Limburg chess arbitrator experienced famous jeans incident with chess grandmaster up close: “It all started in my section”

Also read this article on hbvl.be: https://www.hbvl.be/sport/limburgse-schaakarbiter-maakte-fameuze-jeansbroekincident-met-schaakgrootmeester-van-dichtbij-mee-het-begon-allemaal-in-mijn-sectie/61389332.html

Maasmechelen Luc Cornet (58) travels the world as an international chess arbiter. The Maasmechelen native was still active at the World Championship in America in December. There he witnessed the famous jeans incident with chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. “It all started in my section,” he said.

How did you get introduced to chess?

“My father taught me to play chess at an early age. When I was ten, I got my first chess computer, which I played completely to death . In 1989 I joined chess club De Nieuwe Toren Eisden. Since then I have been actively involved in the club: as a teacher, tournament leader, secretary and treasurer. I am also on the board of the Belgian Chess Federation and am the Belgian representative to FIDE, the World Chess Federation. Since the age of 28, I have also been a chess arbiter. In December I was still an arbiter at the World Cup in America.”

There you witnessed a striking incident with multiple world champion Magnus Carlsen?

“True, there was a stricter rule in place at that World Cup that banned jeans and sneakers. Carlsen, coming from a work meeting, did not have time to change yet and descended to the championship in decent jeans. The arbiter gave him a warning and demanded that the Norwegian go change. Carlsen refused to do so and he was disqualified for the rest of the tournament. The incident caused a stir, especially since Carlsen is a world star, but as an arbiter you have to enforce the rules no matter who is sitting across from you.”

You also played a small role in that story?

“Yes, it all started in my section. The Russian chess grandmaster Jan Nepomniachtchi, was not wearing appropriate shoes. After a warning, he immediately went to change shoes, but as a result they started checking more strictly and they also gave Magnus Carlsen a comment about his pants. He wouldn’t listen and you could feel the atmosphere turning.”

What is your job as an arbitrator?

“As an arbiter, you have to make sure that the conditions in which the chess players play are as optimal as possible. Furthermore, you have to solve problems that arise during the game. At lower levels, these are mainly discussions between players about the rules or certain moves. At higher levels there are fewer discussions, but nowadays more players cheat. Chess players are no longer allowed to carry cell phones or (smart) watches. Still, some players try to go to the restroom during the game to use their cell phones. Therefore, we check the toilets beforehand and every player is scanned with a metal detector. It also happens that a player accuses his opponent of cheating and then I have to stop the game and do a check. If the accusation is false, sanctions follow for that as well.”

You ever had to make a controversial decision in Belgium?

“When the first cell phones came out, there was a new directive: if a player’s cell phone went off during the match, the game had to be ended immediately and that player lost. During an inter-club match of grandmaster Luc Winants, at that time the best Belgian chess player, his opponent’s cell phone went off. So I applied that new rule. But because I was the first arbiter to effectively end the match, I received a lot of criticism. Afterwards it turned out that that player had not cheated, but I was just following the rules.”

What do you remember from your first World Cup as an arbitrator?

“That was in 2012 in Vilnius. The tournament started on a Monday, but I had missed my flight and didn’t arrive until Saturday. Upon arrival, I learned that the head arbiter had canceled and they designated me as a replacement. Thus, on my very first World Cup, while I was two days late, I was suddenly bombed as head umpire.”

That must have been a shock?

“Definitely. Besides, the rules stated that the chief arbiter should always wear a suit, but I didn’t have one with me. So I went headlong to Lithuania to buy another costume. It was hectic, but in retrospect it was also a unique experience.”

Can you make a living from a job as an arbitrator?

“No, I have also been working as an IT employee at Vasco for 35 years. In Limburg you earn 12 euros a day as an arbitrator, at the national level 25 euros. Only World Cups and European Championships pay slightly better. At the last World Cup in America, I got my travel reimbursed up to $1,100 and a $1,000 allowance. But you really shouldn’t do it for the money. I do it purely for the love of the game and the ambiance.”

And you also teach chess to children?

“True, for 25 years. Over all those years, I have taught over 150 children, but of those, unfortunately, only one is still playing chess today. I used to have twenty children in the class. This season I am teaching only three children. There is a lot of turnover in chess. Why is that? Because of puberty, studies and other interests. I could wonder why I am still teaching, but as long as there is even one person who wants to be taught, I will continue to teach. The greatest moment as a teacher? When a player I had trained won a league game for the first time, I was immensely proud. At the end of the day, that’s what you do it for.”