Chess
Vantika Agrawal falls victim to arbiter's mistake in Uzbekistan
Vantika Agrawal suffered because of the arbiter's error at the 3rd International President Cup A in Uzbekistan. She urged FIDE to amend the rules.
Indian chess player Vantika Agrawal (Photo File)
Indian chess' emerging star Vantika Agrawal, who won the Chess Olympiad earlier this year with the Indian women's team, faced an unsettling situation during the 3rd International President Cup A in Uzbekistan.
The incident has highlighted a significant gap in FIDE's rules, leaving players vulnerable to errors made by tournament arbiters.
Vantika, who started the tournament well with 1.5 out of a possible 2, drew her third-round game and submitted the scoresheet with the correct result. However, to her dismay, the round three pairings listed her game as a loss. Upon discovering the mistake Vantika immediately contacted the organizers and personally went to the venue to rectify the issue.
“The whole thing became so stressful for me,” she shared. Despite her swift action, the arbiters refused to correct the error citing FIDE’s rule that pairings once published cannot be altered.
Vantika expressed her frustration on Instagram writing, “If it is the arbiter's mistake, why should I suffer? I have spent a lot of money to play in this tournament.”
The emotional toll of the situation was evident and the lack of immediate resolution only added to her distress.
Vantika calls for rule change
Although there is a possibility of her half-point being reinstated after the fourth round, Vantika remains unhappy with the turn of events. She called for an urgent review of FIDE’s rules.
"FIDE should change this rule with immediate effect. This time I am the victim, next time anyone else could be. I don’t want anyone to suffer like me. If anyone is fighting for a GM norm, such mistakes can easily affect their chances. Because of this FIDE rule, the arbiter can change the result or pairing anytime at their will and claim it’s FIDE’s rule that pairings can’t be changed," said Vantika.
This incident underscores the need for a system where players are safeguarded against administrative errors. When such mistakes impact their performance or tournament outcomes, the lack of recourse is deeply unfair.
As the chess world grows increasingly competitive, especially for those pursuing norms or titles, the stakes are high. Vantika’s experience serves as a wake-up call for FIDE to revisit and amend rules to prevent such issues in the future.
The chess community will be watching closely to see how this matter unfolds and whether it prompts necessary changes in the sport’s governance.
