99th British #Chess Championships 2012

[Alex Holowczak]

It might help if there was an obviously accessible page detailing eligibility requirements. Presumably somebody has assumed there is a qualification by marriage, and/or is unsure about current residency.

The paper entry form continues to specify

Championship events are open only to British Isles subjects or players resident therein for the past year, or those with British Overseas Dependent Territories Citizenship.

The online material makes no similar stipulation, that a quick scan finds.

If they wanted to formalise it, the ECF might wish to say that players, not ENG, SCO, WLS, IRL, GCI, JCI wishing to qualify by residence should contact the ECF in confidence to validate their status.

It does need an update. For example, I'm not a British subject, I'm a British citizen. This wording must have been used since before 1983, and no one noticed that the definitions changed.

[Sean Hewitt]

Do we know yet who is maintaining the list of qualifiers?

I have outstanding qualifiers to submit but can't because, without an up to date list of currently qualified players I can't work who has made it through from my events.

[Adam Raoof]

Do we know yet who is maintaining the list of qualifiers?

I have outstanding qualifiers to submit but can't because, without an up to date list of currently qualified players I can't work who has made it through from my events.

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=16358

Send them to me or to Lara Barnes!

[Sean Hewitt]

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=16358

Send them to me or to Lara Barnes!

Many thanks for the prompt response.

[John Upham]

Some notable qualifiers include:

MOTHERSILL, Anne
NEEDHAM, Teresa
PENROSE, Jonathan

Are all qualifiers written to by the ECF?

[Jonathan Bryant]

Are all qualifiers written to by the ECF?

Are we about to enter the annual "Brian Eley has qualified for the British Championship" chinwag?

[Stewart Reuben]

I don't believe for one moment that the ECF maintains a database of the addresses of all players who are qualified to play in the British Championship. This is because inactive players with appropriate titles are still qualified. Few are members. Why this was introduced relatively recently I have no idea, activity is easy to track.
Examples: Hodgson, James Howell, Keene, Kumaran, Nunn, Penrose, Stean - and that is just English GMs.
Bob Wade once complained to me that he was the only English IM not eligible to play in the British. I pointed out to him that neither were Penrose or Kottnauer and he was mollified.
2013, the 100th British Championship looms in Torquay. Is there going to be a parade of champions?

[Alan Burke]

Can anyone explain why, at the 2012 British Championships, the u-160 rapidplay events are to be FIDE rated yet the graded longplay events are not ?

I would have thought that all events, at least with regard to the u-180 and u-160 longplay competitions should be treated in the same way as the rapidplay tournaments for the same level of players (ie either all should be FIDE rated or none at all).

[Roger de Coverly]

I would have thought that all events, at least with regard to the u-180 and u-160 longplay competitions should be treated in the same way as the rapidplay tournaments for the same level of players (ie either all should be FIDE rated or none at all).

It's a bit of a mixed bag. The rapid-plays are rated for the rapid-play list which FIDE only started this year. This is distinct from the standard play list which is being extended for the first time this year to the 5 day afternoon events (7 hour sessions) and the Open section of the weekender (4 hour sessions)

Not everyone would want to risk a hard earned International rating in a four hour game.

An unrated player needs to play 3 rated opponents out of 5 to obtain a part rating in a 5 round tournament so you need to know that enough of the players will already have ratings.

Those at Sheffield last year will have filled in a questionnaire which asked for opinions on the extension of International rating beyond the Championship, Major Open, Under 16 and Seniors.

[Alan Burke]

Actually Roger, the 5 day open morning tournaments (4 hour sessions) are also being FIDE-rated at the 2012 Championships.

I do understand your point about players not wanting to risk their ratings at a 4 hour event, yet, in that case, it could easily prevent some rated players, who would normally play in those tournaments, from doing so for the fear of that loss, whilst those seeking their first rating in the now FIDE-rated tournaments will still have to ensure that enough opponents are already rated.

Although I again understand your point about the rapidplay ratings being a new concept, it still seems a bit unfair that u-160 rapidplay players have a chance to play in a FIDE event limited to competitors at their strength whilst the equivalent standard players cannot.

Personally I agree with the graded events not being FIDE rated but at the same time I would have thought the open section of the rapidplays should be rated but not the under-160 event.

[Alex McFarlane]

Both the current Home Director and the previous Marketing Director were keen to expand the number of FIDE rated events. The survey carried out by me at the Championships indicated the main events where the players showed an indication that FIDE ratngs would be welcome. These tended to agree with the feelings of the co-managers of the time and the number of FIDE rated players participating made it possible.

The Weekend Open was perhaps the least clear and may need to be re-examined by whoever is running the 2013 event.

As rating of the rapidplay by FIDE is free this year and most people regard a rapidplay rating as a bit of fun, I felt it was worth doing for one year. Again the whole area of FIDE rating the rapidplays should be returned to after FIDE announces the fees for 2013 and participants indicate their desires.

[Alan Burke]

Thanks Alex, that explains it, especially why the lower ranked rapidplay is being graded.

[Roger de Coverly]

The latest from Gidders

http://stevegiddinschessblog.blogspot.c ... grata.html

Is his mole correct?

[Carl Hibbard]

The latest from Gidders

http://stevegiddinschessblog.blogspot.c ... grata.html

Is his mole correct?

Or a post to generate more traffic I suspect

[Alex McFarlane]

She certainly said that he would not be welcome, I'm not sure that she went as far as saying he would be ejected. I mean, he might be planning to come with a bunch of flowers and an apology!!