Harshness and cruelty - even with good intentions - bring rebellion along with more harshness and cruelty.

The second incidence of harshness and cruelty is however, often directed at the author of the first incident(s) of harshness and cruelty.

(Get my drift?  FIDE officials may find themselves fined $10,000 for being late, any mistakes, etc. Because "two can play the game.") 

Start the clock.  For every 15 minutes, remove one of the offenders pieces. 

A professional event...yes, we need to act professionally- be on time. Fines and forfeitures are a non-issue, if we fulfill our part of the contract. We can debate if the amount of the fine is too high etc. or when forfeiture occures...30 mins after? But, we must put rules and regulations in place, otherwise it will be like "the wild wild west".

STUPZER

STUFIDE.

The idea of a fine is a bit too harsh. Forfeiting a game is more reasonable if there are no extenuating circumstances. After all, being tardy is being disrespectful to your opponent.

However, there should be a reasonable waiting period say 30 min before the game is called (tardy player's clock ought to be running).

wheres my money?

Those who say "just show up on time" and babble about other sports and professionalism are indeed blaming the victim for the sake of their own self-righteousness.  If we have lessons to learn from other sports it is how bloated bureaucracies grow away from their roots. Another example of such foolishness was that Susan Polgar and Paul Truong were forcibly expelled from the US Chess Federation recently...and action without precedence including Fisher's departure from their rolls.

I always bring reading material wherever I go (a non-chess book to chess games, of course...).  So if my opponent doesn't show up I can always entertain myself.  It's also handy if someone wants to play on for a couple of hours when they're a rook or more down and you're bored out of your mind...

huh... so, be on time..

FIDE has a poor reputation because it's earned that reputation.  It is overly politicized and bureaucracised chess for decades.  Fees are out of the question.  FIDE isn't a collection agency.  They don't operate to collect fees from "lawbreakers" like police and courtrooms largely do. Who does FIDE think they are?

Start the clock and watch your opponent's time go down until he/she comes back.  If it bothers players so much to sit at an empty table, then THEY should get up and take a little walk around.

It's all rediculous... I'd really like to see chess players stage a demonstration over this... something like... Both players are at the board on time, black starts the clock, white makes his forst move, pushes the clock, gets up and leaves.... black then makes the move and leaves also... 5 minutes prior to flag fall, white comes, playes his move, pushes the clock and leaves again.... 5 minutes prior to flag of black, they meet ant the board and agree a draw.... Would that get FIDE thinking???

Is it just me or do a lot of ppl have their hate on for FIDE?? Perhaps its because of the way the journalists report on them.  For some reason i always get the feeling that FIDE is the big bad wolf.

Maybe its some of the author's prejudice leaking through the seams of their articles and rubbing off on me. Call me crazy but thats what i think.

Easy solution: START THE CLOCK

Think about the opponent sitting there for one or two hours because some player does not show up and does not take the time to call.

If you're a professional you should show up on time. In any other sport, if you show up late, you're forfeited. Usually after a grace period though. Not sure why the board member wanted to set a fine, but there must be some abuse otherwise, he/she would not have brought it up.

The forfit rule is silly;  the fine idea is completely rediculous.  Hou Yiffan forfited a game earlier this year even though (1) she was in the room and (2) had already filled out her score sheet.  She just happened to be on the other side of the room when the witching hour arrived.  What purpose does something like that serve?  It certainly doesn't give chess or FIDE any credibility at all.

Ok, I'm talking about professional events, you know, the big ones?

The fine will not stop someone from being late.  Plane trips canceled by storms, accidents, .......having to good a time with the locals.....flip a coin and see where it lands. lol

Sponsors of the player will probably pick up the tab.

What's going on babe? Is it a joke?