# Improving some TD Tips in the US Chess rulebook **URL:** \ **Category:** Running Chess Tournaments\ **Created:** [April 18, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729 "2021-04-18T16:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wzim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a4c791/32.png) [@wzim](https://forum.uschess.org/u/wzim)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/21 "2021-10-07T11:58:31Z")
Rules in of themselves are not protected by copywrite. Tips and explanations on the other hand are. ---
**Author:** ![Micah\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@Micah\_Smith](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Micah_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 12:24pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/22 "2021-10-07T12:24:06Z")
> [@relyea](#): > > Tim Just is a very good TD. Mr. Just is an even better trainer of TDs. This does not mean that his interpretation of each of the rules is correct. It certainly doesn’t mean that his interpretation of each of the rules is correct in every circumstance. You’ve seen here that there are many, many issues on which even extremely experienced NTDs disagree, and there are therefore necessary dangers when there is an “official” interpretation of any rule which is, of necessity, not created by the writer of the rule, that is the board of delegates. The danger is that less experienced TDs, especially those who have not worked with a mentor or only one mentor will think that the “Tip” is the rule, or part of the rule. A lot of the TD Tips in the rulebook aren’t interpretations of the rules at all. ---
**Author:** ![jwiewel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/jwiewel/32/104_2.png) [@jwiewel](https://forum.uschess.org/u/jwiewel)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/23 "2021-10-07T13:39:45Z")
At least some TD Tips, such as in 13C and 13D, are explanations/examples of using the rule. They help clarify how the rule gets applied and what verifications can be done to better determine when to apply it. One of the reasons for not simply including them as part of the rule is the tendency of some people to think that including some cases as part of a rule means that those are the only cases the rule applies to, thus triggering an effort to have the rule explicitly mention every possible situation it should be applied to (hello four thousand page rulebook). ---
**Author:** ![Micah\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@Micah\_Smith](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Micah_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/24 "2021-10-07T14:14:56Z")
> [@jwiewel](#): > > At least some TD Tips, such as in 13C and 13D, are explanations/examples of using the rule. They help clarify how the rule gets applied and what verifications can be done to better determine when to apply it. > > One of the reasons for not simply including them as part of the rule is the tendency of some people to think that including some cases as part of a rule means that those are the only cases the rule applies to, thus triggering an effort to have the rule explicitly mention every possible situation it should be applied to (hello four thousand page rulebook). +1 ---
**Author:** ![wintdoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wintdoan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/wintdoan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/25 "2021-10-07T18:51:24Z")
> [@Micah Smith](#): > > > [@Micah Smith](#): > > > > 1. The TD Tips after rule 15B and 15C say: "Only players in games with increment time controls of 30 seconds or more and using properly set increment capable clocks are required to keep score at all times, even in the last five minutes of any time control period. Players using improperly set increment clocks or non-increment capable clocks, even those clocks adjusted for an increment time control, are regulated by Rule 15B(C). I think it would be good to eliminate the parts that say “properly set” and “improperly set increment clocks” since if the increment is improperly set, you simply correct it for the remainder of the game, as per rule 16P. I think it would also be good to replace the phrase “at all times” with “for every move”. The TD Tip, with a few other minor adjustments, would then read: > > > > Only players in games with an increment time control of 30 seconds or more and using an increment capable clock are required to keep score for every move, even in the last five minutes of any time control period. Players using non-increment capable clocks, even those adjusted for an increment time control, are regulated by Rule 15B(C). > > > > 1. The TD Tip after Blitz rule 8 starts out by saying: “Blitz tournaments allowing “Insufficient Losing Chances” (ILC) claims should be advertised and announced in advance. The TD should be aware that common practice has shown that in addition to the official Blitz rules that “Insufficient Losing Chances” claims are upheld only:”. I think a much improved wording would be: > > > > Blitz tournaments using a variation that allows “Insufficient Losing Chances” claims should be advertised and announced in advance. Due to common practice, it is recommended that “Insufficient Losing Chances” claims only be upheld in the following cases: > > > > 1. The first TD Tip after rule 16P could use a number of improvements: > > > > 3a) One of the most common mistakes people