“My opponent and I both have a clock, which one do we use?”

Situation: Sarah and Sally are preparing for the start of Round 2. Sarah, who is playing White, raises her hand and asks the tournament director, “My opponent and I both have clocks, whose clock do we use?” Sarah’s clock is digital, while Sally’s is analog. Below are pictures of typical chess clocks. The digital clock is easily recognized as the one with the electronic numbers, and the analog clock has the traditional minute and hour hands.

Chess Clocks -- Digital (left) and Analog (right).

How is this case handled? The USCF Rule Book specifies the solution to this matter. Basically, the TD applies two rules to answer Sarah’s question:

· First, digital clocks always have precedence over analog clocks … regardless of which player owns the digital clock. In other words, this “digital clock has precedence” rule trumps the standard “Black has choice of clock and chess pieces” rule.

· Second, if both Sarah and Sally have digital clocks, then BLACK would get the choice of clock. In other words, if both players have “equivalent” clocks, Black gets to chose which clock to use--White’s clock or her own … but the decision is Black’s.

Wanna know more about Chess Clocks? Follow this link: http://chess.about.com/library/weekly/aa03c01.htm

Lessons Learned:

1. In VSCA events, chess clocks are authorized equipment for use by players … in any section of play (K-3 through K-12).

2. All players, regardless of their age or section, need to know how to use a chess clock … as opponents often will have them. Coaches and parents should teach their kids about this early. Any player with a question about how to properly use a clock may ask a TD for help.

3. It is the player’s responsibility, not the Tournament Director’s, to know how to set a clock. Players may ask for TD help, but TD’s will often find another player with the same clock and ask them to help the player with the question. Again, the TD is not responsible for setting the clock.

4. The TD will make a ruling as to which of the two clocks the players will use.

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