The misunderstanding here is you are looking at special exceptions and treating them as if they are the general rule to make the argument work.

The general rule is that analyzing on another board apart from the game board is not allowed.

Blind players using those small special boards to feel the pieces is an exception that allows them to play at all.

Thinking while looking at a demo board of the game is an exception because demo boards are a nice feature tournaments can offer to spectators, and it would usually be impractical to stop the players from ever looking at them.

The Monroi and the PlyCounter are exceptions because ... I have no idea! Commercial interest and good lobbying work perhaps? I have never seen one in use anywhere in Europe. If you ask me, they shouldn't have been allowed in the first place. Their use is certainly not an argument for going even further in the wrong direction by allowing players who don't really need it more outside assistance.

Arguably these devices could enable children and illiterate players to participate without/before learning to write the moves, but once again that's an exception.

I also don't get how simply training with and getting used to 3D boards can be such an insurmountable hurdle. I grew up with almost only 3D boards, but I adjusted to Chessbase, online servers, etc. just fine when they became widespread. And I've seen many make the transition from online players only to OTB players with great results from the start.

If using a second board is truly equivalent to using a Monroi, I must ask: why not just use the Monroi?  Since you're pushing for an alternative to the Monroi, you must realize that your alternative is not actually equivalent.

exigentsky wrote on 08/04/17 at 13:06:52:


As far as i am aware from playing games against blind players in the UK, the braille board is to enable them to play the game, while their opponent if fully sighted will make moves for them on the official board.

exigentsky wrote on 08/04/17 at 13:04:26:


I'm unfamiliar with the monroi and plycounter but they appear to be for the purpose of recording moves.

So, i still dont see how you bringing in another set to a game is equivalent to the above, nor understand why you cant get accustomed to a proper board and set.

tipau wrote on 08/04/17 at 09:54:45:


It shows that the USCF is open to special accommodations (including external boards).

It's true that the rules were somehow not designed to generalize despite it being a competitive game. I am skeptical of any rules in a competition which allow something for one group but not another. It would make the most sense, in the interest of fairness that ANYTHING a blind player can do (within the rules), so can any other player. I don't think the hypothetical situation of everyone announcing moves is likely simply because players don't like to be conspicuous and don't want to make the effort to do something like that with no benefit. Although, hypothetically, you could also end-up in a tournament comprised of 90% blind players and encounter the same situation as in the slippery slope result.

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 08/04/17 at 10:56:05:


Since you can't compete with ideas, you resort to ad hominems.

exigentsky wrote on 08/04/17 at 09:07:41:


FIDE (International) laws of chess

http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=207&view=article
11.3.1
     
Quote:

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 08/03/17 at 02:56:52:

 
People agreeing with me or not doesn't make the truth change. 

I never had any doubt whatsoever that allowing what I proposed was the only consistent outcome with USCF rules based on the precedents set with the Monroi and PlyCounter.

My only question was whether this was officially approved or not. It likely would be allowed but was never considered explicitly because this is an edge case and many people would probably be embarrassed to do this at a tournament even if it helped them.

I will try to contact the USCF about this soon. I think if there's a special accommodation for the blind that would be another point in my favor. I think blind people use a special braille board.

It seems like you had already made up your mind before you asked the question, which makes all the following debate sort of pointless. I look forward to hearing what happens if you try it.