make in setting digital clocks is that they set the base time in minutes when the time is set in hours and minutes (such as for G/120, incorrectly setting the base time for 1:20 instead of 2:00), or vise versa, so I think it would be good to add this example to the TD Tip. > > > > 3b) The first example says “(1) using the “Fischer” instead of the proper “Bronstein” setting”. I think it would be good to add “for delay time controls” at the end of this since using a “Fischer” setting wouldn’t be wrong if the time control you are playing with is an increment time control. However, I think even better would be to reword it so it says “(1) using a “Fischer” (increment) setting instead of a proper “Bronstein” (delay) setting, or vise versa”. > > > > 3c) It uses the terms “digital and delay clocks” twice and “digital or delay clock” twice when I think just using the term “digital clock” would be better. > > > > 3d) I think the third sentence which currently reads “Adding two minutes to the injured player’s unused time should penalize deliberate incorrect settings” would be better written as “Adding two minutes to the opponent of a player who deliberately set the clock wrong is generally an appropriate penalty.” > > > > If all of the above things are done, the TD Tip would now read like this: > > > > Often digital clocks are a challenge to set properly. The director should use judgment in deciding if a digital clock was set improperly deliberately, or inadvertently. Adding two minutes to the opponent of a player who deliberately set the clock wrong is generally an appropriate penalty. In either case the error(s) should be corrected. If the players cannot adjust the digital clock properly then an analog clock with the proper settings may be used instead. A few common errors in setting digital clocks: (1) Setting the base time in minutes when the time is set in hours and minutes, or vise versa, (2) using a “Fischer” (increment) setting instead of a proper “Bronstein” (delay) setting, or vise versa, (3) secondary sudden death time controls that are set improperly or not at all, and (4) inaccurate move counters. > > > > 1. In the first sentence of the TD Tip after rule 11C, I think the word “an” should be added in-between the words “using” and “increment”. The first sentence of the TD Tip would then read: > > > > If using an increment time control it may not be to a player’s advantage to start the opponent’s clock if the opponent created an illegal position or accidentally displaced pieces. > > Thoughts? How about you PM Tim Just instead of posting this to the forum? (Do you really need anyone to verify that “an” is the correct article before “increment”?) ---
**Author:** ![dennisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@dennisk](https://forum.uschess.org/u/dennisk)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/26 "2021-10-07T21:37:20Z")
I would just like to add one more thing here. Posting a new suggestion or recommendation or request is one thing. Continually “bumping” old threads that have died a natural death is another. It is considered bad “netiquette”, and it tends to annoy people. If a thread has had no new postings for several months, it generally means that people have lost interest in that topic (or were never interested in the first place). Such threads should be left in the graveyard where they belong. ---
**Author:** ![Micah\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@Micah\_Smith](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Micah_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/27 "2021-10-08T00:28:13Z")
> [@wintdoan](#): > > How about you PM Tim Just instead of posting this to the forum? (Do you really need anyone to verify that “an” is the correct article before “increment”?) I did PM Tim Just about this previously (and he didn’t add this to the TD Tip so maybe I need someone else to verify that “an” is the correct article before “increment”). ---
**Author:** ![Smythe\_Dakota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smythe\_Dakota](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Smythe_Dakota)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/28 "2021-10-08T00:44:31Z")
Well, it’s obvious that, if there is a correct article, it would be “an” instead of “a” because “increment” begins with a vowel. It certainly wouldn’t be “the” either. But is an article necessary at all? If the phrase were simply “using increment,” and then a comma, I’d say no, and in fact adding an article would sound awkward in that case. But since the phrase is “using increment control”, I guess I’d concede that “using an increment control” sounds better. The article is modifying “control”, not “increment”. But geez, Micah, is it really worth the bother? Bill Smythe ---
**Author:** ![nolan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/nolan/32/174_2.png) [@nolan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/nolan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/29 "2021-10-08T02:14:09Z")
I used to think I was precise in my use of grammar until I started studying French, but recently it seems even the AP Style Guide uses and even encourages language constructions that I would have gotten a big red mark for using in high school. However, having said that, “an increment time control” or “increment time controls” both seem less clumsy. I don’t really have a preference between the two. ---
