In many novice sections, whether regular tournaments (adults
included), or scholastic (kids only), quite a few of the players enter (unfortunately) with little clue about different checkmate
patterns, basic rules, esp, where castling is concerned, etc.
An adult once sent me a student of their first win. Very elated
she was. Unfortunately, her key move of the game was a
queen-side castle out of checkmate!!
Chess popularity is growing by leaps and bounds–it is hard to refute this. And with it, the demand for teachers and coaches
is exploding. Into this void by demand are many low level
intermediate and novice (in terms of experience and playing
abilty) coaches. And from students at their classes I have learned much, such as castling is not allowed if the king
has ever been in check, even if the check was simply blocked.
That if player A checks black playing B three times, (certainly
not in this case 3 position repetition) player A has “earned” a
draw. That at any time, based upon having more pieces left,
or more points left, that a player can be declared the “winner”.
And many of these coaches have grown up with the “right” to
touch either the king or rook first.
The point is, if I may, is this-- we as teachers, coaches and
tournament directors already have much to overcome–thus,
what does adding to this really help?
Note that you are always allowed to press your clock after you move. Sometimes this hurts the fast movers in the following sequence:
Fast-mover moves
Fast-mover presses clock
You move
You start reaching to press the clock
Fast-mover moves
Fast-mover presses clock (erroneously doing so before your have completed your move)
You complete your clock press and thus your move
The fast-mover’s clock is still running with a determined but not yet completed move while you are considering your response to that determined move.
That is why the example above said “Once you press the clock they are ready to press it right back.” The experienced blitzer will wait until the clock press that has to be allowed before pressing the clock in response. The inexperienced blitzer may end up complaining about the opponent’s clock press because the blitzer is trying (erroneously) to prevent such a press.
The TD does have discretion if the variation is announced and/or posted.
I anticipate 2015 to have many such announcements.
The Chicago Industrial Chess League (not USCF rated) uses USCF rules as the default, so before the start of its Sept-May season we’ll address how we want to handle castling as of 1/1/2015 (there probably aren’t many events that span the implementation date, but addressing it prior to the first round seems the safest way of handling it). If there are any appeals for events with rounds in both 2014 and 2015 I’d figure that a good case can be made that the rules in effect at the start of the event are the rules for the event, but a pre-round-one announcement makes things clear.
The more fixated USCF becomes in how things should and must be done, it seems the
greater the possibility that established groups such as the one you mentioned, may not
ever even consider USCF. If really, our mission is to reach out, is this the way to do it??