Rules of Chess

Having just started module 3 I came across the following comment

"If you have the bad habit to play too quickly, then write down the move you are intending to play on you scoresheet, and then, check again the position and your move for about 1-3 minutes."

In the past I would have done something similar. But on more than one occasion I have been told that to do this is now illegal, as writing down your move before you play it may be deemed distracting to the opponent or something like that. Can anyone clarify?

Thanks in advance.

It's indeed against the rules of chess nowadays to write your move down before playing. It has not so much to do with distracting the opponent but more with getting help. By this i mean that sometimes in the past it happened that one wrote down a move, erased it, put down another move, erased it, ... . With other words a player could write down an entire book were a single move belonged.

I guess Fide also wanted a clean scoresheet instead of a smothered one.

In the USCF it's not allowed, but soem tournaments allow it so they bend the rules somehow. I find it annoying. I think the scholastic players still can do it.

I imagine the rule is to discourage people asking for help via the scoresheet. In other words, you can write down a move when a higher rated friend is walking by your game, and then look for reactions from your friend. If your friend "doesn't like it" then you change your move.

i think is a great idea for on line play. i have had some issues with my play of late. playing to fast and droping pieces.

I agree. But when the computer writes down the moves for me I confess I am likely to take the lazy route!!

Also how about the kids and those monroi score keepers. They get to see the position prior to making the move if they put it in first! LOL

I got warned by an arbitor for doing it in a tournament once.

It was just a routine recapture as well. We only had a few minutes left in an endgame. My opponent took a piece, I wrote down his move, and my automatic recapture move and then took back.

He didn't say anything until the game was over but told me that I shouldn't do that in future.

I didn't know.

I think it is one of those rules that if it is an honest mistake no harm no foul, however, if there is a 'hint' of impropriety you are done for...LOL

Once again it is the bloody scumbag cheats that make it hard for the rest of us.

True

If you are writing the score on paper in a USCF game, it is now legal to write the move before making it. You can't cross the move or erase it and change it on the paper after that first writing, but you can make a different move and then change the writing.

With the electronic score keeping devices, like the Monroi, the player must make the move before recording it.

I do know that FIDE rules are that the move must be made before recording it regardless of whether it is electronic or pen and paper type of score keeping.

I bought something called the eNotate system which is a much cheaper electronic method than the Monroi and still authorized or certified as alright by the USCF. I can tell you that it would be very odd indeed for me to look at the display for analysis because the actual use of the thing is such that all you do is look at the thing when putting the move in.