FIDE arbiters seminar

[Keong Ang]

I wonder if a practice FA exam is available for others to try.

Never seen a practice FA exam paper.
I think each seminar has their own exam paper.
There's already talk about standard exam globally.

The only daunting thing about the FA exam is minimum score of 80% to pass.
Isn't that a distinction score in most academic exams??

[Keong Ang]

Ditto and in particular Melbourne Chess Club youngster Jack Hughes who entered the FIDE Arbiters Seminar knowing that it would take another 6 years until he obtains his title officially

It better be less than 4 years before obtaining FA title.
Compulsory FA exam norm is only valid for a period of 4 years. After that, need to resit the exam.

I was told by a cluey friend overseas that the best preparation for a FIDE Arbiters Seminar, is the profound study of the following before the seminar:

From the relevant website

http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/Re...ssArbiters.pdf

Topics of the Seminars.


My questions:

Why only the Swiss system?
How sound is the rumour that FIDE plans to only accept results of future tournaments arbitered by FIDE arbiters?

Why only Swiss system? Good question!!
Probably because Round Robins make for a very short seminar topic.
Swiss pairings are great to test the candidates skills. Plus Swiss systems are extensively codified by FIDE. Also there are serious consequences for getting the pairings wrong.

<Edit>
The real reason should be in Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters article3.1:
3.1 Thorough knowledge of the Laws of Chess, the FIDE Regulations for chess competitions, the Swiss Pairing Systems.
Candidates would need to prove they know Swiss Pairing Systems thoroughly. The way to do it is through the exam.
<End Edit>

It is already a requirement for the chief arbiter to have IA or FA title before player norms (WIM, WGM, IM, GM) can be earned. Otherwise the IT1 certificate is invalid.

You can just imagine how mad a player can get if a title norm is missed out on due to a "technicality". Players go through a lot of effort and expense to earn a norm, it is particularly painful to then lose an otherwise properly earned norm because the chief arbiter does not have IA or FA title!!

I don't know about whether the arbiter would need to be titled before a tournament is accepted for FIDE rating. Currently, there's no such requirement.

[ER]

If I read your post correctly and have made the correct assumption, I take it Jack is 15.

FA seminar norms only last for four years:

So by the time Jack is 21, his seminar norm from Box Hill will not count as a norm for an FA title application and he will need to re-sit the seminar and exam and pass the exam again.

and

It better be less than 4 years before obtaining FA title.
Compulsory FA exam norm is only valid for a period of 4 years. After that, need to resit the exam.

Thanks guys for this as well as other information provided. Yes, Jack is only 15 but of what I have gathered after discussing things with him, his main goal is to learn things! We joked the other day about the "discrimination" in favour of the players on the expense of arbiters. Like a 13 yo (or even younger) to be able to become a GM whereas for a FIDE arbiter title one needs to be 21. However, Jack has already gained invaluable experience by directing Alegro, Blitz and other tournaments at MCC and combined with his already sound theoretical knowledge (as it was proved by his passing the BHCC seminar exam) obtaining the title would only be an easy step!

[Kerry Stead]

There is a report about the seminar on the FIDE website:
http://www.fide.com/component/conten...a-results.html
It does contain an interesting statement: The lectures were in French language ... though they sounded very much like English to me

The only daunting thing about the FA exam is minimum score of 80% to pass.
Isn't that a distinction score in most academic exams??

It is, but can you imagine if an arbiter only got half their decisions correct?? It would almost defeat the purpose of having an arbiter in the first place!

As for practice exams, Shaun said at the seminar that he hadn't seen anything online, but used some material prepared by Stewart Reuben as the basis for the exam in Melbourne (and that these questions weren't in the public domain either).

As for Jack's age, it is of course possible that FIDE could drop the age limit for qualification in the next few years ... and if it dropped to 18, then he could use this exam result towards a title ... and if not (and he still wanted to pursue the title), I'm sure he could repeat his performance in this test & pass the exam again!