**Author:** ![Smythe\_Dakota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smythe\_Dakota](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Smythe_Dakota)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 3:58am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/30 "2021-10-08T03:58:18Z")
> [@nolan](#): > > … recently it seems even the AP Style Guide uses and even encourages language constructions that I would have gotten a big red mark for using in high school. … Such as “their” used in the singular for “his or her”, no doubt. That still bugs me, too, but I’m still willing to yield to that particular piece of political correctness. Bill Smythe ---
**Author:** ![dennisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@dennisk](https://forum.uschess.org/u/dennisk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:56am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/31 "2021-10-08T08:56:14Z")
> [@Smythe Dakota](#): > > > [@nolan](#): > > > > … recently it seems even the AP Style Guide uses and even encourages language constructions that I would have gotten a big red mark for using in high school. … > > Such as “their” used in the singular for “his or her”, no doubt. That still bugs me, too, but I’m still willing to yield to that particular piece of political correctness. > > Bill Smythe Something like “My hair needs cut” or “The car needs washed” makes me want to scream repeatedly like Sam Kinison. Correct is “My hair needs to be cut” (or perhaps “My hair needs cutting”). I don’t know when this particular construction became acceptable (my opinion is that it never did), but I’d sure like to turn the clock back. As for “increment time control” – I agree that that is awkward with or without an article. I prefer “time control with increment”. “Increment time control” sounds like a time control composed entirely of increments: the clock reads 0 until you start it, then you have the increment (30 seconds or whatever), and then you add another 30 seconds each further time the clock is pressed. Nothing but increments – the base time is 0. I doubt if anyone has ever actually done this, but that would be a true “increment time control”. ---
**Author:** ![Smythe\_Dakota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smythe\_Dakota](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Smythe_Dakota)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:57am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/32 "2021-10-08T10:57:10Z")
> [@dennisk](#): > > Something like “My hair needs cut” or “The car needs washed” makes me want to scream … Well, please do your screaming somewhere outside of my earshot. When I see a phrase like that on a forum, I immediately hear a thick accent – somebody whose first language is not English, trying mightily to communicate in a new language they are still struggling with. I admire them for their effort. It has been said that if you speak two languages, you’re bilingual, if you speak three languages, you’re multi-lingual, and if you speak one language, you’re American. Let’s give credit where credit is due. Oops, I see I ended a sentence with a preposition, above. When Winston Churchill was scolded for this sin, his response was “This is the kind of foolish nonsense up with which I shall not put.” Bill Smythe ---
**Author:** ![dennisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@dennisk](https://forum.uschess.org/u/dennisk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/33 "2021-10-08T21:16:30Z")
> [@Smythe Dakota](#): > > > [@dennisk](#): > > > > Something like “My hair needs cut” or “The car needs washed” makes me want to scream … > > Well, please do your screaming somewhere outside of my earshot. When I see a phrase like that on a forum, I immediately hear a thick accent – somebody whose first language is not English, trying mightily to communicate in a new language they are still struggling with. I admire them for their effort. I have never heard or seen the phrase in question (or any of its variants) from anyone but native born and bred Americans who have been speaking English all their lives. I am familiar with many of the typical odd grammatical patterns of non-native English speakers (most common is omitting the definite or indefinite article before a noun – which doesn’t bother me at all). My example (from my last post) is not one of them. It is something that has somehow crept into normal American English usage, and I wish it would creep back out. It is stunningly ugly and ungrammatical. ---
**Author:** ![scottrparker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@scottrparker](https://forum.uschess.org/u/scottrparker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/34 "2021-10-08T22:39:30Z")
> [@dennisk](#): > > > [@Smythe Dakota](#): > > > > > [@dennisk](#): > > > > > > Something like “My hair needs cut” or “The car needs washed” makes me want to scream … > > > > Well, please do your screaming somewhere outside of my earshot. When I see a phrase like that on a forum, I immediately hear a thick accent – somebody whose first language is not English, trying mightily to communicate in a new language they are still struggling with. I admire them for their effort. > > I have never heard or seen the phrase in question (or any of its variants) from anyone but native born and bred Americans who have been speaking English all their lives. I am familiar with many of the typical odd grammatical patterns of non-native English speakers (most common is omitting the definite or indefinite article before a noun – which doesn’t bother me at all). My example (from my last post) is not one of them. It is something that has somehow crept into normal American English usage, and I wish it would creep back out. It is stunningly ugly and ungrammatical. The phrase you quote may be a regionalism. I have never heard of it. And the reason many foreign born English speakers tend to omit articles is because many of the world’s languages don’t have them. English is in the minority in having articles. Using them is one of the hardest things to master for those who didn’t grow up with them. ---
