Mobile phones being used in chess venues

[Bob1]

Hi All,
I'm sure this has been aired previously (I've been absent for a while) - so I'll leave it to a moderator to move this to an existing thread.
Last weekend I played in the (very successful) City of Sydney Rapid with 90 Entries.

I was dismayed by the number of people that - having finished their games - used their phones within the playing arena to text message and even analyse games (one even spoke on the phone for several minutes in the corner).

While I understand the need to allow people to secure their phones on their person as they are expensive assets (not everyone has a bag in which to store the device) - players need to be aware that mobile devices are excluded from the playing arena.
My understanding is that exclusion from the venue for the day is the penalty.

Your thoughts?

BOB

[Kevin Bonham]

A player who has finished their game is a spectator. However:

12.8 Unless authorised by the arbiter, it is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone or any kind of communication device in the playing venue or any contiguous area designated by the arbiter. (my bold)

("Use" includes using silently, for text messaging, analysing their game or whatever.)

There is no specified penalty but arbiters can expel spectators from the playing venue for interfering in a game, and for anything else they want to that is in the best interests of the competition. A commonly used penalty is indeed expulsion for the round/day, but that's typically applied to spectators whose phones ring.

[MichaelBaron]

A player who has finished their game is a spectator. However:

12.8 Unless authorised by the arbiter, it is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone or any kind of communication device in the playing venue or any contiguous area designated by the arbiter. (my bold)

("Use" includes using silently, for text messaging, analysing their game or whatever.)

There is no specified penalty but arbiters can expel spectators from the playing venue for interfering in a game, and for anything else they want to that is in the best interests of the competition. A commonly used penalty is indeed expulsion for the round/day, but that's typically applied to spectators whose phones ring.

At MCC and other clubs, I can not recall anyone asking spectators not to take the phones into the playing hall. Avoiding noise, yes but not to ''keep phones out of the venue''.

[Kevin Bonham]

At MCC and other clubs, I can not recall anyone asking spectators not to take the phones into the playing hall.

I've noticed MCC has what I'd call an isolationist approach to the Laws of Chess in general; eg it seems to use its own curious set of rules for blitz and rapid tournaments. Or at least has done so in the recent past.

[MichaelBaron]

I've noticed MCC has what I'd call an isolationist approach to the Laws of Chess in general; eg it seems to use its own curious set of rules for blitz and rapid tournaments. Or at least has done so in the recent past.

Re spectators not taking phones in: I do not think its just MCC that does not monitor spectators. Of course, if phone o a spectator rings and makes noise, arbiter usually asks him to live the tournament hall.

[antichrist]

What year did rule 12.8 come in please?

[Kevin Bonham]

Posts moved

I moved the watches posts to a new thread as I think it deserves one.

[Kevin Bonham]

What year did rule 12.8 come in please?

Essentially the same wording (one change of an "and" to an "or") has existed since the 2009 Laws. The 2005 Laws had "13.7 b. It is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone in the playing venue and any area designated by the arbiter." The 2001 Laws did not specifically refer to mobile phones.

[antichrist]

Essentially the same wording (one change of an "and" to an "or") has existed since the 2009 Laws. The 2005 Laws had "13.7 b. It is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone in the playing venue and any area designated by the arbiter." The 2001 Laws did not specifically refer to mobile phones.

I was expelled for mobile use in 1995 or 1996, the old brick type. Maybe first case I have no idea.

[Garvinator]

Hi All,
I'm sure this has been aired previously (I've been absent for a while) - so I'll leave it to a moderator to move this to an existing thread.
Last weekend I played in the (very successful) City of Sydney Rapid with 90 Entries.

I was dismayed by the number of people that - having finished their games - used their phones within the playing arena to text message and even analyse games (one even spoke on the phone for several minutes in the corner).

While I understand the need to allow people to secure their phones on their person as they are expensive assets (not everyone has a bag in which to store the device) - players need to be aware that mobile devices are excluded from the playing arena.
My understanding is that exclusion from the venue for the day is the penalty.

Your thoughts?

BOB

This may not be everyone's advice, especially those who have been an arbiter at important events, but my advice is - if you, or any player, has an issue with people on their phones whilst the playing session is still happening ie games remaining in one round, then I think the best advice is to have a quiet word to the arbiter, or Chief Arbiter if there is more than one arbiter and tell them what is occurring, where and when and with whom.

This can be done on the quiet and away from others.

Whilst, according to the rules, arbiters should be on the patrol for these instances, most arbiters take a more practical approach. That being if something is not causing any issues, then they will not go out of their way to possibly create a scene ie don't create trouble when there is none.

But as soon as a player, especially one who is still playing in the round, raises the issue, the arbiters are duty bound to take action. It is important to remember that they are arbiters ie in charge of arbitrating disputes, not creating them unless the rules state so and the arbiters see it for themselves.