Without looking up FIDE rules, the USCF states that black pick the side the clock goes on. I hope that wasn't too far afield to be useful.
I imagine that someday there will be no need to manually record the game...so there goes the scoresheet rules. In the meantime it's a combination of tradition and the need to help resolve disputes.
Is there a FIDE rule for where the clock should be placed?
I mean if a lefty is playing a righty, then there is a mutually convenient place. But if both are righty, then one player is inconvenienced..especially in rapid/blitz games. Is it like white chooses?
Also, why not have these arbiters or someone else bang the clock everytime someone moves? These guys loiter around the whole game with nothing to do anyways. While we are at it, they should be filling the scoresheets also.
Just like we have ball-boys in tennis, so that the players can solely focus on playing the game, ......
Any GMs/WGMs here want to comment on it?