The Lemon Fool

During a high level match between two players, is it normal to eyeball and stare out the oppo or is eye contact forbidden as in bridge please?

Knowing nothing of chess, I was surprised to see obnoxious threatening eye rolling behaviour from competitors in the film "Queen of Katwe" a true story of a Ugandan chess prodigy. They also showed distress and pressure when things weren,t going well. Surely this is all unethical and unprofessional?

It makes for a boring film if competitors play nicely with each other though.

I enjoyed the chess game between Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in the original Thomas Crown Affair, lots of eye contact there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SBxf6uIW0I

John

Don't know, but some much worse things have happened in chess, and at the top level. Just read about Fisher vs Spassky.

Bridge is different: eye contact between partners could be direct cheating.

feder1 wrote:During a high level match between two players, is it normal to eyeball and stare out the oppo or is eye contact forbidden as in bridge please?

It isn't that normal, but isn't forbidden either. One opponent of a former Soviet world champion wore dark glasses to avoid his opponent's hypnotic stare.

In order to compete at high levels, you learn to ignore puerile attempts at intimidation. Some players will bang the pieces down early on or slam the timing device. It can be a give away when they stop doing this as it can demonstrate that they are rattled.

redsturgeon wrote:It makes for a boring film if competitors play nicely with each other though.

I enjoyed the chess game between Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in the original Thomas Crown Affair, lots of eye contact there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SBxf6uIW0I

John

If I were playing chess against Ms Dunaway 'in her prime', my mind wouldn't be on the game...

Alaric wrote:

feder1 wrote:During a high level match between two players, is it normal to eyeball and stare out the oppo or is eye contact forbidden as in bridge please?

It isn't that normal, but isn't forbidden either. One opponent of a former Soviet world champion wore dark glasses to avoid his opponent's hypnotic stare.

In order to compete at high levels, you learn to ignore puerile attempts at intimidation. Some players will bang the pieces down early on or slam the timing device. It can be a give away when they stop doing this as it can demonstrate that they are rattled.

Yes, it is OK to look at an opponent. Typically when it is the other player's move then there isn't much else to do but look away from the board.

It can also give clues. For instance if you play a move it can be useful to immediately look at your opponent to see if there is a reaction, indicating that he didn't predict that move. For much the same reason, poker players often wear eye shades.

Persistent staring would be deemed rude, although not illegal. There can be time penalties for certain kinds of poor behaviour. Games are forfeited if your mobile phone goes off, for instance.

AleisterCrowley wrote:If I were playing chess against Ms Dunaway 'in her prime', my mind wouldn't be on the game...

But to be fair, and at the risk of becoming a tiny bit too personal, you are a randy git. C.

Was, Chris. Was...
I am now at the 'pipe and slippers' age (minus the pipe, but currently in my slippers..)

AleisterCrowley wrote:Was, Chris. Was...
I am now at the 'pipe and slippers' age (minus the pipe, but currently in my slippers..)

Pleased to have provided a brief moment of, 'temp perdu".

John

À la recherche du temps perdu , indeed

AleisterCrowley wrote:À la recherche du temps perdu , indeed

From Faye Dunaway to fadin' away in a handful of posts.

Chapeau!

-sd