[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Short - Cheparinov: How to win quickly in chess

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Short - Cheparinov: How to win quickly in chess
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1200852288.shtml


   Here's the trick: Insult your future opponents or those they are
   associated with. That way, when it's time to shake hands at the start
   of the game, they'll refuse and be forfeited, at least in FIDE events.
   That's what happened in today's (non-) game between Nigel Short and
   Ivan Cheparinov. Much more on the matter [1]here, for those who are
   interested, but I'll reproduce the relevant FIDE rule here:

     Any player who does not shake hands with the opponent (or greets
     the opponent in a normal social manner in accordance with the
     conventional rules of their society) before the game starts in a
     FIDE tournament or during a FIDE match (and does not do it after
     being asked to do so by the arbiter) or deliberately insults
     his/her opponent or the officials of the event, will immediately
     and finally lose the relevant game.

   What do you think, readers? Is this the dumbest rule ever, an attempt
   to mandate hypocritical acts of respect for even the most vile
   opponent? (I mean this as a general point, not a remark about Short in
   particular.) Or is this a reasonable attempt to put the game above
   personal disputes and nationalistic squabbles?

References

   1. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4397