How quickly do you escalate penalties?

[Robgetty]

I’m curious how other directors deal with a minor repeating issue.

I have a tournament going on right now. Yesterday, I had a player complain that his opponent was writing down multiple moves as he was analyzing them and then crossing them out as he explored that line. I talked to his opponent and gave him a warning that he was doing something that consituted note taking (20C) and that he wasn’t allowed to do that.

A little later, the player came back and said that his opponent was still writing down a move, then erasing it and writing a new move in, analyzing it, and then erasing it and settling on a new move. I again got the 2 players together, instructed the player that he couldn’t write down anything other than his actual move, draw offer, or clock time, and gave a 2 minute addition to his opponent. This resulted in my having to show in the rules to the 1st player rule 20C, and also got the 2nd player mad because he wanted a more significant penalty than 2 extra minutes (I had to read him the section on ‘standard penalty’.)

Here is my question. If they had come to me a final time (thankfully they didn’t), would most directors out there give one more time penalty, or forfeit the game, or find some middle ground? The last time I talked to the players, the person who was ‘taking notes’ admitted that he had just reverted to doing it out of habit; that he wasn’t doing it intentionally. (1750 rated player)

[Mulfish]

Out of habit? This guy has been doing it long enough to make it a habit and yet no one has complained until now? Amazing.

On a third violation, including one in a later round, I would have forfeited the player. But I’m not a TD. In addition to 20C, the rule against intentionally distracting your opponent seems to come into play here.

[timjust]

@Robgetty

I’m curious how other directors deal with a minor repeating issue.

I have a tournament going on right now. Yesterday, I had a player complain that his opponent was writing down multiple moves as he was analyzing them and then crossing them out as he explored that line. I talked to his opponent and gave him a warning that he was doing something that consituted note taking (20C) and that he wasn’t allowed to do that.

A little later, the player came back and said that his opponent was still writing down a move, then erasing it and writing a new move in, analyzing it, and then erasing it and settling on a new move. I again got the 2 players together, instructed the player that he couldn’t write down anything other than his actual move, draw offer, or clock time, and gave a 2 minute addition to his opponent. This resulted in my having to show in the rules to the 1st player rule 20C, and also got the 2nd player mad because he wanted a more significant penalty than 2 extra minutes (I had to read him the section on ‘standard penalty’.)

Here is my question. If they had come to me a final time (thankfully they didn’t), would most directors out there give one more time penalty, or forfeit the game, or find some middle ground? The last time I talked to the players, the person who was ‘taking notes’ admitted that he had just reverted to doing it out of habit; that he wasn’t doing it intentionally. (1750 rated player)

1C2b. Non-standard penalties allows the TD to be as severe or non-severe as they see fit. By the third offense the TD should at least consider more than a 2-minute add on (10 minutes?) or perhaps even a 10 minute deduction from the offending player? (Forfeit?) It all depends on the event and the TD. Those large $$$ events are a lot different than the local club event. Some TDs are hard-liners while others take a softer approach. Pick a method and stick to it. After January 1, 2007 it all changes anyhow (unless otherwise announced that piece has to move first!?).

Tim

Tim