Best Served Cold
So who was it that left Nigel hanging on the telephone? Is it out of the question, I wonder, that Nosher's mystery caller was Doris Stokes passing on a message from Tony Miles?
0-1
Short v Arakhamia-Grant, 10/09/08
said T.C. as he pointed me in the direction of the EU Chess Championships live feed and the final position of Nosher's game against Arakhamia-Grant. I couldn't but agree ... until EJH suggested I read John Moore's post on the English Chess Forum:-"That Short result can't be right . . ."
Round 2 breaking news - those who think that the result of the live Game Short- Arakhamia is a misprint and that it was agreed drawn are wrong. Nigel's phone rang - default 0-1.
So who was it that left Nigel hanging on the telephone? Is it out of the question, I wonder, that Nosher's mystery caller was Doris Stokes passing on a message from Tony Miles?
18 comments:
Apparently so, as Nigel's claim is that it wasn't the ringtone, it was the "battery low" signal.
No doubt we shall read all about it on Chessbase soon.
EJH: "Apparently... Nigel's claim is that it was a battery low signal".
The relevant law of chess - article 12.2(b) - states:
"It is strictly forbidden to bring mobile phones or other electronic means of communication, not authorised by the arbiter, into the playing venue. If a player's mobile rings in the playing venue during play, that player shall lose the game. The score of the opponent shall be determined by the arbiter."
So, if Nigel's phone didn't ring, was he authorised to bring it into the playing venue? If yes, why? If no, then is a forfeit an appropriate penalty? Also, doesn't Nigel know the rules?
Angus
So, if Nigel's phone didn't ring, was he authorised to bring it into the playing venue?
Well, it's one of the most flouted laws in the game by ordinary players, for the good reason that leaving one's phone outside the venue, in most circumstances, would mean "getting it nicked". This may be a top-class professional tournament, but on the other hand it's an Open, not a closed tournament with just a handful of players, and I can see that it's possible they don't have the facilities to allow players to leave their mobiles somewhere secure at the venue.
I wonder what happens at Bilbao though?
Normally, at the start of a tournament, the arbiter will remind everyone to switch their mobile phones off. This is usually treated as de facto authorization for the things to be brought into the tournament hall in the first place.
Quite so. I always check mine when the arbiter says this, even though I've usually done so some time before. (A few years working as a professional librarian does tend to help in this respect.)
My money is on the Doris Stokes theory. I was present when Tony beat Nigel at the British Championships in Torquay (1998) and I can't remember witnessing a similar occurrence of spontaneous applause and cheering by the spectators during a session of the British Championship.
Still, full marks to Nige for taking his medicine without complaint.
I can't remember witnessing a similar occurrence of spontaneous applause and cheering by the spectators during a session of the British Championship
Maybe they thought "thank God, we can all leave Torquay now"?
The worrying feature is that it might now not be enough to just "switch off" the phone. If that just sets it to standby ("sleep" mode), then there's a problem if it wakes up when someone sends a text or when the battery runs down. You need a consumer guide which tells you whether you need to remove the battery to ensure it won't beep, squawk or do anything embarrassing when you don't want it too.
RdC
I was rather surprised the other day to find my alarm sounding when the phone was actually turned off...
EJH:
No doubt we shall read all about it on Chessbase soon.
Not yet but the vibers are already there.
I'm fascinated to hear that Nosher was reading a book about Castro. Perhaps we'll get him as member of Red Star Streatham yet.
Does the Nokia emit its ringtone when its battery is low?
No but it does beep. Well mine does anyway. Not when it's switched off though (again - based on a research sample of 1 phone)
Nosher's phone was possessed I'm telling you.
Full marks to Nigel Short. No complaints just that was that and he walked away. I know, I was there.
David Bentley.
Up to a point, David, but had he chosen to complain, what would have been the grounds for his complaint?
There would have been no grounds, as a rueful Nigel knew. Nor was there a 'claim' from an embarrassed Keti. She didn't want to win that way, but has no say in the matter. She did say: "But I saw you turn it off!"
Nigel over dinner last night was pretty relaxed about it. Just one of those things. Thomas Luther felt the rule is too harsh. The rest of us felt it was unavoidably harsh. Indeed I clarified with Manuel Weeks, our TD, if my undestanding of the basis for the rule is correct. Apparently it is in every respect. Read my tournament 'blog' for the relevant explanation if you need to...
http://www.atticuschess.org.uk/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=423
As for banning mobile phones from the playing venue, this might happen in Bilbao currently where the games take place in a specially created 'fish-tank'. But we don't have the means to remove and store peoples' property in any sensible or practical way. In fact I don't believe the players think that is remotely necessary. Nor do we electronically screen them for bugging devices. If that ever becomes established practice, we may as well give up on organised tournaments because all trust will have disappeared from the game.
So Nigel did the right thing. A pained shrug, sign the scoresheet, and reflect ruefully over a cup of coffee.
David
Atticus CC
I think that's right, but given the inclusion of the requirement in the FIDE rules (and the fact that the fishtank is pretty new) I wondered whether in closed grandmaster tournaments there was a practice of asking the players to leave their mobiles elsewhere.
I wondered whether in closed grandmaster tournaments there was a practice of asking the players to leave their mobiles elsewhere.
At the recent Staunton Memorial players were required to leave their mobile phones on the arbiters table.
EJH:
No doubt we shall read all about it on Chessbase soon.
Now we can.
Chessbase have also just got to the Chess Boxing event we covered almost a month ago. I wonder if Speedy Malc has got involved there.
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