Manager of Congress Chess

[Roger de Coverly]

The Manager of Congress Chess introduces himself via the ECF website

http://andreww.myzen.co.uk/Holland/

Whilst I'm aware that he is a Midlands organiser, notably as Secretary of the Warwickshire Congress, his is not a name that you frequently see as either a player or arbiter at events. This is confirmed from the grading history.

[Alex Holowczak]

his is not a name that you frequently see as either a player or arbiter at events. This is confirmed from the grading history.

Even if this were even remotely true, so what?

[Paul Cooksey]

I believe Bruce Holland was formerly IT manager.

I try not to be elitist about playing strength. But I do think playing regularly would be an advantage to someone in this role, although not a requirement.

[Alex Holowczak]

But I do think playing regularly would be an advantage to someone in this role, although not a requirement.

He plays in about as many congresses per year that I do.

He's mostly a section controller at the Warwickshire Junior and Birmingham Rapidplay, while acting as the organiser of the Leamington Rapidplay and Warwickshire Championship. He'd been doing this for at least 5 years, and been involved in various capacities for the last 20 or more.

It's very difficult to play in local congresses when you're running them all!

[Paul Cooksey]

But I do think playing regularly would be an advantage to someone in this role, although not a requirement.

He plays in about as many congresses per year that I do.

He's mostly a section controller at the Warwickshire Junior and Birmingham Rapidplay, while acting as the organiser of the Leamington Rapidplay and Warwickshire Championship. He'd been doing this for at least 5 years, and been involved in various capacities for the last 20 or more.

It's very difficult to play in local congresses when you're running them all!

That is good to hear, maybe worth mentioning in the blog.

[Roger de Coverly]

Even if this were even remotely true, so what?

From the blog

I have always thought the Federation has concentrated on the British Championships at the expense of congresses up and down the country. Apart from compiling the Calendar the ECF has done little else for Congresses

Couldn't disagree, but at least it hasn't done anything positively harmful with the odd exception.

and

My aim will be to use this platform to communicate to congress chess players and organisers alike, what the ECF can do for them, along with the limits. It will also explore what events, organisers, and their customers can do for themselves.

If you are going, on behalf of the ECF, to give "advice" to players and organisers, is it not an idea to
have some recent national experience of how Congresses currently operate?

[Sean Hewitt]

I must confess, from the prospect of an active organiser that

i) I didn't know that this post had been filled ; and
ii) I don't understand what the aim of the role is

I'm not sure whether that reflects badly on me or the ECF or both, but there it is.

[Roger de Coverly]

ii) I don't understand what the aim of the role is

I suppose it's up to the job holder to outline the role, but the only Congress managed by the ECF is the British Championships and that already has a Manager. So what does Manager of Congress Chess actually manage? It's not as if Congresses aren't represented on the ECF Council.

There might be a role of sorts as Congress Liaison. If players or organisers had concerns about the rules for floating or the proliferation of different time rates, where would they take them?

[Peter Sowray]

Dear Bruce,

Congratulations on your appointment.

Best,

Peter

[Stewart Reuben]

When I was BCF Director of Congress Chess 1981-1996 I took my responsibility for congresses in addition to the British Championships seriously. I don't know how much time Neil Graham spent on this aspect of his role when he took over in 1997. Thus Bruce is wrong to say he is the first incumbent, except in so far as it is now called the ECF.

[Alan Ruffle]

Dear Bruce

Congratulations on your appointment, best of luck.

Alan Ruffle