The answer is a matter of cosmic justice. I've never lost on time because I choose not to recognize losing on time - because dedicated machines* are unjust, and must suffer.
Moving in book, they take NO time off the clock. This goes for software, too. Fie upon it.
Suppose you're a human playing another human under timed conditions. You move the piece, you pop the clock. So does the other guy. You bang out five or six moves apiece. You may be greasy fast. Still, you burn a few seconds getting to the spot where you're ready to think.
These are physical acts. The machines ought to be hampered in similar fashion. Assigning one second per move, for instance.
BTW, a moron question: How is this done in dedicated tournaments? How do you measure the human operation on the clock? Does the time count? For that matter, how is it done with humans vs computers?
All right, I got off my ass - here's the FIDE rule, 2.1 in the section on playing with computers:
www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=34&view=categoryThe move rate set on the computer should allow for the time which will be taken by the operator in transferring moves from and to the tournament board.
So there it is: proof that the dedicateds have fixed world chess. They've been cheating us for years.
The best way to play a dedicated is to leave it somewhere and stop by occasionally. Check the move, save, shut off. Eat a sandwich. Come back.
*Aside from the special category of robots. I don't own any robot machines. I don't know if the clock ticks as the piece moves. By cosmic law, it should.
** (I'm fascinated by the image of masters writing down their moves as they play. Is this still traditional? If anyone can enlighten me on how that works in live chess, I'd be really interested to hear. Do both players actually stop and make a note after punching the clock?)
- R.
