Author: Stephen A. Boak
Date: 17:23:40 10/08/99
Go up one level in this thread
On October 08, 1999 at 05:14:53, Charles Unruh wrote: >The game is simply rated because the player AGREED(by actually playing)to the >unfair and uneven situation. I tried to avoid the word unfair. What is unfair? The published rules in effect indicate that if you are late for a round that you must bear the burden of elapsed time. You bear the burden whether you forfeit by a no-show (lose a point in the tournament), or whether you play under the uneven time conditions after you arrive late (may more likely lose a point in the tournament than if you showed up timely). The former situation is not rated, the latter situation is rated--each according to published rules equally applicable to all players. I assume the chance of being late is purely random (car problems, accident on the way, medical emergencies, etc); however, the fact (as one example) that I might live farther away than my opponent, and therefore have more liklihood of traffic problems, etc, on the way, does not make the rules any more unfair for me than my opponent. Further it's never at a blitz pace because a >player is forfeited after 30 minutes on his clock have passed. So even if it was >just the short time control of game in 60, the player would still have 30 >minutes which is still rated as a standard time control by the USCF. As far as I know, the waiting time for a forfeit due to no-show is 1 hour for USCF. I don't know if that is shorter under any circumstances (example, for Game in 1 Hr time control tournaments--in which you might show up 55 min late and have to play the entire game in 5 minutes, or lose on time!). >It is different in kind because the player did not agree in this circumstance to >play in the unfair curcumstance. You could actually show up at the tournament >see 29 minutes off your clock, and by making no move have the game forfieted and >no rating adjustment would occur under USCF or international FIDE rules. If you show up and refuse to play, is that not your choice? If you are a bit late, and refuse to show or do show but refuse to play despite a small elapsed time unevenness, is that not your choice (at times)? If you are a procrastinator and start too late to get to the playing hall on time, is that not your choice? If so, should it be unfair to be: 1)expected to play anyway, despite the uneven times? 2)be rated, even if you don't show or start play at all? If a chess system (let's say Canadian) placed a rating penalty even for no-play situations, would that be unfair? If the Canadian rating penalty is to encourage valid entrants to show up timely and to complete (play) their properly paired rounds, I find it acceptable. I have many times paid big dollars to enter a major tournament, only to have my opponents (who were not doing too well in total score--generally just like me in the same score and pairings group) fail to show for final rounds. I look at it like this--I paid (sometimes) $30 per round ave for the privilege and enjoyment of playing in a major tournament, topped often by significant additional travel and hotel expenses. I play for the satisfaction of playing in a competition, the chance to win a game with some beautiful planning and move calculations, even if I cannot win a prize. In a situation when I am not in a position to get a prize, I still very much dislike waiting an hour (without courtesy notice, given to the Directors to the final pairings, by opponents who are anxious to get out of town after not performing too well), not getting even the satisfaction of actually playing another competitive game (which I paid in advance for!) with a chance to improve my rating. Of course I don't feel this way when a true emergency (example, medical) keeps an opponent away and unable to notify a Director in advance of inability to play. That might happen to me someday. I'm not arguing with you, Charles, just making some points on the topic and sharing my opinions. --Steve
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