Answers.Body: <p>First, kids and adults, the rules are the same, so there is no difference there.</p>
  
  <p>What you are asking about goes beyond just the rules: It comes down to intent.</p>
  
  <p>Whether an adult, or kid, there could be an erroneous claim; and if it is really just that, then the TD should just fix it assuming it is caught in time. It is just a mistake. Other types of mistakes would be similar.</p>
  
  <p>This might be hard to prove, but it an opponent did it just to cheat or annoy, then yes, that would be a breach of the rules, and should be penalized. The real question is how do you prove that? Short of the person having done it before, or bragging about it, I cannot see how a TD would impose sanctions upon someone for what otherwise looks like a human mistake. I think the TD has to assume it is a mistake unless otherwise proven, which again, may be next to impossible. Even without that proof, if the TD suspects, a warning may be in order that future incorrect claims may be sanctioned. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-08T20:59:43.457Z
Answers.Text: As a TD and soccer ref I must respectfully disagree.  There are rules and there is also discretion in how to apply the rules.  In other words there is always a gray area in many rulings a TD or Referee makes which is up to them and their judgement.
Answers.UserDisplayName: edwina oliver
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Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-08T21:04:43.837Z
Answers.Text: In chess, that is only when there is latitude, which might apply to punishments, or what a TD can do about something. And I was also a TD.
Answers.UserDisplayName: PhishMaster
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Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-08T21:09:05.467Z
Answers.Text: In many areas there are latitudes.  It all depends ......
Answers.UserDisplayName: edwina oliver
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-09T14:10:58.467Z
Answers.Text: Note that even though the rules are the same, there might be difference in establishing intent between kids and adults. Of course, that's probably more about the level of play than the age...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jasper
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Answers.Text: @Jasper, I am not trying to be a jerk here, but I would consider the first sentence about intent between the ages fairly obvious. I had not really considered the second, thinking in my mind that they were all weak, but there are some very experienced kids out there (we have a USCF 2406, who is 10, for example), so yes, that matters too.
Answers.UserDisplayName: PhishMaster
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Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-11T08:16:10.687Z
Answers.Text: @PhishMaster I agree that it is (or at least should be) obvious. However, when not being at a tournament but reading a question that opens with the idea that there is no difference, it can be easy to miss. (I also never meant to imply you didn't think that, just that I thought it was a useful addition to what was written down.)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jasper
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Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-08T20:18:51.847Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: PhishMaster
Body: <p>Especially in kiddie games, mates are often missed or supposed mates are not really mates. What would the TD declare such misguided claims of mate? What should a TD do if adults did the same thing?</p>
  
Tags: <rules><checkmate><tournament-directors>
Title: Would an erroneous claim of mate be considered as annoying the opponent, cheating, an illegal move, or something else?
ThreadText: # Would an erroneous claim of mate be considered as annoying the opponent, cheating, an illegal move, or something else?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-08)
  
  Especially in kiddie games, mates are often missed or supposed mates are not really mates. What would the TD declare such misguided claims of mate? What should a TD do if adults did the same thing?
  
  **Tags:** rules, checkmate, tournament-directors
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2020-02-08. Score: 10
  
  First, kids and adults, the rules are the same, so there is no difference there.
  
  What you are asking about goes beyond just the rules: It comes down to intent.
  
  Whether an adult, or kid, there could be an erroneous claim; and if it is really just that, then the TD should just fix it assuming it is caught in time. It is just a mistake. Other types of mistakes would be similar.
  
  This might be hard to prove, but it an opponent did it just to cheat or annoy, then yes, that would be a breach of the rules, and should be penalized. The real question is how do you prove that? Short of the person having done it before, or bragging about it, I cannot see how a TD would impose sanctions upon someone for what otherwise looks like a human mistake. I think the TD has to assume it is a mistake unless otherwise proven, which again, may be next to impossible. Even without that proof, if the TD suspects, a warning may be in order that future incorrect claims may be sanctioned.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: As a TD and soccer ref I must respectfully disagree.  There are rules and there is also discretion in how to apply the rules.  In other words there is always a gray area in many rulings a TD or Referee makes which is up to them and their judgement.  
  > **username_1**: In chess, that is only when there is latitude, which might apply to punishments, or what a TD can do about something. And I was also a TD.  
  > **username_0**: In many areas there are latitudes.  It all depends ......  
  > **username_2**: Note that even though the rules are the same, there might be difference in establishing intent between kids and adults. Of course, that's probably more about the level of play than the age...  
  > **username_1**: @username_2, I am not trying to be a jerk here, but I would consider the first sentence about intent between the ages fairly obvious. I had not really considered the second, thinking in my mind that they were all weak, but there are some very experienced kids out there (we have a USCF 2406, who is 10, for example), so yes, that matters too.  
  > **username_2**: @username_1 I agree that it is (or at least should be) obvious. However, when not being at a tournament but reading a question that opens with the idea that there is no difference, it can be easy to miss. (I also never meant to imply you didn't think that, just that I thought it was a useful addition to what was written down.)  
  
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