Greetings,
I’ve always had a hands off approach interfering with games unless called upon by a player.
The following happened at an event I was directing within the last year. (I don’t want to be too specific). In a very tense endgame situation with a higher-rated player vs. a lower-rated player (400 points difference), the higher of the two was in some real time pressure. I watched as he proceeded to adjust a piece during his opponent’s move. His opponent was obviously in deep concentration. The first time he did so, the piece could have used adjusting. He did not say “I adjust.”
I continued to watch, and the higher rated player adjusted twice more during the same move (pieces which looked fine to me). Again, he did not say, “I adjust.” His opponent did not seem phased by it at all, nor did he complain. Rightly or wrongly, I got the distinct impression that the “adjustor” was intentionally trying to distract his opponent.
I was hoping the lower-rated player would complain, but he did not. I did not intervene. Under 21.D3, should I have at least warned the “adjustor” that his actions might be distracting and were not correct? I think such a warning might have created even more of a distraction for the lower-rated player, who didn’t seem bothered. Also, my impression that the “adjustor” intended to distract his opponent could have been inaccurate.
My gut still tells me that non intervention was the most prudent course, but I would like to see what others think about it.
William “Tom” Hales, Senior TD