[ER]

The only daunting thing about the FA exam is minimum score of 80% to pass.
Isn't that a distinction score in most academic exams??

Maybe in most arty farty courses!


Of course there are practice exam papers online. You can find a cutie one here:

http://sacaa.wordpress.com/syllabus/

The whole thing makes some interesting reading but if you are in a hurry go straight to

Preparation Exam for CHESS SUPERVISORS-contents


However, I would like to have some clarification re the placement of our existing arbiters in the following categories! I mean which person in which category. Keong Ang don't rush to answer if you are not sure, because (as you might have noticed) Bill Gletsos, does not take any prisoners.

2.1. FIDE and FIDE Arbiters’ Commission recognize the following categories (in order of expertise):

2.1.1. A’ Category (only IA)

2.1.2. B’ Category (only IA)

2.1.3. C’ Category (IA and FA)

2.1.4. D’ Category (IA and FA)

2.2. Arbiters with no activity are classified in the Inactive Arbiters list.

[Keong Ang]

However, I would like to have some clarification re the placement of our existing arbiters in the following categories! I mean which person in which category. Keong Ang don't rush to answer if you are not sure, because (as you might have noticed) Bill Gletsos, does not take any prisoners.

Based on the lists, every titled arbiter in AUS, NZL and PNG are listed as D category. I'm too new to even be listed.

Yes, , I'm still bearing charred patches from Bill Gletsos flames.
Hard to argue with a Jedi...
Just goes to show how much there is to learn.

[Keong Ang]

There is a report about the seminar on the FIDE website:
http://www.fide.com/component/conten...a-results.html
It does contain an interesting statement: The lectures were in French language ... though they sounded very much like English to me


It is, but can you imagine if an arbiter only got half their decisions correct?? It would almost defeat the purpose of having an arbiter in the first place!

As for practice exams, Shaun said at the seminar that he hadn't seen anything online, but used some material prepared by Stewart Reuben as the basis for the exam in Melbourne (and that these questions weren't in the public domain either).

As for Jack's age, it is of course possible that FIDE could drop the age limit for qualification in the next few years ... and if it dropped to 18, then he could use this exam result towards a title ... and if not (and he still wanted to pursue the title), I'm sure he could repeat his performance in this test & pass the exam again!

Congratulations on obtaining your FA exam norm.

I was wondering about the French language bit...

During my FA seminar, it was mentioned that the pass mark should be 100% since 80% means the arbiter would get things wrong a fifth of the time.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure you all learned as much as 10years worth of practical arbitrating in this one FA seminar.

The best thing is that at last I'm no longer the only lonely one in Oceania zone to have passed the FA exam!!
Now, hopefully by January2012 there will be other Kiwis joining me after the Queenstown FA seminar and exam.

[Kevin Bonham]

However, I would like to have some clarification re the placement of our existing arbiters in the following categories!

I vaguely recall we were sent a request to that effect and declined.

[ER]

Actually, thinking about it, it's a rather sensitive matter!

[Kevin Bonham]

Actually, thinking about it, it's a rather sensitive matter!

It certainly is and being able to make an informed judgement on every person on the list (some of them not active at present) would be a very large amount of work.

[Kevin Bonham]

Scott has kindly pointed out to me that the Arbiter classification JaK mentions above is primarily based on the nature and level of the arbiter's recent experience, not (mainly) judgements about how good an arbiter they are, as indicated here:

http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/Re...ssArbiters.pdf

[Keong Ang]

http://www.fide.com/component/conten...d-results.html

Congratulations to Brian Jones for earning the FA exam norm.


Only 3 participants at Queenstown and Brian was the sole participant who successfully passed the exam.
Now he will need to be the chief or deputy chief arbiter of 3 FIDE rated events to earn the rest of the norms to get the FA title. All needing to be done in 4 years before the FA exam norm expires.