Don't trust this USCF Chess Federation - rules are NOT FAIR to players!
This belongs under the USCF Chess Federation. I became a member Jun 5, 2024 and found out there was a Chess Tournament held at Flamingo Casino, in Las Vegas the next days, so I joined the one Jun 6, 2024 which was difficult to find parking or the place being Las Vegas is very congested traffic. In the duration of the game, I didn't realize from other past tournaments, kids were carrying a hand notator device for scoring, which I found that out later what it was. I started to question more about iI asked the person in charge of the tournament events, Glenn P, if I could bring a reference guide source with me and he said I"m not allowed to but I see the kids are allowed to bring hand devices to use for scoring which I have a problem with that due to they can see the 'SCREEN' where they know where their next move would be verses them to look at the board in front of them throughout and do paper scoring. To me, that is like a way of cheating I pursued this further with the Tournament Director and Arbiter, Mike H. and he said they approved this device only for scoring and gave me other examples that are used and approved by USCF. I still disagree that it is like cheating they can still see the screen, which is my point to them. What Glen said in his email: 1. The child was using an approved electronic scoresheet for writing down the moves. This is no different than the paper scoresheet that you were using, just an electronic version of that. 2. The US Chess tournament rules specifically say that "memory aids are not permitted" A reference guide, or an opening book are examples of things that are covered by this rule. I asked the Tournament Director and offered a proposal to give me a partial refund of membership $40, even though had to pay extra for the game itself to play was $30 on top, and also asked for an increase in chess rating and he did not seem to agree to it. I"m very disappointed by the way this USCF handles their policy they only go by their own rules is okay for them to use but it wasn't for me to not have something to reference by while playing which slowed me down more from paper scoring than I had turnaround to regroup by focusing on the game while being timed that cost me less time to play as a retired military. I feel they're NOT fair at all with this request.
By T M.