Tournament Instructions

[Alan Shore]

I'm running a tournament on the weekend and as well as explaining the rules before play I'd like to post an information sheet on the rules where players can see etc. Wondering if anyone can think of anything else I should be adding.. (it's a lightning tournament). I'm adding prizes too they just haven't been finalised.

Lightning Rules

- 5 mins per side
- Win by checkmate, Win on time and win if your opponent makes an illegal move (Edit: removed taking king).
- Touch piece: tournament rules dictate if you touch a piece, you must move it or if you touch your opponent’s piece and it is legal to capture it, you must do so. If by touching the piece it would be illegal to move it, you may make a different move.

If there is a dispute, immediately stop the clock and call the arbiter who shall settle it. The arbiter’s decision is final.

[skip to my lou]

I missed out on second place in a lightning tournament because I took my opponents king.

[Alan Shore]

I missed out on second place in a lightning tournament because I took my opponents king.

I'm not following.. you were penalised somehow for doing that?

[jenni]

I'm not following.. you were penalised somehow for doing that?

King capture is not allowed - it is an illegal move. Try telling that to our little juniors though. Blitz isn't the same if you can't snatch the other person's king.

[Garvinator]

I(this means you may take your opponent’s king).

im sure ill get corrected if im wrong, but the blitz rules were changed a while ago. It is now illegal under fide rules to capture your opponents king. Basically the correct thing to do is when you notice your opponent has left his/her king in check, they have played an illegal move and you claim the game like you would for any other illegal move. Point out the illegal move and claim the game.

The reason for the rule change i imagine is that with pieces going everywhere with a few seconds remaining, it wouldnt be that difficult to take your opponents king, but you werent actually legally able to do it.

Now all you do is stop the game and point out the illegal move and claim the game.

[skip to my lou]

Yes. It was the final game of the tournament.

I took my opponents king in the endgame and Peter.C said that I am not allowed to do that and declared that I lost because of it.

[Alan Shore]

Well, holy potatoes batman, I had no idea. I think it's a shame, it was a very satisfying thing to take a king. When was this rule changed?

And Jeo that's pretty diabolical.. I reckon if the arbiter didn't make that clear at the beginning of the tournament you still should have been awarded the win. Random rule changes like that have to be announced...

[jenni]

Well, holy potatoes batman, I had no idea. I think it's a shame, it was a very satisfying thing to take a king. When was this rule changed?

And Jeo that's pretty diabolical.. I reckon if the arbiter didn't make that clear at the beginning of the tournament you still should have been awarded the win. Random rule changes like that have to be announced...

Quite some years now - I think this is the 3rd year we've used it in Canberra.

[eclectic]

Quite some years now - I think this is the 3rd year we've used it in Canberra.

next they'll be wanting you take a digital photo of such disputed positions as confirmation ...

but not of course with a camera containing mobile phone



eclectic

[skip to my lou]

Quite some years now - I think this is the 3rd year we've used it in Canberra.

This happened to me about 2 - 3 years ago, I can't remember exactly when, but a long long time ago.

[jay_vee]

King capture is not allowed - it is an illegal move. Try telling that to our little juniors though.

Actually, try finding a rule that forbids capturing the king - there is none. The rules were to be changed a few years ago, but the FIDE rules commission could not agree on the issue. Some thought, capturing the king was a valid way to claim an illegal move, some thought, it was an illegal move itself, and some actually thought, that the game should be declared lost for both players! So there actually is no clear rule on capturing the king in blitz at the moment; even the head of the FIDE rules commission, Geurt Gijssen thinks it is currently required to announce how this will be handled before the tournament (but doesn't say what is to be done, if this is neglected).

btw, he agrees, it should be illegal; personally, I kind of like the "both players should lose" argument, despite the obvious practical difficulties. It teaches players to correctly claim illegal moves, but doesn't reward the opponent for having made an illegal move himself.

[Alan Shore]

Interesting jay vee. Anyway, until I'm absolutely certain I will not announce king captures in my conditions but if it arises I will still award the game to the player capturing the king. I guess that's the beauty of running a tournament, what you say goes

[skip to my lou]

I guess that's the beauty of running a tournament, what you say goes

I bet Matt, peanbrain or arosar will say that you are power hungry.

[Alan Shore]

I bet Matt, peanbrain or arosar will say that you are power hungry.

Haha

It's only because it's a tournament involving a lot of players who have never played a tournament before - for some clocks and touch piece will be new experiences, so I'm really not going to be an ogre when it comes to king taking.

[Garvinator]

Haha

It's only because it's a tournament involving a lot of players who have never played a tournament before - for some clocks and touch piece will be new experiences, so I'm really not going to be an ogre when it comes to king taking.

until the first argument where one players claim he/she wasnt in check.