Membership Requirements for FIDE rated rapid-play

[Roger de Coverly]

Has the ECF made an official statement as to what these are? It would seem that parallel events have different opinions as to whether Gold membership is a requirement for ENG players with the presumed side effect that there are no membership requirements for <other>, or whether the event is expecting to pay £ 6 extra for all non Silver members.

Compare for example the entry forms for the Leamington event in September with the 4NCL rapid-play later the same month.

For that matter, compare those for the Golders Green and Richmond events.

[Ian Jamieson]

Organisers are free to pass on or not to pass on whatever discounts they want to players.

Organisers are also free to impose stricter requirements if they wish.

Players are then free to play or not to play.

[Roger de Coverly]

Organisers are free to pass on or not to pass on whatever discounts they want to players.

Organisers are also free to impose stricter requirements if they wish.
.

That's correct, but the ECF have sanctions as well.

They could refuse to submit some or all of the results to FIDE if the event doesn't comply with their rules.

They could remove the FIDE ratings of players who take part in internationally rated events without being ECF Gold members.

[Mike Truran]

After a number of conversations with the ECF the 4NCL went down the congress route rather than the FIDE rated route on the basis that the FIDE rapidplay rating project is still in its pilot stage and Gold membership is not yet mandatory.

No doubt if FIDE rapidplay rating is put on the same basis as standardplay (i.e. Gold membership requirement) we will have a decision to make as to whether to continue FIDE rating the 4NCL Rapidplay.

[Roger de Coverly]

This is what the London Classic has to say

ECF Membership: Gold Membership of the English Chess Federation is compulsory for English players playing in the FIDE Open and FIDE-rated sections of the Weekend Classic B. Silver membership is required for all English Players in the Weekend Classic A, U120 section of the Weekend Classic B, and Classic Rapidplays A & B, or a £6 pay-to-play fee will apply

So what happens if you aren't an English player ? Does £ 6 pay-to-play apply?

On the Standard play events, the entry form goes on to say

English players in the FIDE rated sections must be Gold ECF members. All players in the non FIDE rated sections must be Silver ECF members or pay an additional £6 ECF Pay-to-Play fee.

and also

All players in Classic Rapidplay must be Silver ECF members or pay a £6 ECF Pay to Play fee.

So the London Classic interpret that all rapid-plays are treated the same as any non-FIDE event, whether or not they are FIDE rated.

[Mike Truran]

So the London Classic interpret that all rapid-plays are treated the same as any non-FIDE event, whether or not they are FIDE rated.

So pretty much the same interpretation as the 4NCL's then?

[Matthew Turner]

In a couple of years time Mike Truran will be able throw his arms up in the air as the ECF force FIDE rapid rated players to join the ECF or lose their ratings. He will complain about the ECF imposing rules. The fact is he is totally complicit in the ECF's plans to further victimise and intimidate players.

[Mike Truran]

Thanks Matthew. As usual, a fair and accurate observation showing your customary in depth understanding of the issues. I expect the Scots are delighted to have somebody as insightful as you on their books.

[Simon Brown]

Mike, I agree with you again. Whoever said ignoance is bliss clearly never visited this forum.

[Roger de Coverly]

Mike, I agree with you again. Whoever said ignoance is bliss clearly never visited this forum.

Mike Truran has long been a cheer leader for compulsory membership. He even resigned from the ECF Board when the ECF Council rejected the idea.

[Carl Hibbard]

Matthew has received a warning for his comment which went well beyond what I consider to be acceptable

[Mike Truran]

Matthew Turner has long been a cheer leader for pay to play. He even joined Chess Scotland when the ECF Council rejected the idea.

Roger, at least Matthew had the courage of his convictions.

[Roger de Coverly]

Roger, at least Matthew had the courage of his convictions.

If Matthew wishes to continue to play non FiDE rated chess in England, then he, like everyone else, is likely to be compelled to pay an annual lump sum to the ECF. This will be either for financial reasons or because his club or local league feel obliged by financial constraints to insist. It's not even really membership, since there is no say in the running and direction of the ECF.

Oddly enough, I think there's a quote in the past from Matthew in favour of membership schemes, so I don't regard him as a cheer leader for pay to play. I believe his objection was to the compulsion and the Ali style victimisation of getting FIDE to remove ratings from non-compliers.

If you make individual membership optional, as you should, you have to charge Congresses, leagues and counties for their membership of the ECF. This has the advantage that when you charge a league in bulk, that the league and clubs can then engage in outreach programs to offer trial participation to new, occasional, retired and casual players.

[Matthew Turner]

I expect the Scots are delighted to have somebody as insightful as you on their books

Like pointing out that it might not be approproate that the Scots have to pay £250 to support the ECF and 4NCL because of Mike's charging policy at the Glorney Cup?

[Matthew Turner]

Mike had an alternative with the 4NCL FIDE rapidplay see
http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... y&start=15

he chose not to take this option and set up another thread on the same topic to end debate. Players and arbiters should judge why he has taken the action that he has. Players with FIDE ratings have been victimised and intimidated by the ECF. It seems incredibly likely that the same thing will happen to players with FIDE rapidplay ratings in the future. Organisers who (knowingly) set up FIDE rapidplay events are allowing this to happen.