Let me try to understand things right here.

Elliott Renzies has been allowed into the Reserves tournament after the entry deadline. I am assuming Wallmuller pulled out so Elliott has evened the numbers up, so fair enough, and good luck in the tournament, Elliott.

Last night a similar phone call was made by a young IM asking to play in the Championship. I know for a fact that a player in the Championship was willing to give up his place to let the young IM into the tournament, but this offer was refused.

Where is the consistency in these 2 actions?

Article 5: The completion of the game

c.
The game is drawn upon agreement between the two players during the game. This immediately ends the game. (See Article 9.1)

d.
The game may be drawn if any identical position is about to appear or has appeared on the chessboard at least three times. (See Article 9.2)

Article 9: The drawn game

9.1
a.
The rules of a competition may specify that players cannot agree to a draw, whether in less than a specified number of moves or at all, without the consent of the arbiter.
b.
If the rules of a competition allow a draw agreement the following apply:

1. A player wishing to offer a draw shall do so after having made a move on the chessboard and before stopping his clock and starting the opponent’s clock. An offer at any other time during play is still valid but Article 12.6 must be considered. No conditions can be attached to the offer. In both cases the offer cannot be withdrawn and remains valid until the opponent accepts it, rejects it orally, rejects it by touching a piece with the intention of moving or capturing it, or the game is concluded in some other way.
2. The offer of a draw shall be noted by each player on his scoresheet with a symbol. (See Appendix C.13)
3. A claim of a draw under Article 9.2, 9.3 or 10.2 shall be considered to be an offer of a draw.

9.2The game is drawn upon a correct claim by the player having the move, when the same position, for at least the third time (not necessarily by a repetition of moves):
a.
is about to appear, if he first writes his move on his scoresheet and declares to the arbiter his intention to make this move, or
b.
has just appeared, and the player claiming the draw has the move.

Positions as in (a) and (b) areconsidered the same, if the same player has the move, pieces of the same kind and colour occupy the same squares, and the possible moves of all the pieces of both players are the same.
Positions are not the same if a pawn that could have been captured en passant can no longer be captured in this manner. When a king or a rook is forced to move, it will lose its castling rights, if any, only after it is moved.
9.3

The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by the player having the move, if:
a.
he writes his move on his scoresheet and declares to the arbiter his intention to make this move, which shall result in thelast50 moves having been made by each player without the movement of any pawn and without any capture, or
9.4
If the player touches a piece as in Article 4.3 without having claimed the draw he loses the right to claim, as in Article 9.2 or 9.3, on that move.
9.5
If a player claims a draw as in Article 9.2 or 9.3 he may stop both clocks. (See Article 6.12.b) He is not allowed to withdraw his claim.
a.
If the claim is found to be correct, the game is immediately drawn.
b.
If the claim is found to be incorrect, the arbiter shall add three minutes to the opponent’s remaining thinking time. Then the game shall continue. If the claim was based on an intended move, this move must be made as according to Article 4.

Article 8: The recording of the moves
8.1


In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibily as possible, in the algebraic notation (See Appendix C), on the scoresheet prescribed for the competition.


It is forbidden to write the moves in advance, unless the player is claiming a draw according to Article 9.2, or 9.3 or adjourning a game according to the Guidelines of Adjourned Games point 1.a.


A player may reply to his opponent’s move before recording it, if he so wishes. He must record his previous move before making another.


Both players must record the offer of a draw on the scoresheet. (See Appendix C.13)

Why not post the score of the game in PGN format. Ten we can al se whether there was a three fold repetition.

Furthermore, Is it true that Roger Beattie turned up 45 minutes late for his game against you?

cheers,

With due respect, I played the last move, not my opponent. Therefore I do not see how my opponent can claim three fold repetition in the manner described.

If we remember that my opponent did not notify the arbiter.

So basically we have a situation where the arbiter has overided the rules of the game.

We then have a dispute committee that then upholds the ruling of the arbiter.

The dispute committee consists of Malcolm Pyke, David Hacche and James Morris. In my opinion they have made a gross error. I don't think it is wise decision to select James, simply because he is a minor.

Ivanov - Beaumont

In the position after 63...Qe2+, Nikola Ivanov verbally claimed "draw" (not using the correct procedure)

and the tournament director Leonid Sandler accepted the draw and then stopped and removed the clocks.

At that point Nikola Ivanov and others began some analysis, commenting that White must repeat the position since 64.Kg3 loses. Nikola moved his king to this position to examine the consequences.

At this point, David Beaumont explained that the correct draw claim procedures had not been followed, and that the move 64.Kg3?? should stand and the game should continue. I as Chief Arbiter disagreed and declared the game drawn.

An appeals committee upheld David Beaumont's appeal, and decided that the game should be continued, from the position where the irregular draw claim occurred, otherwise the draw should stand.

The appeals committee agreed that Nikola Ivanov could not be compelled to play a move made during analysis after the clocks had been stopped and removed.

The players will be asked to continue play from the position after 63...Qe2+ on Tuesday, or accept the draw result.