The original GameTimer clock had the problem that if the buttons were pushed fast enough that the move would not register on the move counter. The clock is official as to the flag falling, but the move counter is not official for determining the number of moves played. That old clock flaw may have been why the rule for determining the number moves is in place as it is.
Larry S. Cohen
If added when a prescribed number of moves are made, why assume that this can be done only upon a clock move counter?
Because I would rather not have anyone (players or TDs) messing with a clock during a game. Everything beyond pressing the button after each move should be automatic. This is one of the reasons why I don’t like move counters. If the move count becomes incorrect during the game (which can easily happen), you have two options: (1) Ignore it (and then why use it in the first place?); (2) Someone has to go in and mess with the clock to correct it. I strongly dislike having to mess with the clock during a game.
I wasn’t suggesting that the clock should be messed with. If the clock knows the secondary control, and has a move counter, then the time could be added “manually” with the push of a single button by the players at the time control. The clock could produce a warning if its move counter was less than the time control.
No clocks that I know of are programmed like this today. I don’t think people have thought about it much.
No one has to mess with one’s clock during the game if one operates one’s clock properly.
Ignoring a mistake when it occurs is a failure to operate the clock properly.
“Operating one’s clock properly” would presumably include one of the following (when the opponent forgets to punch the clock after making his move): (1) Sit there impassively until he remembers, or until his time runs out; (2) Press his button, make my move, and then press my button; (3) Verbally remind him that he needs to punch his clock.
#1 strikes me as poor sportsmanship. #2 seems overly anal, and is probably technically illegal. #3 seems reasonable, but is probably also technically illegal (because it’s still technically his move, and I’m not supposed to talk to him when it’s his move), and may be impossible (if, for example, he makes his move and then gets up to go to the bathroom or something – without punching his clock.
What I’ve usually done in the past is simply to make my move when I’m ready to, and then press my button (even though this accomplishes nothing if he never pressed his). Note that I’ve also done this numerous times without even knowing it, because I didn’t notice that my opponent forgot to hit his clock (maybe I was away from the board when he completed his move). Either way, now the move counter is off by one.
Also, what if he makes an illegal move and presses his button? I’m entitled to press my button (without moving) and require that he make a legal move. But now the move counter is off by one in the other direction, and we’re back to either ignoring it or messing with the clock to correct it.
All of this goes away if we simply don’t use the clock to count moves. I already have a perfectly good move counter – my scoresheet – and it is the only one I’m allowed to use if I want to make a claim. There’s no need to have the clock count moves superfluously. Let the clock keep track of time, and I’ll keep track of the number of moves (since I have to do so anyway).
ETA: Even if I operate the clock correctly in every sense, I cannot force my opponent to do so. So this business of “operating one’s clock properly” is not completely within my (or any one person’s) control.
You get an extra two minutes if your opponent completes an illegal move so the clock is going to be messed with anyway in this scenario.
Only if you claim it. (Or a TD sees it and is correcting such things…)
I know how to do that. I have no idea how to change the move counter without consulting the manual. And my other objections remain.
Somewhere in the FIDE rules I’m pretty sure I’ve seen option (2) recommended – but with a slight variation: Make your move first, then press his button, then press yours. That has the advantage that your opponent probably won’t even notice, and the move count and the increment will be corrected.
Option (2) works extremely well in this case too. If you didn’t notice (or have forgotten) that your opponent failed to press his clock, you will eventually make your move, and only when you go to press the clock will you be reminded that his clock is still running. Same solution: Now that you have already carried out the first of the three parts of my version of option (2), simply carry out the other two, by pressing first your opponent’s clock and then your own, in rapid succession.
Bill Smythe
It’s not hard to learn how to correct the move counter.
It still seems overly anal to me – you’re doing something totally unnatural for the sole purpose of making sure the stupid superfluous useless move counter doesn’t get thrown off. Since I don’t use the move counter and don’t care about it, I refuse to do this. If I forgot to press the clock, it would irritate me if my opponent responded in this manner.
Probably not, but I have never bothered to look up how to do it, because (a) whenever I have the option (as on my Chronos), I always set the clock without a move counter, and (b) when I’m forced to use a move counter, I simply ignore it, since it has no bearing on anything. I still have to use my scoresheet if I want to make any sort of claim, and the scoresheet is where I look if I want to know how many moves have been made.
And, as of 1/1/2020, you do not determine a move before claiming the illegal move.
All three options are preferable to operating the clock improperly, and I would quickly deny any complaint about such an occurrance.
As gridiron football officials are fond of saying, don’t look for boogers.
Notice that in the WC Candidates Tournament, the clock does not add the second time control after 40 clock presses.
That is actually unusual. Previous tournaments had the clock configured to add the time after move 40. Since these guys are much less likely to have improper clock presses, that’s perfectly reasonable to do.
How do you know this? It’s not the sort of thing that usually appears in pre-event publicity.
Bill Smythe
By watching the clocks as they played. Also:
https://cdn2.static1-sima-land.com/share/1930.pdf
Mode 14 on the DGT 3000 does not add the time of subsequent time controls based on clock presses, but waits for the time of the previous period to expire.