Ever encounter a rude chess player? I've heard some wild stories, but I find that 99% of chess players I meet in tournaments are very nice and professional. I've never had anyone try to cheat, such as letting go of a piece and then quickly grabbing it again, claiming they never let it go (as Kasparov did in his first encounter with Judit Polgar at Linares 1994).
Most Common Disturbance
Two players start analyzing a game after finishing in the tournament room while others are still playing. They usually talk softly, but it disturbs everyone until someone finally SSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!'s them.
Most Amusing Disturbance
A young teenage girl had apparently finished her game early and was playing "step on the other person's foot" and giggling with her friend, ten feet from my board. I looked up and politely said, "Please," and they left.
Most Annoying TD Experience
The TDs for the tournaments I play in are top notch and very professional. I tend to presume they have ultimate authority and abide by whatever decisions they make. When I was 14, my Dad and I played in a tournament (some small club) and my Dad won Top Unrated and a trophy. Only the TD decided to give his friend the trophy, and fed my Dad a bunch of double talk. My Dad threatened to report him to the USCF. He gave my Dad the trophy.
As far as my own personal most annoying TD experience? It was mild. My opponent was 20 minutes late to the game, and when he arrived his father was with him and told me to add the 20 minutes back to his son's clock. I refused. We started playing. A little while later the TD shows up with Dad and tells me to add the 20 minutes. Apparently the father and son had prearranged something with the TD. That's fine -- nothing wrong with that. But the TD should have told me before or at the start of the game what was going on.
Rudest Player
The rudest player I ever encountered (and this is mild compared to some stories I've heard) was two pawns up, but I managed to find a forcing sequence that led to a perpetual check. After repeating the position three times, I made my move, said "Draw?" and pressed my clock. My opponent ignored me. We made a few more moves. Now this was one of my earlier tournament games as an adult, and I should have just stopped the clocks and gotten the TD right then. But I looked up at my opponent, who was way ahead on time, and I said, "Are you going to acknowledge a draw by repetition?" My opponent said, "You'll run out of time before I will." Apparently he was content to repeat the position for hundreds of moves and wait for my flag to fall! I got up (I didn't stop the clocks, which I should have, but I had plenty of time for what I was about to do) and got the TD. The TD took one look at the position and said it was a draw. My opponent stormed out of the tournament room.
3 comments:
There are about 4 or 5 kids at chess club that are quite rude. They regularly talk and goof around when others are playing, come and steal your seat before the pairings are up even if you've set your gear down in a particular spot, and keep acting that way week after week. Part of my thinks they should be banned from coming back, but the other part of me says that they're just kids.
The most common experience I've had was with players who smirk and smile at my every move. Sometimes, even accompanied by slow head shakes. I mean, I know I'm not that good, but please.. why would anyone want to embarass somebody like that?
I must confess. One time I was humming while playing. I did not wanted to be rude to my opponent, it happens while I was focussed on the game. It's my habit to sing the whole day.
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