Wesley So Forfeited In U.S. Championship Round 9

[Graham Banks]

I am still not even sure the decision was correct at all.
Behind the rules there is a certain intention, of course, they are not random or malicious.
The scoresheet is a document, so yes, we keep it clean and tidy. Good boy.
We dont bring "notes", for example chess books, and "use" them. Yes Agreed.
We don't analyse during the game, for example in a separate room with another chessboard, an engine, whatever.

So now, "that being said", what is the purpose of a rule that says: Don't write anything, anything at all, during the game. A player may want to make a quick note "Call my wife after the unavoidable loss that I'll come home heavily drunken". Or "Come on, you can make it, dont be a pussy". He writes it on another piece of paper, not the scoresheet. He does not wipe his opponents face with this piece of paper. I don't think anybody ever wanted a rule against that. It may simply be a case of bad wording, a wrong or too strong interpretation of the word "use" in
"11.3 During play the players are forbidden to use any notes, sources of information or advice ..."

I agree with you on this.

[menniepals]

I think Akobian knew he would win if only he will complain about it. I don't think it was that of a deal. Wesley wrote only a few words for the game. Some sort of battle cry. But Akobian exactly knew what to do to win.

[menniepals]

Why would you say he lied? At no point he lied about it. Do you have any proof?

[M ANSARI]

I think this could have been handled differently. So did understand that he was not allowed to write anything on the score sheet, but he certainly did not think there would be any problem writing on a separate piece of paper. This would make sense as writing on a score sheet is a document that needs to be presented as proof of moves played while doodling or putting notes on a separate piece of paper that will not be submitted would have absolutely nothing to do with contaminating an official document. He probably deserved another warning telling him that no doodling whatsoever is allowed on any paper or table or even on clothing or body parts (don't ask me why). The warning he got twice was not to write anything on the official score sheet, so if I would be the arbiter I would wryly give him the benefit of the doubt and give him one extra more explicit warning, although you really can't blame the arbiter here or Akopian for that matter. I think everyone loses here, but I would bet this could have been handled differently. I have seen GM's on many occasions write something or doodle or bend the edge of the paper ... hmmmm ... wonder if bending or distorting the paper in some way could be considered as taking notes ??!!

[AdminX]

So now, "that being said", what is the purpose of a rule that says: Don't write anything, anything at all, during the game. A player may want to make a quick note "Call my wife after the unavoidable loss that I'll come home heavily drunken". Or "Come on, you can make it, dont be a pussy". He writes it on another piece of paper, not the scoresheet. He does not wipe his opponents face with this piece of paper. I don't think anybody ever wanted a rule against that. It may simply be a case of bad wording, a wrong or too strong interpretation of the word "use" in
"11.3 During play the players are forbidden to use any notes, sources of information or advice ..."

The purpose is to prevent any kind of cheating.

[AdminX]

I think this could have been handled differently. So did understand that he was not allowed to write anything on the score sheet, but he certainly did not think there would be any problem writing on a separate piece of paper. This would make sense as writing on a score sheet is a document that needs to be presented as proof of moves played while doodling or putting notes on a separate piece of paper that will not be submitted would have absolutely nothing to do with contaminating an official document. He probably deserved another warning telling him that no doodling whatsoever is allowed on any paper or table or even on clothing or body parts (don't ask me why). The warning he got twice was not to write anything on the official score sheet, so if I would be the arbiter I would wryly give him the benefit of the doubt and give him one extra more explicit warning, although you really can't blame the arbiter here or Akopian for that matter. I think everyone loses here, but I would bet this could have been handled differently. I have seen GM's on many occasions write something or doodle or bend the edge of the paper ... hmmmm ... wonder if bending or distorting the paper in some way could be considered as taking notes ??!!

He knew, he had been told this for years. He just was finally outed in this event. Fact is, being that he had been warned many times about this, I think he had to learn it the hard way. I guess the new generation no longer reads books. When I was really active, I even owned a copy of the FIDE Handbook.

