USCF OTB Tournaments & cell phones

I've been kicking around the idea of getting back to the occasional OTB tournament.  One potential issue that concerns me, though: I'm on-call pretty much 24/7 for work.  I rotate with a few co-workers for the actual duties of emergency weekend maintenance, so I can somewhat get away... but customers do still call sometimes, and when they do, I have to pick up the phone in relatively short order. 

Are there any prohibitions against the use of cell phones during tournament play?  Am I going to get a bunch of flak from my opponent and/or the TD if I have to step away from the board for 10 minutes to get my on-call coordinated with a customer issue?  I think it would be fun to get back to OTB play, but if I'm facing forfeits for my job responsibilities, no thanks.

If your cell phone rings in a tournament game then you forteit the game or lose half the time on your clock (max 10 minutes) depending on the tourney. However even if you do lose 10 minutes on the clock the second time it rings then you forfeit.

I play OTB. Never heard of this rule in my life... Could you please provide a reference (USCF rulebook)?

Our chess club plays USCF rated games and cell phones are completely ok. Player just needs to excuse his/her self to take/make a call. No problem.

I've even been at a tournament game where a player at an adjacent table actually TOOK a call while seated across from his opponent; mid-game, clocks going, everything. For the record, he did say - quietly and briefly into the phone - "I'll call you back." He hung up immediately.

No issues. No penalties. No anything.

If I were in your shoes, I would talk to TD and let him know your situation. Maybe something does have to be worked out on a case-by-case basis... I have no idea whether this was the case in my reported incident.

I can positively say that I have never heard of a 'forfeit if your phone rings' policy in my life. Maybe some people think it should exist, but to my knowledge it does not.

I believe that our society's technologically advanced state of affairs prevents such a harsh rule. But if that is the rule... Who cares? If I were you, I would risk a forefit loss here and there to be able to play full games the majority of the time. After all, what are you going to win or lose? Rating points??? USCF or not, they are just points.

I keep mine on vibrate, but nobody calls...sniff.  

I could write a program in half an hour that would listen for a text message of a board position in a simple notation format such as FEN, and then reply with Rybka's move.

It's even easier with smartphones.  They make Shredder for the iPhone already, Fritz on windows mobile, and hiarcs on the palm.

Handheld electronic devices, unless explicitly approved (such as the monroi), cannot be allowed to be used in tournament play.

Certainly in tournaments in South Africa, you forfeit the game if your cell rings, or even if you use your phone. Cell phones have to be switched off.

I mean, we can't have your buddy Garry standing behind you sms-ing you moves now, can we?

, Ponomariov will always be remembered for his game against Agrest in the 2003 European Team Championship. I don’t know if it will go down as the Nokia Attack or the Motorola Massacre, but it had the feel of instant karma.

As has already been much reported here and around the web, Ponomariov’s cell phone rang during his game for the Ukrainian team versus Sweden in the Euro Team event being held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He was immediately disqualified by the arbiter Demirev. The tournament rules are quite clear on the matter; the question is whether or not the players had a chance be aware of the rules. (FIDE rules don’t mention this scenario, only that the arbiter has the authority to forfeit a player.) Ponomariov protested and refused to sign his scoresheet. It was an important result because the match then finished tied. The good news is that Agrest was already clearly winning a nice game when the bell tolled for Pono. <edit font>

http://main.uschess.org/content/view/7324/368/

"Cell phones are just one of many disturbances in a modern chess hall. Because they are so omnipresent, penalties for keeping your cell phone on are extremely harsh. In some tournaments, you lose the game immediately. In most USCF tournaments, you lose a chunk of time for the first infraction, and the game for a second. Spectators cannot be penalized for using cell phones, though they might be kicked out of the tournament hall for repeated infractions."

Thank you. I am now a believer!

And for the record, I support this 100%. I also don't think cell phone use is appropriate whatsoever. Just never heard of the specific rule before.

The disruption to other players is pretty minimal, if I keep the phone on silent mode; it's not like the ringer will be going off in the middle of the game.  And while I can certainly see the potential for abuse with SMS or on-board computers, that's really nothing new -- I could just as easily be making phone calls or consulting a computer from my hotel room, without needing any fancy technology.

Anyway, thanks for the info.  Sounds like I should consult with the TD prior to entering an event.

 I dont know about uscf but in fide events players are not allowed to leave the playing area, so this would rule out a player going to their room while their game is in progress. I have been present when players have been forfeited when their cell phone rang..... I even lost a game like this in a tourney I was playing in. I had forgotten to disconnect my phone. Now, I leave the phone in the car or in the room, I dont even take it into the game room with me anymore.

 Little bit harsh don't you think? We all need to make a living and if his job requires him to be on call 24/7 he still should be able to spend what free time he has anyway he wishes including playing in OTB tourn. I know USCF has penalties for having your cell phone ring while games are in progress and i too find it annoying if my opponents phone rings during our game , but if you put your phone on vibate i don't see much of a problem. As for cheating as long as there is competition some one will find a way to cheat

What constitutes a "playing area"?

Top seed Mamedyarov withdraws from Aeroflot Open

"During the game my opponent went out of the playing hall after each move, took his coat and withdrew himself on the toilet."

The "playing area" is named before the tourney begins. It usually consists of the game room, rest rooms provided and a snack bar area , if there is one.

For heaven's sake.... just put the phone on vibrate. I just competed in the Southern Open where they have a very strict cell phone policy.... half your time taken off if your phone rings and if it happens again... you lose the game. Putting it on vibrate and talking to the head TD before the tourny begins should solve your problem.