What is a congress?
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:12 pm
Intuitively we all know the answer; besides the relevant events tend to say 'Congress' on the entry form. And, other than for the purposes of starting an argument in an empty room, do we care? Previously, no, but now, yes.
We are reliably informed that one of the side effects of switching to a membership scheme is an increase in the provision of chess. With tiered membership organisers wishing to provide playing opportunities for grassroots players are going to want to make sure that bronze members are eligible for their competitions.
At what point does an event become a congress? Suppose a local league runs a 5 round individual competition held one game a night on the first Monday of the month Oct - Feb at a fixed venue. Is this a congress? Falling numbers tempt the organisers to try a different approach, so the same competition is now held over a single weekend at the same venue as before. Is it a congress now? Suppose the venue isn't available Sundays, so the competition is extended to six rounds held three each on consecutive Saturdays. Congress?
Is a congress necessarily an individual competition, or can you have team ones? Does the style matter - swiss/all play all/KO/jamboree. We have a two round single evening quickplay team jamboree for teams of four. Congress? Would it be any different if it were longplay played on a Sunday?
Is a congress in some sense an open event? If a large club holds it's club championships over a single weekend is this a congress or can it still be what might be termed a bronze event? Does it make any difference if they invite a few players from outside the club to add interest? Who decides who is a member of the club? - not all leagues demand lists of members to be sent in triplicate to the north pole before the start of the season.
Does size matter? Would 6 players getting together and playing an all play all at one of their houses over a weekend be participating in a congress?
Perhaps more to the point where would you want the line to be drawn between bronze and silver events?
We are reliably informed that one of the side effects of switching to a membership scheme is an increase in the provision of chess. With tiered membership organisers wishing to provide playing opportunities for grassroots players are going to want to make sure that bronze members are eligible for their competitions.
At what point does an event become a congress? Suppose a local league runs a 5 round individual competition held one game a night on the first Monday of the month Oct - Feb at a fixed venue. Is this a congress? Falling numbers tempt the organisers to try a different approach, so the same competition is now held over a single weekend at the same venue as before. Is it a congress now? Suppose the venue isn't available Sundays, so the competition is extended to six rounds held three each on consecutive Saturdays. Congress?
Is a congress necessarily an individual competition, or can you have team ones? Does the style matter - swiss/all play all/KO/jamboree. We have a two round single evening quickplay team jamboree for teams of four. Congress? Would it be any different if it were longplay played on a Sunday?
Is a congress in some sense an open event? If a large club holds it's club championships over a single weekend is this a congress or can it still be what might be termed a bronze event? Does it make any difference if they invite a few players from outside the club to add interest? Who decides who is a member of the club? - not all leagues demand lists of members to be sent in triplicate to the north pole before the start of the season.
Does size matter? Would 6 players getting together and playing an all play all at one of their houses over a weekend be participating in a congress?
Perhaps more to the point where would you want the line to be drawn between bronze and silver events?