The rules committee gave the delegates in Indianapolis a rule regarding cell phones going off in the playing room. The rule covers the noise factor, but doesn’t address the issue of texting in the playing room.
CCA has rules regarding cell phone usage in its big tournaments, but for the run of the mill weekend Swiss there don’t seem to be any clear rules. This past Thursday evening one of my opponents, pulled out his phone and started texting. I told him he should not be doing that during the game. He stopped.
After the game we got into a heated debate over the propriety of such actions. Some of the other players were interested in whether there was a rule against it, and if so what was the penalty? I asked Steve if there was a rule against texting in the playing room? He said no. Over the weekend I had asked the same question regarding a spectator who was texting while sitting next to his son’s opponent. Also the answer was no.
In neither case did I think the person sending texts was doing anything unethical, but it just seems wrong. There was clearly no cheating going on in these two incidents, but what about other times? I think it’s a distraction. Why should I have to wonder whether my opponent is telling his wife he’ll pick up bread on his way home, or asking his friend rated 2400 what he should do next? Am I being paranoid?
BTW my opponent was an adult, not some teenage kid who can’t go an hour without texting.
If someone is doing something distracting or disturbing, that would be against the rules and the opponent could complain to the TD about that. While as far as I know there is no rule specifically prohibiting texting, anymore than casual conversation away from the board (assuming it’s not involving the game), I also said that the player should not be texting during the game, as it can appear that he is doing something improper and may be causing a distraction as well. In the National Scholastics, you lose if you text during the game.
20N. Electronic communication devices. Except for medical devices, electronic devices including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, computers, PDA, remote internet access, and two way radios are strictly forbidden to be used in the tournament room. Exempted from these regulations are chess clocks, approved electronic scoresheets and personal wristwatches (without alarm). Noise deadening earphones, noise canceling devices, non-electronic earplugs and music players may be used at the discretion and with permission of the tournament director, as long as such devices do not cause a disturbance to the opponent or players on nearby boards.
Thanks , the rule does prohibit texting (even though I had associated the use of cell phones with simply talking on the cell phone), and I stand corrected. Also thanks for posting the actual language of the new rule changes on your website, as they do not appear to be posted anywhere else currently.
Thanks for the clarification Tim. I couldn’t remember the wording of the rule when the situation occurred. I did not get Steve when it happened.
It was too much like work to get up and go to the other room. (broken ankle)
I wasn’t looking to try to win a lost game on a technicality.
However now that I know the rule, I might be more apt to request TD intervention. If my opponent is a jerk I’m more likely to get the TD. Note to Steve: If I’m paired against the guy and it happens again, be prepared for all heck to breakout when I make a complaint.
BTW, I just noticed that the complete rules update 2003-2010 (including the new rule in this thread) is now posted on the USCF Home page: uschess.org/docs/gov/reports … hanges.pdf.
Barring any other house rules to the contrary, why wouldn’t it be OK? (Sitting next to, not texting.) If it’s a problem for either player they can request TD intervention under 20M1. The TD has authority to require the spectator to move.
It is not “OK” to sit next to your son’s opponent. The distracted player could of course call the TD, but then the distractor also “wins”.
My way out of this dilemma is for a neighboring player to call the TD and complain of being distracted. No emotion whichever way the TD rules. Note it has to be a player that complains, certainly not a parent. In my experience a TD will give great weight to a complaint from someone who is not an opponent. The reasoning is that if a neighboring player is complaining, it is a genuine complaint about a distraction and not an attempt for advantage in the game.
My scholastic days are ancient history, but I still occasionally do this in adult tournaments. Very effective. Chessplayers who value sportsmanship should notice eggregious violations and take action. (I am also known to pick up litter. Not everywhere and always, but if a scenic spot is being ruined, I chip in.)
This was not a scholastic tournament. The dad had asked Steve if it was okay to watch his teenage son play. For a good part of the game he stood near the board on his son’s side. I was getting annoyed with him because he kept leaning on the chair that I had my leg propped up on. I asked him to stop and he moved away from my game.
After the game next to his son’s game was over he sat down at that board. He sat on the same side as the opponent. It was after he sat down that he started texting. I have no idea if his son’s opponent was intimidated by the dad sitting there. She’s a very nice 7th grader, who doesn’t seem like the type to complain.
Parents watching their children playing in regular tournaments can be a challenging situation for the tournament director. They are not the run of the mill spectator. On occasion I’ve had to remind a parent watching his child’s game not to make a face when his kid is moving too fast or is reaching for a piece that he shouldn’t move. I do realize that this is one of those times when a parent can actually watch his kid’s game instead of sitting outside the room at a scholastic tournament. I think a TD would have trouble enforcing a “no parents in the room” rule in a regular tournament where spectators are allowed.
I think it would be appropriate to gently tell the father that it would be best to watch from a distance, so as not to distract or unintentionally give hints to either his son or his son’s opponent. It would be best if such a message came from the TD, obviously, but other nearby players might also talk to him. I think most of the chess parents around here realize that this is normal tournament etiquette.
A bigger problem is that it’s virtually impossible, when a parent can make eye contact with their kid, for a TD to rule out the possibility that the parent is subtly giving advice to the kid, perhaps even inadvertently. I used to coach a kids’ chess team, and while coaches were allowed to watch their players’ games, I always made a point of standing behind my team’s players so as to avoid even an accusation that I was somehow giving advice.
One of the times I had say something to a parent was at the club I run on Monday nights. The father actually sits in a corner away from his son’s board and does crossword puzzles or reads, but often the kid looks at his dad. There was one time when the kid was looking at his dad who grimaced because his son had forgotten to press his clock. I had to remind the dad to not make eye contact with him or use body language that might express something about what’s going on.
Note to Steve: If I’m paired against the guy and it happens again, be prepared for all heck to breakout when I make a complaint.