After the end of the 3rd round of the FIDE World Cup GM Ian Nepomniachtchi submitted a complaint to the Appeals Committee in regard to the Armageddon game with GM Hikaru Nakamura.
Nepomniachtchi complained that his opponent castled using both hands and broke touch-move rule on several occasions. He asked for a review of the result and that his opponent should be given a technical loss.
Ruling of the Appeals Committee:
1) The Committee decided that the result of the match shall stand in favor of Mr. Nakamura
2) According to article 4.7 of FIDE Laws of chess (A player forfeits his right to a claim against his opponent’s violation of Article 4 once he deliberately touches a piece). So the applicant has no right to ask to change the result of the game.
3) The Committee recommended that the chief arbiter has to give a warning to Mr. Nakamura and assure him to follow the article 4 of FIDE Laws of chess (4.1 using one hand to do all his moves in all games and not to touch a piece to adjust it without informing his opponent or the arbiter or he will be forced to move the piece he touches without such necessary notification).
4) The Committee decided to return back the appeal fees (US $500) to Mr. Ian Nepomniachtchi and to assure him that in such cases he has to stop the clock at once and inform the chief arbiter to apply the article 4 before he himself touches one of his own pieces and of course not after the game.
