Hart House Winter Open 2013

[Kevin Me]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Why not have players wind the clock backwards 30s for their opponent after every move?

[Jonathan Yu]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Are you trying to put digital clock retailers out of business? I think it might be better to add 1 minute every 2 moves to reduce human error.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

many players bring their own clock and since a significant portion of those clocks are not digital, it would be hard to force them otherwise.

What would you enforce if one player has a digital clock and other has a mechanical one? Could be a big fight :D


Meanwhile convert a flyer to PDF. Thnx.

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

What would you enforce if one player has a digital clock and other has a mechanical one? Could be a big fight :D


Meanwhile convert a flyer to PDF. Thnx.

I believe black has the choice of clocks and pieces.

[Alex Ferreira]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Egis, I'll see about the PDF.

Zeljko, that is simply not true. Black does not get any such choice. This is a misconception most people in Canada seem to have. The arbiter / organizer decides where the clocks are placed and what the standards are for what pieces may be used.
And I can see where it comes from. Many organizers set up the boards in such a way that the clock will be on black's right side, in plain view of the arbiter. If an arbiter announces "black chooses side of clock" then so be it, but there's no such rule about it.

Alex Ferreira

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

I believe black has the choice of clocks and pieces.

EDIT : Please see Alex's post just above mine. He beat me to the key point I cover below.

If I may suggest, this tradition that Black has any special choices can no longer be found in the rules. My experience has been that the higher the level of competition, the more the TD decides what is best for the efficient playing of games. For example, per 6.4 :
Before the start of the game the arbiter decides where the chess clock is placed.

I do appreciate all of the boards being set in a predetermined way, with many clocks being viewable with single glances in a direction. As for choice of clocks, I believe most arbiters would choose the digital with increments, over the analog. Quebecers correct me if I am wrong, but I believe in FQE events, the clock must be digital with increments.

Anyway, back to my point of reply, where I would find any reference to Black choices?

Thanks and regards, Aris.

[John Brown]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

I think the problem is that the organizers don't have access to n clocks where n is approximately half the number of participants. To be able to rent the clocks means you need to have them on hand; if they were on hand they could simply be used...

Anyway, chess players are cheap and that proposal would turn into a nightmare of "I rented the clock for the last round - I'm not renting it again" or "why did I rent a clock if my opponent already had one" etc. I've also encountered people who would NOT play with the specific digital clock that we had at our board because "it isn't the same as the one I am used to..." The TD has enough crap to deal with.

Hi Kerry;
The OCA has lots of clocks but you need to know who the go to guy is to get them.
So getting enough clocks is not the problem. It is getting the OCA clocks that is the problem.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

As far as I can see from the FQE web page, the "compulsory incrementation" rule was passed, but it was decided not to enforce it ("to be reconsidered" - from the minutes of the 2011 FQE AGM). No minutes from the 2012 AGM seem to be available. In any case, at the 2012 Quebec Open (280+ players), I saw one analog clock during a couple of rounds. Not sure if all the rest were using increments, but they were all digital.

[George Zhou]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

- Hart House Winter Open -


When: January 4th, 5th, 6th (Fri, Sat, Sun)
Where: Great Hall, Hart House, University of Toronto, Main Floor
Style: 5 round Swiss in 4 sections: Open & U2200 (FIDE Rated), U1900 & U1600
Rounds Times: 6pm Friday, 10am & 4pm Saturday & Sunday
Time Control: 120 mins + 30 sec inc for Open & U2200 sections, 30/90, SD/60 for U1900 & U1600 sections
Byes: Maximum of 2 in rounds 1-4 if requested in advance.

Other Info: No Smoking. No Mobile Phones. Please bring sets and clocks.


More details and pre-registered list can be found at the Hart House Chess Club website: http://hhchess.sa.utoronto.ca/hhopen


See you all there!


Alex Ferreira
Hart House Chess Club

Hi, is that 90 minutes for 30 moves and add 60 minutes after 30 moves, but no increments, even we bring our own digital clock?

usually how many players in U1600, I don't see much pre registered, obviously it is too early to see.

[James Williamson]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Hi, is that 90 minutes for 30 moves and add 60 minutes after 30 moves, but no increments, even we bring our own digital clock?

usually how many players in U1600, I don't see much pre registered, obviously it is too early to see.

If you make thirty moves before your
ninety minutes is up,you will have at least
sixty more minutes to finish your game.
There might be about forty players
in the U1600.This is a great site to play
at.There is a snack room in the basement
and lots of restaurants nearby.Make sure
you bring lots of change for the snack
room.

[George Zhou]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

If you make thirty moves before your
ninety minutes is up,you will have at least
sixty more minutes to finish your game.
There might be about forty players
in the U1600.This is a great site to play
at.There is a snack room in the basement
and lots of restaurants nearby.Make sure
you bring lots of change for the snack
room.

thanks, sounds good. just concern about last round 4pm Sunday, it will be too late to travel back home (4hours)

[Alan Tomalty]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Looks like Ontario is in the stone age compared to Quebec as regards digital clocks. However the decision in Quebec not to enforce the use of digital clocks after passing a rule that mandates them, is laughable. Are we all living in the land of OZ? As the NFL TV broadcasts say "Come on Man". I am disgusted with the logic in previous posts.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Looks like Ontario is in the stone age

Honestly, I have not seen a better clock than Garde Mechanical. I miss a sound of a ticking clock too :D

[Felix Dumont]

Re : Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

Looks like Ontario is in the stone age compared to Quebec as regards digital clocks. However the decision in Quebec not to enforce the use of digital clocks after passing a rule that mandates them, is laughable. Are we all living in the land of OZ? As the NFL TV broadcasts say "Come on Man". I am disgusted with the logic in previous posts.

Many chess clubs complained about the new rule, even though they had a year to get digital clocks, so this is probably why the FQE decided not to enforce it. It was discussed in an AGM.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Hart House Winter Open 2013

What would you enforce if one player has a digital clock and other has a mechanical one? Could be a big fight :D

I always preferred to bang my opponents clock after every move rather than have him bang mine. :)