FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

[Rene Preotu]

http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9404-fide-arbiters-magazine-no-2.html

http://arbiters.fide.com/images/stories/downloads/2016/FIDE_Arbiters_Magazine_No_2_-_February_2016.pdf

Some interesting case studies.

[Gordon Ritchie]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Thanks. Absolutely hilarious reading.:)

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Thanks. Absolutely hilarious reading.:)

I couldn't believe some of the stuff either! ;)

[Pierre Denommee]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Important thing to remember from this issue : it is forbidden to be an arbiter and a player in any FIDE rated event. This restriction already exist for norm tournaments, but it has just been extended to all FIDE rated tournaments. Even if it is not explicitly forbidden, an arbiter who is also a player cannot adequately function as an arbiter. A playing arbiter will miss many obvious things, such as a cell phone on a table or a player failure to record the game. This is not acceptable.

[Rene Preotu]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Thanks. Absolutely hilarious reading.:)

In case you missed it, this is the 1st issue of the Arbiters' Magazine.

http://arbiters.fide.com/images/stories/downloads/2015/FIDE_Arbiters_Magazine_No_1_-_July_2015.pdf

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

thanks for propagating it Rene

[Vlad Rekhson]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

I actually don't see a problem with "cellphone on the table" in small club events. People often come with a cellphone as they come from work and they don't want to leave it in the car because of security reasons or it being too cold outside. In small tournaments the Arbiter doesn't want to collect a bunch of cellphones as then they have to be responsible for them. Leaving it in a bag somewhere is also not possible since not everyone has one, so to me the most logical choice seems to be having the phone left on the table next to the player and make sure that it is off. That way the phone is in clear sight and no cheating can take place with it.

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

I actually don't see a problem with "cellphone on the table" in small club events. People often come with a cellphone as they come from work and they don't want to leave it in the car because of security reasons or it being too cold outside. In small tournaments the Arbiter doesn't want to collect a bunch of cellphones as then they have to be responsible for them. Leaving it in a bag somewhere is also not possible since not everyone has one, so to me the most logical choice seems to be having the phone left on the table next to the player and make sure that it is off. That way the phone is in clear sight and no cheating can take place with it.

Well, the culture surrounding "mobiles" in chess rooms is under a lot of pressure to change. Under current rules, the phone in clear sight in the playing area means forfeit.

[Pierre Denommee]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Well, the culture surrounding "mobiles" in chess rooms is under a lot of pressure to change. Under current rules, the phone in clear sight in the playing area means forfeit.

I am not sure that such pressure exit outside of North America. If you go tot the top 100 players list, you will notice that chess is strong elsewhere. For example, if you go to France, you will find no less then 5 National Leagues which are, in order of decreasing playing strength.

Top 12 one division of 12 teams
National I three divisions of 12 teams
National II 6 divisions of 12 teams
National III 18 divisions of 10 teams
National IV 54 divisions of 8 or 10 teams

National IV is ran by the affiliated Leagues, but all others are ran by the national chess Federation. For a country much smaller then Quebec, the rated chess activity is really much higher. The small region of Alsace has a little more players then the CFC.

Nobody believe that the IIHF should adapt the ice hockey rules to suit the culture of Andorra or Qatar, two counties with no meaningful hockey tradition and no hockey achievement. I have been told that USA would like to see a FIDE "Security Council" on which some nations would have a veto but frankly, in chess, there are many more stronger countries then the US. The US attract strong foreign players, they do not develop them.

It is true that many of us are in love with their phones, almost dependent, but North American culture is likely to be considered insignificant at FIDE level. FIDE serves all countries, not just 2 of them.

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

I am not sure that such pressure exit outside of North America. If you go tot the top 100 players list, you will notice that chess is strong elsewhere. For example, if you go to France, you will find no less then 5 National Leagues which are, in order of decreasing playing strength.

Top 12 one division of 12 teams
National I three divisions of 12 teams
National II 6 divisions of 12 teams
National III 18 divisions of 10 teams
National IV 54 divisions of 8 or 10 teams

National IV is ran by the affiliated Leagues, but all others are ran by the national chess Federation. For a country much smaller then Quebec, the rated chess activity is really much higher. The small region of Alsace has a little more players then the CFC.

Nobody believe that the IIHF should adapt the ice hockey rules to suit the culture of Andorra or Qatar, two counties with no meaningful hockey tradition and no hockey achievement. I have been told that USA would like to see a FIDE "Security Council" on which some nations would have a veto but frankly, in chess, there are many more stronger countries then the US. The US attract strong foreign players, they do not develop them.

It is true that many of us are in love with their phones, almost dependent, but North American culture is likely to be considered insignificant at FIDE level. FIDE serves all countries, not just 2 of them.

I think you might have misunderstood what I was saying. I am in no way aggrandizing or otherwise supporting any type of North American bias. I was definitely coming from the European/World view. The case in the magazine originated from the Czech Republic. I deliberately left out the name of the league-arbiter-player, as the incident is, or at least should be, instrumental for all arbiters to be on the same page. That's what I was trying to do in my reply to Vlad. Anyway, I'm not really sure that this post replies to what you were trying to communicate to me. If yes, then great, but if not, if you have a related point, I would like to comprehend it, as we get such cases to review every once in a while.

Thank you, and best regards,

Aris Marghetis
ARB Secretary

[Hal Bond]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

I agree with Vlad about cell phones on the table. I do this in my tournaments and when I brought it up with the Anti Cheating Committee in Abu Dhabi, the Chair agreed. In fact I think this is preferable to having your phone stashed in a bag on the floor beside you or in a purse.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

I agree with Vlad about cell phones on the table. I do this in my tournaments and when I brought it up with the Anti Cheating Committee in Abu Dhabi, the Chair agreed. In fact I think this is preferable to having your phone stashed in a bag on the floor beside you or in a purse.

And when you get up to go to the washroom, what happens to your phone?

[Peter McKillop]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

And when you get up to go to the washroom, what happens to your phone?

:) Good point, Kerry. Most would be reluctant to leave their phones in the open and unattended. And I'm sure TDs wouldn't want the extra trouble of looking after phones for people while they go to the bathroom. Maybe 'Depend' diapers will become de rigeur at tournaments.

[Vlad Rekhson]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

:) Good point, Kerry. Most would be reluctant to leave their phones in the open and unattended. And I'm sure TDs wouldn't want the extra trouble of looking after phones for people while they go to the bathroom. Maybe 'Depend' diapers will become de rigeur at tournaments.

That is a good point; however, we have to consider the alternatives especially when people don't have a bag with them. In general, if the cell phone is on a table in our smaller tournaments (say under 30 people) it is not difficult to watch out for it and it would be not so easy for someone to steal it. Again, for those concerned with their cellphones, the best course of action is not to bring them in to the tournament room.

Vlad

[Garland Best]

Re: FIDE Arbiters’ Magazine No 2

Here's a suggestion. Give it to the arbitrator for safekeeping.
Here's a better one. Don't bring your phone into a chess tournament.