Touch move rule help.

that is an incredibly tough gray area. If the school tournament rules specify that he was out of line, then I would speak directly to the tournament arbiter. At this point, it is probably too late and the best you can is learn carefully the tournament rules of any tournament you get into and ensure that you and your opponent follow them! :)

If your opponent let go of the piece with the intent of making the move, that's final, and you can insist that the move stays as played. However, you need to say so, and say so immediately. Considering that you had enough sportsmanship to not take back a poor move of your own, the least you could expect of your opponent was to return it, but you can't rely on sportsmanship nowadays.

Two moves later or after the game is finished is too late, and I advise you to forget about it now. In the future, don't be too shy, at least not in a tournament, if you care about how well you do (and it sounds like you do). It's not a big deal. Stop the clock and say "You already let go of the piece" in a calm manner, without raising your voice. That should usually do it. Sometimes you'll come across the lowest of the low: People who lie about it and deny it. If someone else in the room has seen it (take a look around and ask), call the arbiter. If you can't prove it, you might want to stop the clock and ask for the arbiter to send someone to be present so your opponent can't do it again.

I know few things more infuriating than losing to poor sportsmen, yet my advice is to get it out of your mind as fast as possible. Again, there's nothing you can do now. Next time, don't be shy. Be assertive. Touch-move isn't optional, it's the rule. You follow it, you expect your opponent to follow it. If they try to reason it away ("Don't be so strict") explain that it doesn't have to do with strict or not - it's the rules, just like the one that bishops move diagonally and rooks move straight. Rules are rules are rules are rules.

Silfir.

+1