ECF Office

[Sean Hewitt]

The prime source for English events is the ECF website.

For e2e4 the source of traffic is

25% direct (i.e type in http://www.e2e4.org.uk)
25% seacrh (i.e. google, bing etc)
50% referral (i.e. link from another site). About 15% of our traffic comes from the ECF website.

We already have advertising space on the Grading Database, and it wouldn't be difficult to feature advertisements for specific tournaments each month on a rolling basis.

I enquired about this. I asked how much the advertising would cost and was told that the ECF hadn't thought about it but would consider it and come back to me. 9 months later, I'm still waiting to hear the price.

[Mick Norris]

We already have advertising space on the Grading Database, and it wouldn't be difficult to feature advertisements for specific tournaments each month on a rolling basis.

I enquired about this. I asked how much the advertising would cost and was told that the ECF hadn't thought about it but would consider it and come back to me. 9 months later, I'm still waiting to hear the price.

I am sure the Director of Marketing would be delighted to hear from you

[Paul Buswell]

The position on French rapidplays is less clear. Paul Buswell has reported that Hastings players sometimes cross the Channel for one day events and find a variable policy as to whether they are expected to have a licence.

That is so. However, our most recent experiences are that a licence has not been expected, given that we are non-residents. If it is we just stump up the €8 (gone up a chunk lately I think) rapidplay licence, which is a modest part of overall costs within a sociable day out, and is valid for the rest of the membership year. It also gets us a French rating, which we would not get without it.

PB

[harrylamb]

Our most recent experiences are that a licence has not been expected, given that we are non-residents. If it is we just stump up the €8 It also gets us a French rating, which we would not get without it.

I think that if you have a membership card of the ECF with you and that you are not a member of an FFE club then it is not necessary pay for a FFE licence. If you do not have a membership card they normally assume that you are a member of the ECF and are very unlikely to charge (because it is inconceivable to them for a French player not to be a member the FFE, they assume the same rules apply in other countries).

But be aware that if you pay the 8 Euro not only will you get a French rating but you are likely to get French nationality! If you have paid the fee and the event is rated for the new FIDE rapidplay list (due 1-Jul-2012) then you will find that the FFE will register you as French with FIDE without your knowledge or agreement. In fact even if you do not pay and have no existing nationality they may well still put you down as French. I think they have no choice as they have to give you a country code in the grading data

If you find this hard to believe look up Ian the Frenchman, formerly known as Ian Lamb, or his brother Mike the frog here.

[E Michael White]

But be aware that if you pay the 8 Euro not only will you get a French rating but you are likely to get French nationality!

this might be an advatage.

[harrylamb]

But be aware that if you pay the 8 Euro not only will you get a French rating but you are likely to get French nationality!

this might be an advatage.

There is an irony.
Harry the rosbif does want French nationality
Ian the Frenchman wants English nationality

But the system heavily penalises change.