Major investment to transform future of English chess announced

[Neill Cooper]

Good news of course, just don't expect major titles tomorrow! Doubtless, ECF will publish detailed plans and costings soon.

I agree with Roger - there's much more interest at primary school level. I did some coaching at a school, which had hordes of eager players at primary level, but only about 5 pupils (at most) at the secondary level. Course work etc intervened, and occasionally it was one-to-one tuition. The best player walked through once, stopped for one game, then we never saw him again.

Note that GCSE coursework was abolished in 2009 to be replaced by 'Controlled Assessments' requiring more rigorous exam-like conditions for much of the non-examination assessed work, and reducing the opportunity for outside help in coursework. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_C ... _Education

Secondary school chess has gained in popularity in recent years, with a particular surge during lockdown when many more teenagers played chess online. 147 schools entered the National School Chess CHampionships in Autumn 2022

[Neill Cooper]

What would help is if each table (or group of tables) were to be adopted by a chess club. Many club members would be delighted to play at the table from time to time and engage with members of the public. There is nothing worse than putting a table in an out-of-the-way corner with few passers-by. Local authorities need to engage with their local clubs when siting the tables.

It would be great if tables could be adopted by chess clubs.

Note that the locations are specified as follows:
"Alongside the support committed to elite players, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will provide £250,000 to 85 Local Authorities throughout England to install 100 new chess tables in public parks and outdoor green spaces, to allow more people to play, connect, tackle loneliness, and develop problem solving skills.

Local authorities which are currently receiving the Levelling Up Parks Fund (LUPF) and have been identified as communities most in need of improved quality green space will determine where to locate the chess tables."
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/majo ... -announced

[Tim Spanton]

I would say 2500 it's pretty realistic figure for building.... with about £500 of it being labour and materials costs and £2000 profit for the contractors company.

If only we lived in a free-market economy where other groups could move in and undercut these outrageous profiteers

[Mick Norris]

Good news of course, just don't expect major titles tomorrow! Doubtless, ECF will publish detailed plans and costings soon.

I agree with Roger - there's much more interest at primary school level. I did some coaching at a school, which had hordes of eager players at primary level, but only about 5 pupils (at most) at the secondary level. Course work etc intervened, and occasionally it was one-to-one tuition. The best player walked through once, stopped for one game, then we never saw him again.

Note that GCSE coursework was abolished in 2009 to be replaced by 'Controlled Assessments' requiring more rigorous exam-like conditions for much of the non-examination assessed work, and reducing the opportunity for outside help in coursework. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_C ... _Education

Secondary school chess has gained in popularity in recent years, with a particular surge during lockdown when many more teenagers played chess online. 147 schools entered the National School Chess CHampionships in Autumn 2022

Neill, how would you spend the money on secondary school chess? It strikes me that primary school chess is well catered for by CSC

[Alistair Campbell]

Some of it seemingly is to be spent at the primary school level. In my view it's a major weakness, not present in my youth and for a couple of decades afterwards that the numerous numbers of players at the age of 10 doesn't translate into the same numbers at the age of 18 a few years later. Presumably the effect of secondary schools induces retirement from active play at the age of 11 or 12. Survivors from that may retire at the age of 15 or 17 when confronted by GCSEs . There are so few left that universities may show a net gain, boosted by foreign students.

Is there any research on drop-out rates by age?

It seems to me that the demise of adult (or "open"??) chess clubs is a factor in retention rates. As players mature they need somewhere else to play and if there is no local club they may be lost to the game. Perhaps some thought should be given to maintaining adult clubs, perhaps artificially in the shorter term.

[Neill Cooper]

Neill, how would you spend the money on secondary school chess? It strikes me that primary school chess is well catered for by CSC

Thanks for the question Mick. I think the two main strands would be competitions and equipment:
Funding for inter-school competitions would be useful, paying for arbiters and prizes. Also there are some players who would value bursary funding as cannot represent their school at a national final because of the cost.
Some secondary schools with new chess clubs do ask if we could provide a few chess sets and boards, others with established clubs would like some digital chess clocks.

[Angus French]

Some of it seemingly is to be spent at the primary school level. In my view it's a major weakness, not present in my youth and for a couple of decades afterwards that the numerous numbers of players at the age of 10 doesn't translate into the same numbers at the age of 18 a few years later. Presumably the effect of secondary schools induces retirement from active play at the age of 11 or 12. Survivors from that may retire at the age of 15 or 17 when confronted by GCSEs . There are so few left that universities may show a net gain, boosted by foreign students.

Is there any research on drop-out rates by age?

It seems to me that the demise of adult (or "open"??) chess clubs is a factor in retention rates. As players mature they need somewhere else to play and if there is no local club they may be lost to the game. Perhaps some thought should be given to maintaining adult clubs, perhaps artificially in the shorter term.

