OTB Tournament First Touch Rule and Etiquette

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SagebrushSea

It's a rated OTB tournament.  It is my opponent's turn.  He intends to castle, but does not notice that I have a piece attacking a square that K must pass through.   He castles.

1.  He picks up his K, moves it first, before touching his R.  He places his K, then moves his R. I point out that he cannot castle.  Then I tell him he must now move his K, because he touched it first.  By the rules, am I correct?  Suppose he simply denies that he touched his K or he ignores me, replaces his pieces, and makes another move.  What are my options?

2.  The same situation.  However, my opponent picks up his R first.  By the rules, after I point out he cannot castle and must now move his R, am I correct?  And, if he ignores me?

I've been wondering what the etiquette is when an opponent violates a rule and it boils down to my word against his.  Can one simply ignore the first touch rule and let play go on?  If there are no supporting witnesses, how does the TD handle the situation?  Suppose the opponent has touched pieces more than once, in situations different than the one above,  and then ignores my claim and simply continues to play?  Suppose he asks me to ignore his action and whines or gets belligerent?

I made an illegal move in a recent tournament, and my opponent pointed it out.  Without thinking or asking if he would ignore the first touch rule, I replaced the piece and played on -- finally moving another piece.  My opponent said nothing; he was wiping me out anyway.  Can a player just waive the rule?  Had he invoked the rule, I would have followed it -- I simply didn't remember it.  If I had recalled the rule, should I have pointed it out and move the touched piece?

SagebrushSea
Optimissed wrote:

You are correct but if he objects then you would have to prove he touched his King or convince him that he should be honest. If he can't move his king at all then there is no penalty except that some tournaments might specify a clock-time penalty.

 <<If I had recalled the rule, should I have pointed it out and move the touched piece?>>

Yes, that is proper etiquette. Not doing so is cheating if you did know the touch move rule.

 

So, and it appears the only practical approach, personal honesty is required to enforce the first touch rule.

I regret not pointing out I'd touched the piece and then moved another.  Although he won, I now feel obliged, should I meet my opponent again, to apologize.

And, should an opponent touch, then deny it, and I lose (or win), it is worth the loss to learn what sort of person the opponent is.  And never voluntarily play with him again.

BonTheCat

Typically, if a player is adjusting his/her piece they say 'j'adoube' or 'I adjust'. In your specific two cases, I would quite frankly be appalled if my opponent, having touched a piece, denied it and tried to move another. My advice to you is to do one of two things: either say 'Touch move' immediately, or note the piece touched on the score sheet for your opponent's next move (even though he's not yet moved it). I take it for granted that my opponent will respect the rules, and therefore say nothing unless the player tries to move another piece.

As for your own example, apologizing to your opponent (if you ever come across him again) is a very nice gesture on your part.