ECF Membership Reform

[Mike Gunn]

What's the problem they're trying to fix / outcome they're trying to achieve? Is it simply raise more money, or something else?

I think it is just felt that the current membership scheme has been running for ten years and a review is timely. There will probably be no changes because a majority will feel that any change will disadvantage them.

[Sean Hewitt]

What's the problem they're trying to fix / outcome they're trying to achieve? Is it simply raise more money, or something else?

I think it is just felt that the current membership scheme has been running for ten years and a review is timely. There will probably be no changes because a majority will feel that any change will disadvantage them.

A review certainly seems sensible. It seemed that changes were actually being suggested, which is fine if a problem / issue is identified that needs fixing but premature otherwise.

[Mark Howitt]

Key thing is if government funding is given this poll tax should go.

[John Sellen]

What do you mean by a “poll tax”

[Paul Cooksey]

What's the problem they're trying to fix / outcome they're trying to achieve? Is it simply raise more money, or something else?

Increase the number of FIDE rated games being played was where the board started.

[Dragoljub Sudar]

Why the obsession with FIDE chess?

The ECF could abolish Gold and simply allow Silver level members, at the current price, to play in STD FIDE rated events as we can in RP events. Then gradually close the gap between Bronze and Silver over a few years until we have just one level for everyone.

[Wadih Khoury]

Why the obsession with FIDE chess?

Because it is the international metric of reference.
You can't measure the impact of policies in vacuum, you need to compare to other countries.

[Angus French]

What's the problem they're trying to fix / outcome they're trying to achieve? Is it simply raise more money, or something else?

Increase the number of FIDE rated games being played was where the board started.

How would changing the membership system help with that? What's the idea and how would it increase the number of FIDE-rated events?

[Roger de Coverly]

Increase the number of FIDE rated games being played was where the board started.
[/quote]

They have to face the reluctance of organisers unwilling to have to make a choice between adopting four hour sessions and excluding players over 2400, or at a pinch telling players their ganes against 2400 players and above won't be rated.

If there 's a theory that playing more games would mean that junior players had more realistic FIDE ratings, isn't that blown away by the radical measures now proposed by Sonas?

[Mike Gunn]

The argument is (I think) that the relatively small number of FIDE rated games in England slows down the acquisition of norms and titles by English players and thus holds back the development of our chess on the international stage.

[Angus French]

The argument is (I think) that the relatively small number of FIDE rated games in England slows down the acquisition of norms and titles by English players and thus holds back the development of our chess on the international stage.

That may be so but how would changing the membership system help increase the number of FIDE-rated events?

[Paul Cooksey]

The idea is that some people do not enter FIDE rated events because of the additional cost of Gold ECF membership.

[Angus French]

The idea is that some people do not enter FIDE rated events because of the additional cost of Gold ECF membership.

How much extra does Gold membership (or where available, the pay-to-play fee) cost in comparison to other costs for a FIDE-rated event? Is there evidence that this is holding back participation?

[NickFaulks]

Is there evidence that this is holding back participation?

The Summer Tournament which I organise, and in which you have played, should be FIDE rated. However, its original aim was to provide chess for our league players, who would baulk at effectively doubling their entry fee by upgrading to Gold. Some have even complained about having to go Silver just to play in their one annual tournament.

We could easily replace these recalcitrants with regular Congress players, but we don't want to.

[Ian Thompson]

The argument is (I think) that the relatively small number of FIDE rated games in England slows down the acquisition of norms and titles by English players and thus holds back the development of our chess on the international stage.

It might, but FIDE rating most weekend congresses wouldn't do much to help. Whilst it would allow improving players to increase their FIDE ratings towards the levels required to acquire titles, it would do nothing to make it easier to get norms. For that we need more 9, or more, round tournaments played over at least 5 days.