**Author:** ![Allen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@Allen](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Allen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/35 "2021-10-09T14:49:21Z")
When the discussion devolves to this level of banality, it rather demonstrates the uselessness of the whole project. One can endless tweak. One can attempt to define and explain every circumstance. That adds little to nothing to the utility of the project. At some point one must say “good enough - ship it”. That point passed long ago. Fortunately for US Chess leadership understands that. Frankly so do most of the delegates. Even if any of these suggestions had value, which is debatable, there are other things far more critical to US Chess for the team to be doing than endless nattering about minutia. As Alex correctly concluded, I believe such not just a waste of time but harmful if it causes misplaced priorities. ---
**Author:** ![timjust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/timjust/32/44_2.png) [@timjust](https://forum.uschess.org/u/timjust)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/36 "2021-10-09T15:31:13Z")
> [@Allen](#): > > When the discussion devolves to this level of banality, it rather demonstrates the uselessness of the whole project. > > One can endless tweak. One can attempt to define and explain every circumstance. That adds little to nothing to the utility of the project. At some point one must say “good enough - ship it”. That point passed long ago. Fortunately for US Chess leadership understands that. Frankly so do most of the delegates. > > Even if any of these suggestions had value, which is debatable, there are other things far more critical to US Chess for the team to be doing than endless nattering about minutia. As Alex correctly concluded, I believe such not just a waste of time but harmful if it causes misplaced priorities. +1 ---
**Author:** ![nolan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/nolan/32/174_2.png) [@nolan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/nolan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/37 "2021-10-09T16:41:19Z")
I don’t think it is worth the time to go through the rulebook making sure the grammar is perfect, but if something is being revised because the rule or tip is changing or being clarified, it is worthwhile to make sure it is well-written. Good writing is always better than bad writing. ---
**Author:** ![Smythe\_Dakota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smythe\_Dakota](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Smythe_Dakota)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/38 "2021-10-09T18:47:47Z")
> [@scottrparker](#): > > … the reason many foreign born English speakers tend to omit articles is because many of the world’s languages don’t have them. English is in the minority in having articles. … That’s not the whole story. Many languages (I think both Spanish and German are in this category) have articles, but don’t use them in every situation where English typically uses them. Identification phrases are often good examples. You are more likely to hear “Carmelita es doctora” than “Carmelita es una doctora”. President Kennedy was inadequately advised when he went to Germany and told everybody “Ich bin ein Berliner.” True Germans would probably just say “Ich bin Berliner.” Bill Smythe ---
**Author:** ![wintdoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wintdoan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/wintdoan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/39 "2021-10-09T19:33:23Z")
> [@Smythe Dakota](#): > > > [@scottrparker](#): > > > > … the reason many foreign born English speakers tend to omit articles is because many of the world’s languages don’t have them. English is in the minority in having articles. … > > That’s not the whole story. Many languages (I think both Spanish and German are in this category) have articles, but don’t use them in every situation where English typically uses them. Identification phrases are often good examples. You are more likely to hear “Carmelita es doctora” than “Carmelita es una doctora”. > > President Kennedy was inadequately advised when he went to Germany and told everybody “Ich bin ein Berliner.” True Germans would probably just say “Ich bin Berliner.” > > Bill Smythe “Ich bin ein Berliner” means “I am a jelly donut”. ---
**Author:** ![Smythe\_Dakota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smythe\_Dakota](https://forum.uschess.org/u/Smythe_Dakota)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729/40 "2021-10-09T20:00:39Z")
Would “Ich ben Berliner” mean “I am jelly donut”? Bill Smythe [Previous page](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.uschess.org/t/improving-some-td-tips-in-the-us-chess-rulebook/24729.md?page=3)