As you say, your tournament, your house rules. I don’t claim my way is the way all tournaments must be run. It’s just the way I choose to run mine. Good luck to you in Monroeville.
While I somewhat understand this point, I’m inclined to cut B some slack here. Having someone in another game press my clock has to be somewhat disorienting. I’m not so sure I’d figure out what to do straight away. Additionally, A, being away from the board, has put himself in a position where he can’t speak up for himself.
I generally take a pretty hard line against unsporting or downright antisocial behavior that detracts from the event. On the list of possible behaviors that I would admonish a player for, B’s actions fall no higher than about 397 on my list. When discovered, I make an adjustment as best I can without further penalty.
Even the most experienced TDs seem to have different approaches here. One ANTD in whose events I frequently play doesn’t seem to care in what direction any of the clocks face, the players can do whatever they want. Other TDs (Sevan was an example) diligently face all the clocks toward the center aisle and on black’s right, but don’t object at all if a few of the players switch the clock to the other side. Still others, wanting to be able to monitor everything, insist that the clocks all face the same way. Within the latter group, some TDs may permit left-handed players with the black pieces to turn the board around and change places with their opponents, other TDs may not allow even this. It’s all good, and within the prerogative of the TD.
As a player, I’m left-handed so I slightly prefer the clock on my left, but I never make an issue of it. In fact, I will generally accommodate my opponent, regardless which way he wants it and regardless which player has the black pieces, as long as he says something before the game starts. If, however, this accommodation would result in the clock facing away from the center aisle, I generally point out that the TD is likely to want the clock facing the center aisle, so maybe we should turn the board around and switch places instead. This suggestion often is met with “oh well, it’s not worth the bother then”, and we end up leaving the clocks as they are.
I’d have to agree with Brennan’s premise here. If, for the whole game, player C has been pressing a clock near the clock for player B’s game then it would be reasonable for him to not notice that player C pressed the incorrect clock this one time. He shouldn’t have to stop his trail of thought every time player C and D pressed their clock, just in case they messed up.
The clock for the game between players A and B was to the right of player C. The clock for the game between players C and D was to the left of player C. Player C erred by hitting the clock on his right instead of the clock on his left. Further, the clock for the game between players A and B was farther from the board of player C than was the clock for his own game, and, of course, it was facing away from him not toward him.