Some stats for 'net joiners' for the 2011-2019 grading years calculated from the grading lists made available to local results officers:

NetJoiners2011-2019ToAge25.png

A joiner is defined as having an A-E category grade (either standard or rapid) for the current year but not the previous year. A leaver is defined as having an A-E category grade (either standard or rapid) for the previous year but not the current year. Ages are as at the end of the calendar year. The 2012 year was for a 13-month period; all other years were 12-month.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Note that GCSE coursework was abolished in 2009 to be replaced by 'Controlled Assessments' requiring more rigorous exam-like conditions for much of the non-examination assessed work, and reducing the opportunity for outside help in coursework."

Surely it continued after that? It wasn't a good sign that people were surprised that some pupils got help with coursework. Nevertheless, as exams approach and revision strikes, there's less time for other activities (or you prioritise them). It's noticeable that the figures Angus provides suggest that players drop out as serious exams approach, although doubtless there are other reasons.

[Roger Lancaster]

Let's see if I've got the interpretation of Angus's figures (and thanks for providing them!) right. Take the 71 7-y-o net new entrants in 2011 (and overlook for these purposes a few 6-y-o's who joined a year previous). They were added to by a net 131 8-y-o's in 2012, 87 9-y-o's in 2013, 102 10-y-o's in 2014 and 51 11-y-o's in 2015, bringing us up to a total of 442. That figure was then subject to net depletion by 6 in 2016 and then by 55, 39 and 27 in successive years, totalling 127. In other words, the figures suggest to me that - taking the cohort who were 7 in 2011 and joined the ECF either in that or later years - more than 300 were still members eight years later. And similar calculations for other cohorts. Is this more or less correct ?

[Angus French]

Let's see if I've got the interpretation of Angus's figures (and thanks for providing them!) right. Take the 71 7-y-o net new entrants in 2011 (and overlook for these purposes a few 6-y-o's who joined a year previous). They were added to by a net 131 8-y-o's in 2012, 87 9-y-o's in 2013, 102 10-y-o's in 2014 and 51 11-y-o's in 2015, bringing us up to a total of 442. That figure was then subject to net depletion by 6 in 2016 and then by 55, 39 and 27 in successive years, totalling 127. In other words, the figures suggest to me that - taking the cohort who were 7 in 2011 and joined the ECF either in that or later years - more than 300 were still members eight years later. And similar calculations for other cohorts. Is this more or less correct ?

Roger, yes, that's correct though the age-7 net joiners in 2011 numbered 41 rather than 71. And thus the total net joiners for the age group through to 2015 was 412. And then a net 127 left in the four years to 2019, giving a net gain of 285.

[Mark Howitt]

As much of this funding as possible should go towards club players aka tax payers

[David York]

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has today confirmed to us that it will be launching three new chess tables in a central park next month with more chess tables to follow in other parks. Kingston Chess Club will be hosting the launch party at the site which is conveniently located next to a pub. Since Kingston is not a deprived area, this installation will not detract from funding elsewhere.

That is good news and I look forward to seeing them in action. It is important that a local chess club gets involved in lobbying for tables and then making the first ones in an area a success. Just seeing a chess table is a powerful advertisement for the game. Playing chess in public literally improves its visibility.

[David York]

"FWIW, I heard at the weekend that the three concrete chess tables installed a year ago on Streatham Common cost £7,500. So could it be that £2,500 a table is not untypical?"

Presumably, they are pretty robust - but it does seem a lot...

They look robust.

Chess tables of the concrete = robust and concrete = too heavy to steal variety are only needed where those factors are vital.

Park tables for playgrounds can be easily obtained for a quarter of the £2500 - and given that the picnic bench style has two boards, perhaps that sould be an eigth of the price https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/special-ca ... vity-table

If the environment is suitable, a modern looking construction could fit the bill https://deportesurbanos.com/en/outdoor-chess-tables/
A pallet load of these is remarkably cheap

Of course, you can build your own from a standard picnic bench and a bespoke top. One manufacturer I spoke to was flabbergasted at the price a company wanted to charge for its tops to fit on his tables. Some others are more reasonable https://www.recycledfurniture.co.uk/Ou ... tivity-Top

If you want something more stylish go for wood or even slate - this company can supply heavy tops in slate as well as boards https://honisterslate.com/collections/chess-boards

Who needs a table anyway - you just need a convenient wall https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=25 ... 207520000.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Good idea David. Huddersfield Library has a Saturday chess team and numbers doubled plus to 12-18 when they played in the main library. They had 30 last weekend for their first unrated rapidplay. If they see it, they will come.

[Roger de Coverly]

Is there any research on drop-out rates by age?

You can get an idea from the FIDE rating list since the advanced search can use year of birth.

Setting it to 2005 (attaining 18 in 2023) and ENG throws up a list of 292 names. That's including unrated. Restricting it to active players reduces the list to 29. So just 10% of those originally keen enough or elite enough to get themselves FIDE identifiers are still playing.

Comparative figures for 2004 (18 in 2022) shows 304 and 31