Ridiculous new "anti-cheating" rule for the World Open.

People have their electronic devices out all outside the playing area, sitting in the middle of the floor, against walls, anywhere they can find a spot.  It would be very easy to stroll past someone who had a laptop out and see game analysis.  Or your accomplice could used an engine analysis then meet you at one of the pairing sheets and whisper off a couple of moves.  There generally aren't going to be many people there between rounds and no one will think twice if you only do this 2-3 times.

Trying to hide a cellphone in a roll of toilet paper in stall 3 at 2:45 seems much more likely to fail.  You'd be better off pre-analyzing then writing the moves on the wall somewhere.  And you can do that ahead of time anywhere outside of the bathroom.

Heck, a system where you write down analysis on a piece of paper then hand it off to him somewhere would be better than trying to hide a device in a bathroom stall.  THEN you can visit the bathroom stall and flush the evidence when you're done.

I addressed this earlier.  There's no question that this would be an effective anti-cheating rule and you can't make a reasonable argument that it wouldn't deter cheating.

You could argue the restrictiveness of it, but not the effectiveness.  Which has been my point since post #1.  The listed rule is not effective, which makes it just silly and theatrical.

Not if the tournament director is doing their job. Players are not allowed to leave the playing area while their game is in progress.

So a pacemaker is out of the question?

I regularly lose my pacemaker.. just so I can practice for the event.

The "playing area" includes not just the playing hall, but the immediate areas outside the hall like the book shop, bathroom, pairing sheet room, etc.  No one is chained to their chair while their game is in progress.  

People with pacemakers have an unfair advantage over people who have to regulate their heartbeat without assistance. :p

                     When the price falls in the near future, people will cheat using those new Google glasses, and they'll try to convince the TD's they need them to see.

I had the same idea.

                        Jesus Christ, you people are crazy. Future tournaments will require full strip search, body scan, drug test, removal of any prosthetic device, background check, NSA clearance, references. After you win, what's next, impound the board and pieces like NASCAR.    I'm sure he was cheating. He was talking to aliens during the end game.

This is the World Open not some weekend tournament. Of course they will have people watching for the exact reasons you say. I repeat, you cant have this eye on you in the bathroom. 

That's right, so if the tournament director is doing their job, nobody is leaving that area. And no one from outside should be bringing electronic devices into that area. Simple really.

Use a spray instead for the duration of the tournament, and wear double layered socks. Allow one electronic device, you allow them all.

Yeah. I have a foot odor problem too but it's only in one foot you see. So I too have to have an electronic foot odor controlling device but in one shoe only. It causes me to limp kind of odd. I should be allowed to have that with me. It's called the Dr. Scholldini.

TDs generally aren't walking around the bookstore making sure no funny business is going on.

Bad TDs then. Like I said before, if I was running that tournament in Spain that Ivanov was in, he would have been caught red-handed.

One solution is to not include the bookstore as part of the playing area. Rope it off to the tournament players.

The only place players with active games should be allowed to be is in the immediate playing hall or the bathroom.  Why on earth would they be in the bookstore while  their game is in progress?  If they are going to enforce this at the world open, then I can understand why they stated no electronic  devices in the bathrooms since thats the only place you can come into contact with a player who has an active game.

P.S. I'm also assuming that they are referring to the bathroom that is designated to the players who are playing and not the entirety of the hotel, so why are people complaining about not being able to have their phone in the bathroom?  I'm sure the hotel has more than one bathroom.

So how are we supposed to take selfies of our wedding tackle?

The rule isn't that bad honestly. I don't mind following it. In fact, to prevent violations entirely, I usually just leave my phone in my backpack, which is off, while I use the bathroom.

Are there rules against keeping phones in the game hall for FIDE? I'm just curious if I'd be forced to leave my phone with the TD while I have to play the game, than stowed away in my backpack, as mentioned.

He could always try the legal loophole angle. "Look around this room! Do you see a bathtub or a shower? There are no accomodations for bathing, so this isn't a bathroom. The sign on the door doesn't even say "Bathroom". (It invariably says MEN/WOMEN (GENTLEMEN/LADIES) or the stupid silhouettes.)"