one of his frequent victims. While I did see this as being somewhat rude, I also saw it as an opportunity to potentially catch him off guard. While I did come close on a few occasions, he usually worked his way out of difficulty. It was almost a moral victory to force him to set aside his novel to concentrate on the game. In my opinion, Mark should see his opponents’ frequent breaks as opportunities for himself to pull an upset.
These are G/20 Quick Rated, entry fee $7 for club members, $10 for non-members. 1st place is usually $20 or so. After my entry fee, the gas money for driving to that part of town and the cost of the Cafe’ Cubano I probably would clear $5 for first place. In the event where Mark and I played I ended up going 3-0 and gaining 2 rating points. I assure you that a TD doesn’t have to worry about me cheating to win the event just because I return my wife’s or child’s telephone call during a game.
While I have no problem with a lower rated player playing out a dead lost position, he shouldn’t expect all of his opponents to sit patiently at the board the entire game.
For the most part I don’t mind if my opponent gets up during the game. Long time controls it becomes necessary. I tend move around a lot when I play at long time controls. Anything under G/60 I tend to stay in my seat or within sight of the board, unless I really gotta go!
I played in a tournament recently where I felt my opponent wasn’t being very respectful during our game. The time control was G/60. He was a high school aged kid with a rating in the mid 1600s. Every time he made a move he’d jump up from the table and go watch his friends’ games. It wouldn’t normally bother me, but his attitude and body language came across as “OMG I’m playing somebody old enough to be my mother! I’m bored, this game doesn’t matter, I’d rather watch my friends play.” This went on the entire game. At the end I was ready to resign, and I had to wait over 5 minutes for him to come back to the board so that I could give my resignation. I suppose I could have been snarky by tipping my king, and just walking out of the playing room without saying anything. However that’s not my style and I wasn’t going to reduce myself to his level.
I played someone this weekend in a g/60 time control and he also was up almost every move looking at other games on my time, but his attitude and body language came across much differently so I didn’t feel like he was being disrespectful.
I think it’s fairly easy to tell the difference between the players who tend to be wanderers and the ones that are a little full of themselves. One just has to not take it personally.
Polly, the last ‘serious’ tournament I played in was the US Open in Hawaii.
I withdrew from the tournament before the last round, not so much because I was losing games (I lose a lot of games), but because I was playing mostly young kids rated several hundred points below me. And then it wasn’t so much that I was losing to them than that they ROLLED THEIR EYES after my moves. I spent the last several rounds enjoying the sights of Hawaii with my family, and haven’t felt the urge to return to serious rated play since.
Most of my issues regarding player ettiquette has to do with kids. LOL Though I have seen some adults who act as bad. Dropping out of a tournament to see the sights of Hawaii is not such a terrible thing.
Sometimes I find that the best way to come back to focus in my game is to divert my attention from it for a short bit. And especially if I’m playing multiple games which are taxing, it’s best to not stay in a state of extended concentration the whole game. (Otherwise I tend to get so mentally tired that I’m a super-patzer by the last one… ) And I’m far from a strong player, yet.
At any rate, I wouldn’t be greatly insulted. In fact, try it yourself once or twice - get up and have a good stretch after your fifth, eighth, or tenth move. Get a drink of water after your fifteenth move. Then sit down and freshly evaluate your position and see if any new ideas come to you.
“New ideas” reminds me of something that happened to me once. My game was adjourned, to be resumed after the next round. At the time of the resumption, I did not recognize the position at all. I thought surely there must be an error, maybe we had retrieved the sealed-move envelope from somebody else’s game or something. But there was no error – my brain had simply wiped the slate clean during the intervening game.
Talk about taking a break to gain a new perspective on the position!
Well, so far, from the postings that have been made, it appears that the majority “vote” is that this is still within decorum – even in shorter games. That’s fine, because that was exactly my question: I wasn’t sure if this was something that I should consider insulting, and that’s why I wanted to ask some more experienced players.
Like I said earlier, this certainly makes sense for longer games. But for shorter games, I just wasn’t quite sure how to read it – and one could possibly see how it may have that appearance. Yes, Grant remembers one of our games (I do, too), but it wasn’t just his – I’ve had this happen from a few other players on other occasions. That was why I felt compelled to ask this question, because I wanted to know if this was normal or not (after all, if it was just one time – ever – I wouldn’t have thought that much about it).
I gotta say it: I love playing chess, but formal, rated, tournament play is still rather new to me. So…I’m still sort of learning the nuances and “culture” associated with it.
If you’re playing in a tournament for a big prize, then maybe. BUT I think the cell phone issue is WAY overblown and that TDs should just leave people alone in casual events. If my opponent’s willing to put up with the distractions from making a cell phone call, I’m quite happy to concentrate on the game and try to take advantage of him.
Unless it’s a big money tournament, or the phone is being used IN the tournament hall, just ignore it! We don’t need to regulate every possible moment of a player’s time.
) And I’m far from a strong player, yet.