Answers.Body: <blockquote>
  <p>In my perspective, the answer is that in USCF the arbiter should NEVER start a time-forfeit claim, neither for sudden death time controls nor non-sudden death time controls, at 4/9/2022.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>You are correct. This arises because of the bizarre USCF rules regarding flag falls not resulting in loss of the game if the opponent has not been keeping score correctly. Hence in USCF tournaments the player must &quot;initiate a time-forfeit claim&quot; rather than just point out the flag fall.</p>
  <p>If the opponent has an incomplete scoresheet it can be in the interests of the <em>player whose flag has fallen</em> to call the flag fall before the opponent writes down the missing moves. For the arbiter to intervene in such a situation could be seen as benefitting one player or the other.</p>
  <p>FIDE arbiters are required to check that players maintain a complete up to date scoresheet and penalize them if they don't.</p>
  <p>Here are the <a href="https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018" rel="noreferrer">FIDE</a> references:</p>
  <p>Regarding who may call flag-fall</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>6.8 A flag is considered to have fallen when the <strong>arbiter observes the fact or when either player</strong> has made a valid claim to that effect.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Regarding writing the moves:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>8.1.1 In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibly as possible</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>and</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>12.1 The arbiter shall see that the Laws of Chess are observed.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>So, writing the moves is one of the &quot;Laws of Chess&quot; and ensuring that these laws are observed is the arbiter's first duty.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Brian Towers
Answers.Body: <p>This is stated <em>explicitly</em> in the rules you quote. 13c1 says:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Only the players in a game may call attention to the fall of a flag (See also 5G); it is considered to have fallen only when either player points this out. <strong>A director must never initiate a time-forfeit claim</strong>.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>&quot;Director&quot; is &quot;tournament director&quot; which is pretty much the USCF equivalent of &quot;arbiter&quot;.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-09-06T01:27:02.567Z
Answers.Text: Can you please give me your perspective in this question?  Thank you! https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/40549/uscf-should-the-arbiter-correct-illegal-moves-without-a-player-claim
Answers.UserDisplayName: Beginner
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Body: <p>I will be an USCF arbiter soon and I am checking the current USCF version of chess rules. Here is the link on the USCF website at 4/9/2022: <a href="https://new.uschess.org/news/7th-edition-rule-book-free-chapters-updated-20212022" rel="nofollow noreferrer">USCF chess rules</a></p>
  <p>In my perspective, you would have to go to page 31:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Gyuii.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Gyuii.jpg" alt="USCF 13C Time forfeit" /></a></p>
  <p><em><strong>It is very interesting that the same chess rules expresses: &quot;Remember in FIDE competitions the arbiter can call the flag, and should do so.&quot;</strong></em></p>
  <p><em><strong>So, USCF rules are not 100% FIDE rules.</strong></em></p>
  <p>In my perspective, the answer is that in USCF the arbiter should NEVER start a time-forfeit claim, neither for sudden death time controls nor non-sudden death time controls, at 4/9/2022.</p>
  
Tags: <rules><uscf><arbiters>
Title: USCF: Should the arbiter start a time-forfeit claim?
ThreadText: # USCF: Should the arbiter start a time-forfeit claim?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-04)
  
  I will be an USCF arbiter soon and I am checking the current USCF version of chess rules. Here is the link on the USCF website at 4/9/2022: [USCF chess rules](https://new.uschess.org/news/7th-edition-rule-book-free-chapters-updated-20212022)
  
  In my perspective, you would have to go to page 31:
  
  [![USCF 13C Time forfeit](https://i.sstatic.net/Gyuii.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Gyuii.jpg)
  
  ***It is very interesting that the same chess rules expresses: "Remember in FIDE competitions the arbiter can call the flag, and should do so."***
  
  ***So, USCF rules are not 100% FIDE rules.***
  
  In my perspective, the answer is that in USCF the arbiter should NEVER start a time-forfeit claim, neither for sudden death time controls nor non-sudden death time controls, at 4/9/2022.
  
  **Tags:** rules, uscf, arbiters
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2022-09-04. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  > In my perspective, the answer is that in USCF the arbiter should NEVER start a time-forfeit claim, neither for sudden death time controls nor non-sudden death time controls, at 4/9/2022.
  
  You are correct. This arises because of the bizarre USCF rules regarding flag falls not resulting in loss of the game if the opponent has not been keeping score correctly. Hence in USCF tournaments the player must "initiate a time-forfeit claim" rather than just point out the flag fall.
  
  If the opponent has an incomplete scoresheet it can be in the interests of the *player whose flag has fallen* to call the flag fall before the opponent writes down the missing moves. For the arbiter to intervene in such a situation could be seen as benefitting one player or the other.
  
  FIDE arbiters are required to check that players maintain a complete up to date scoresheet and penalize them if they don't.
  
  Here are the [FIDE](https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018) references:
  
  Regarding who may call flag-fall
  
  > 6.8 A flag is considered to have fallen when the **arbiter observes the fact or when either player** has made a valid claim to that effect.
  
  Regarding writing the moves:
  
  > 8.1.1 In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibly as possible
  
  and
  
  > 12.1 The arbiter shall see that the Laws of Chess are observed.
  
  So, writing the moves is one of the "Laws of Chess" and ensuring that these laws are observed is the arbiter's first duty.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2022-09-05. Score: 2
  
  This is stated *explicitly* in the rules you quote. 13c1 says:
  
  > Only the players in a game may call attention to the fall of a flag (See also 5G); it is considered to have fallen only when either player points this out. **A director must never initiate a time-forfeit claim**.
  
  "Director" is "tournament director" which is pretty much the USCF equivalent of "arbiter".
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Can you please give me your perspective in this question?  Thank you! https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/40549/uscf-should-the-arbiter-correct-illegal-moves-without-a-player-claim  
  
  ---
  
  