[gordonr]

It may simply be a case of bad wording, a wrong or too strong interpretation of the word "use" in
"11.3 During play the players are forbidden to use any notes, sources of information or advice ..."

there was no using of the notes taken

How can you tell?

I sometimes write notes in order to clarify some thoughts in my mind. It's the process of writing the notes that helps me think more clearly.

All this talk of questioning the intention of the rules makes little sense to me. If I take my mobile phone out during a game and check the weather for the next day, is that ok? The rule against mobile phones wasn't to stop people checking the weather. But of course I'm still breaking the rules and I should be penalised, otherwise it becomes impossible to enforce rules in cases where they were intended.

Do you want the arbiter checking the intention of all notes and asking the player if/how they are using the notes? That's unworkable. No notes - it's as simple as that.

[Dann Corbit]

I can't see why an opponent should feel obliged to complain about note taking.
If the arbiter notices it, that's another story. It belongs to the duties of an arbiter.

In other words: chess players play chess, arbiters enforce the rules. No need to share the duties. Would you not find it odd if an arbiter went up to you and asked you to let him make a move for you?

It is the same in all sports so why not in chess?

In other sports you have one at least referee per game. In chess, you don't. For that reason, it is ingrained in the rules the act of calling the TD for several reasons. That is why the etiquette in chess is that you do not try to bend the rules just because there is a chance the TD may not see you. That puts your opponent in the awkward position of having to call the TD. Many chess players push it too far like So, sometimes to irritate your opponent. Once you have been warned, whether that was the intention or not it becomes irrelevant.

Miguel

Considering the contents of his notes, it seems bad sportsmanship to bark about it, according to my opinion.
However, rules are rules, no matter how silly they may seem to me.

If there were something like "Analysis has shown my opponent is weak in the Evans Gambit, so try to goad him into that opening..." or something of that nature, then a complaint would be deserved.

Of course, I know nothing about real Fide chess tournaments, so it is possible that Mr. So's behavior was outrageous. It just seems innocuous to me.

[syzygy]

I am still not even sure the decision was correct at all.
Behind the rules there is a certain intention, of course, they are not random or malicious.
The scoresheet is a document, so yes, we keep it clean and tidy. Good boy.
We dont bring "notes", for example chess books, and "use" them. Yes Agreed.
We don't analyse during the game, for example in a separate room with another chessboard, an engine, whatever.

And we don't bring with us any paper to use as a scratch pad.

So now, "that being said", what is the purpose of a rule that says: Don't write anything, anything at all, during the game.

This has been answered quite a few times already in this thread.

First of all, you have to work out your moves all in your head. You can't use a scratch pad to calculate variations.

Now, why is not allowed to write a note completely unrelated to the game? That has an easy answer: your opponent cannot easily know what you are writing. So he will quickly get suspicious, which is distracting to him. And he will have to notify the arbiter, who will then have to check your writing. A great disturbance to everybody. And the arbiter might not even be able to read your notes, because he might not speak the language you have used. And you might be using some secret code that the arbiter cannot decipher. Etc. etc.

Allowing a player to take notes unrelated to the game will be a complete mess. So there is a simple rule: it is not allowed. Very easy to understand and very easy to comply with.

Anyway, whatever you may think of the rule, the rule is part of the laws of the game. If a player breaks the rule, he breaks the rule, whether you personally think the rule is good or not.

[syzygy]

I think this could have been handled differently. So did understand that he was not allowed to write anything on the score sheet, but he certainly did not think there would be any problem writing on a separate piece of paper. This would make sense as writing on a score sheet is a document that needs to be presented as proof of moves played while doodling or putting notes on a separate piece of paper that will not be submitted would have absolutely nothing to do with contaminating an official document. He probably deserved another warning telling him that no doodling whatsoever is allowed on any paper or table or even on clothing or body parts (don't ask me why).

He thought he had found a cunning trick to circumvent the rule. In such a case, the only wise thing to do is ask the arbiter first.