English Chess Forum Player of the Year 2017

[IM Jack Rudd]

Seeing as the ECF's award has fallen flat on its face, I'll do one on here.

Nominations to be placed in this thread, preferably accompanied by some explanation for your choice. Nominations close at the end of June.

Polling will be done by Approval Voting in another thread; voting closes at the end of July.

Usual rule on timing; the year in question is deemed to start at the end of Mayday 2016 and end at the end of Mayday 2017.

Have fun!

[LawrenceCooper]

Seeing as the ECF's award has fallen flat on its face, I'll do one on here.

Nominations to be placed in this thread, preferably accompanied by some explanation for your choice. Nominations close at the end of June.

Polling will be done by Approval Voting in another thread; voting closes at the end of July.

Usual rule on timing; the year in question is deemed to start at the end of Mayday 2016 and end at the end of Mayday 2017.

Have fun!

Maybe use the seven players who got through the first stage of the ECF voting. If any additions are needed though I'd suggest Ravi Haria for his 4NCL GM norm which completed his IM title and followed on nicely from his IM norm at Hastings.

[IanCalvert]

Jack

Will Homer Simpson (or possibly Magnus) , for contributions to popularising chess globally, be a possible candidate in 2018?

[Roger Lancaster]

I wouldn't suggest Shreyas Royal was necessarily an undeserving candidate but this, lifted from the Kent Junior Chess Association website, is probably an example of the sort of lobbying the ECF didn't particularly like.

"Meanwhile we’ve already read how James, Shlok and Shreyas will be showcasing their talents in the World and European Championships later in the summer and we also have a deserved candidate up for the English Chess Federation Player Of the Year award.

"In reference to this exciting opportunity, Jitendra writes about his son: ‘It is with great pleasure that we present the candidature of our son Shreyas Royal for the prestigious ECF Player of the Year Award. In many ways exceeding the challenging requirements and expectations for the award, Shreyas' ambitions, intelligence, and accomplishments complement precisely the stellar community of past recipients and make him highly deserving of the honour and opportunity bestowed by this award. We would be pleased if you go through his complete profile and endorse him for the award which in a way would inspire a lot of youngsters to take up this royal game seriously.’

"Most of the other candidates on the shortlist as established Grandmasters and, whilst I certainly haven’t got a bad word to say about them, this is about player of the year this season, not best player full stop! With hard work and dedication, Shreyas has come so far so quickly and in this last year and has achieved some phenomenal results. For me, though a vote for Shreyas would be like a vote for all the talented young juniors that we have helped progress in Kent over the season. Hence I urge all those amongst you who are ECF members to please do just that on https://britchess.wufoo.eu/forms/x169pi7s1v4fj5d/"

[David Robertson]

I wouldn't suggest Shreyas Royal was necessarily an undeserving candidate

I would

"In many ways exceeding the challenging requirements and expectations for the award...has achieved some phenomenal results

This might be true for the EC Forum 7-year old Player of the Year. Otherwise, it isn't

Sad stuff, really. Doting parents - what's to be done with them!

[John Moore]

Amazing - I agree with David Robertson!