Tourney director etiquette

Is it bad etiquette for a chess director at a rated play event to give a player a bye and pair themself to play a game?

Did this happen in some club game of yours or something, or is this just a hypothetical?

Usually a Tournament Director (TD) is not a player AND director in the same event they host. However, if they do play and host, the bye is typically given to the lowest rated player (or chosen at random) and a bye is a full point (equal to if that person won their game in round 1).

At my local chess club, our TD is also a chess player, but they are a TD first and typically only play if there is an odd number of entrants and them joining would make it even so no one has to sit out (if entrants were equal, they just sit out).

I am probably the lowest rated player but I had just lost the first game which I played the Director in training who was running the event and doing the pairings. On the next round a new player joined so there was now an odd number. So the Director in training gave me a bye but he played in the second round. I wasn't sure if this was because I was the lowest rated after round 1 or if it was inappropriate for him to play and give me a bye. This was rated game not a tourney. I would still think that he should have not played in this situation, however I am new to chess and need feedback if this was wrong or if I am just not understanding something.

If the player who has a bye wishes to get a game, it is not bad etiquette. I would assume the player with a bye was informed. I have seen this happen.

I spoke with an expert about this and there is no rule that a tourney director who is also playing has to sit out if there is an odd number of players however from an ettiquette standpoint the TD should probably remove their name before the pairings if there is an odd number to let someone else play since they came to the event to play.

He just told me I had a bye. Like I said I am somewhat new to rated chess tourneys and didn't know I had the option to ask to play someone.

I play with another group and the TD will sit out if their is an odd number of players and if he has to give a bye he offers to play them or to take a bye. I thought that was just a courtesy thing on his part. I was told that a TD is allowed to play as long as he can still fulfill their role.

If there was a restriction against TDs playing, in some areas, there wouldn't be events. My personal stance is to only play if there's an odd number of players in a round, but it's not bad etiquette if I decided not to do that.

I  think the same thing that happened to you once happened to me, too. I was a beginner, just improved enough to get in at the bottom of the next grading band up, which in our terms would have been the Minor tournament and I'd just moved up out of the Novices. I can remember not being all that happy about it because it deprived me of playing experience. It would have been nearly 35 years ago and the T.D. was playing, although here (the U.K.) the T.D is not usually an arbiter. I ended up with about two or two and a half out of five including the bye, so I had a bad tournament. I think it only happened once to me, because next year, I was near the top of the Intermediate section and the year after, comfortably into the Major. There isn't much you can do about it. You can always ask about procedures beforehand, when you're deciding whether to enter.

Yes, and unfortunately, it happens all the time. Moderators say it's "just part of the site". 

People have had an issue with this for years.

The Op was talking about OTB play, not on site. But there's also no reason for a TD/admin not to play in events on site.

Some TDs play, some don't. When I directed a few events I wasn't interested in playing, but I would play a single round if there were an odd number or in other special circumstances.

If the TD is planning to play every round, then they're just a normal player, and unfortunately sometimes people have to take a bye. Of course forced byes can also happen when the TD isn't playing. I can understand if you're frustrated at the situation, but I don't think you should take it personally.

I see what you mean, but particularly in small events there's not a lot to do. If the TD is not playing, they're mostly sitting around all day. It makes sense if the TD "came to play" as well.

TDs are volunteers who help the community keep running. I can't really imagine that this person wanted you to have a bad experience.

I knew a td that ran a club and he'd just pair himself with whoever he felt like playing.  Or sometimes he'd pair 2 players he wanted to see play each other. I won't give names or places so don't ask. Hahaha.