Dear Editor,
I refer to your story ‘Controversy erupts at chess qualifiers’ published on October 19, 2008 and a subsequent letter published on November 1, 2008 in the SN captioned ‘Tournament Director made a wrong decision.’  As indicated in your October 19 story article 7.2 of the FIDE laws states “If a game has begun with colours reversed, then it shall continue, unless the arbiter rules otherwise.”

This rule is clear in respect of a game which is underway: unless the arbiter rules otherwise the game shall continue.  In my opinion a game which was completed with the colours reversed had continued to its conclusion, thus the window of opportunity for which the arbiter to rule on the matter had closed.  There would thus be no grounds to call for a replay of the game.

Others may have an alternative interpretation; this is why article 14.1 allows member federations to “ask FIDE to give an official decision about the Laws of Chess.”  I would expect, if they have not already done so, for the Guyana Chess Federation to request an official decision from FIDE on this matter since the action taken in Guyana appears to be inconsistent with that taken at the Chicago Open.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick van Beek