British Championships 2014?

[IM Jack Rudd]

and my other question is why is it there was a low number of GM and IM not entered the British Championship in 2012 and how will fix it for 2013/2014?

Money is the big sticking point. It costs a lot to hire the services of a GM for two weeks.

Is being British champ not good enough for a GM???

The possibility of being British champion? No. GMs are, by and large, professional players, and they don't particularly want to spend two weeks doing their job when there's a possibility that they won't make any money out of it, and may even lose out financially.

[Stewart Reuben]

Llandudno would be ideal in my view. But it was not available at our usual dates at least until after 2012.

Manchester probably has the same problem as London. The venue is unlikely to be free or even cheap. John Reyes I suggest you make initial enquiries of Event City in Manchester. Minimum 1200 sq. m playing area (flat and well-lit), several break-out rooms. Don't try to specify a year. Two weeks at the end of July and early August. Contact Lara Barnes whether or not successful.
It brings about 1000 people to town for two weeks.

Many GMs are professional and the rewards aren't high. They need an adequate income from any event. This might be in the form of start money or prizes.

[John Reyes]

[quote="Stewart Reuben"]Llandudno would be ideal in my view. But it was not available at our usual dates at least until after 2012.

Manchester probably has the same problem as London. The venue is unlikely to be free or even cheap. John Reyes I suggest you make initial enquiries of Event City in Manchester. Minimum 1200 sq. m playing area (flat and well-lit), several break-out rooms. Don't try to specify a year. Two weeks at the end of July and early August. Contact Lara Barnes whether or not successful.
It brings about 1000 people to town for two weeks.

i have rang the event city and they have sent me some details that i will forward to lara barnes, but it look so far so good!!!

this is what they put on the bottom of the e-mail sent to me

If you could email me some further details about the chess event ie. how much space you would need and over how many days I can give you an idea of what costs you will be looking at. Do you have a budget for this event?

[Stewart Reuben]

John Reyes Lara can giv you a closer estimate.
It neds a minimum of 1200 sq

[Sean Hewitt]

this is what they put on the bottom of the e-mail sent to me

If you could email me some further details about the chess event ie. how much space you would need and over how many days I can give you an idea of what costs you will be looking at. Do you have a budget for this event?

John - When you tell them that the budget is zero, that's when the real fun starts!

[Stewart Reuben]

My computer went mad. It is easier to start again.

John Reyes Lara can give you a closer estimate.
It needs a minimum of 1200 sq.m playing area. This can be spread over two halls. Flat, well lit, quiet.
Extra halls: Commentary, analysis, coaching. Admin at last one, preferably two. Once st up there is littl change for the whole period.
Wifi available.
Last week in July first in August, but it could be later, particularly in 2014. 12 days playing, plus one day setting up.
Tables suitable for chess and comfortable chairs. About 400 players at a given time.
The event brings about 1000 people to the town at any one time.
We expect the venue normally to be free in view of the amount of business brought in and the positive publicity, for example about 400 column inches in the quality press. Thus that was the deal in Torquay 2009, Canterbury 2010, Sheffield 2011 and North Shields 2012.
The demographics of the economic profile of the players is A, B, C1, C2. The players vary from over 60 to Under 8. Adult players bring their families and children bring in their parents and siblings.

There is a great dal of information on the British Chess Championships 2012 website which can be found from the English Chess Federation one.

[John Reyes]

well i e-mail lara, so i hope that they can sort a deal out

[Neil Graham]

well i e-mail lara, so i hope that they can sort a deal out

The leader of Manchester City Council is a chess player and indeed competed in the British Junior Championships in the 1960s so he might be sympathetic to an approach from the Federation.

[Roger de Coverly]

The leader of Manchester City Council is a chess player and indeed competed in the British Junior Championships in the 1960s so he might be sympathetic to an approach from the Federation.

That was well spotted.

A bit of Google finds
http://www.365chess.com/players/RC._Leese

So competing alongside players who became well known in chess circles, some of whom are still playing to this day.

http://www.365chess.com/tournaments/BCF ... 1966/26335

[Mick Norris]

well i e-mail lara, so i hope that they can sort a deal out

The leader of Manchester City Council is a chess player and indeed competed in the British Junior Championships in the 1960s so he might be sympathetic to an approach from the Federation.

And indeed has been approached by the MCF, who have discussed venues with a number of different possible locations in Manchester

Cost likely to be between £30,000 and £75,000

During the football season, and even outside of it with Conferences and tourists, Manchester and Salford tend to be pretty busy, so the event is not as attractive to the cities as it may be to seaside towns

Would you not think it a good idea to ask the MCF, or at least me as President, before sending people off to contact others randomly, possibly spoiling any chances in the process?

[Roger de Coverly]

Cost likely to be between £30,000 and £75,000

If that has to be covered by entry fees, it's pretty close to a non-starter. Based on a 1000 entries, that's £ 30 to £ 75 per entry before other costs, such as prize funds.

[Neil Graham]

well i e-mail lara, so i hope that they can sort a deal out

The leader of Manchester City Council is a chess player and indeed competed in the British Junior Championships in the 1960s so he might be sympathetic to an approach from the Federation.

And indeed has been approached by the MCF, who have discussed venues with a number of different possible locations in Manchester

Cost likely to be between £30,000 and £75,000

During the football season, and even outside of it with Conferences and tourists, Manchester and Salford tend to be pretty busy, so the event is not as attractive to the cities as it may be to seaside towns

Would you not think it a good idea to ask the MCF, or at least me as President, before sending people off to contact others randomly, possibly spoiling any chances in the process?

I'm not quite sure if the above is addressed to me; if so I certainly didn't suggest anyone contact anybody; merely adding some info. In any event the ECF should be working with Manchester officials; neither party ought to be working in isolation I would have thought.

[Mick Norris]

No Neil, it was Mr Reuben's idea

Now I have an email with a brochure from a company owned by Peel Holdings (who own the Trafford Centre) - what do I do? Waste time investigating, or run with the assumption, having dealt with Peel in the past, that it won't be affordable?

If it was me in charge, I'd set the basic policy centrally in the ECF, then ask the Unions in turn with Scotland and Wales to organise a venue i.e. once every 7 years (or 6 if you want to exclude the MCCU given it already hosts the central venues for the County Championships and for half the ECF Council meetings) they get to do it - seems a better way of trying to use volunteers closer to the grass roots without overloading them

[JustinHorton]

The leader of Manchester City Council is a chess player and indeed competed in the British Junior Championships in the 1960s so he might be sympathetic to an approach from the Federation.

That was well spotted.

A bit of Google finds
http://www.365chess.com/players/RC._Leese

So competing alongside players who became well known in chess circles, some of whom are still playing to this day.

http://www.365chess.com/tournaments/BCF ... 1966/26335

Good Lord. Is that the Dave Hackett who used to play for Witney? I always thought he was about my age!

[Adam Raoof]

No Neil, it was Mr Reuben's idea

Now I have an email with a brochure from a company owned by Peel Holdings (who own the Trafford Centre) - what do I do? Waste time investigating, or run with the assumption, having dealt with Peel in the past, that it won't be affordable?

If it was me in charge, I'd set the basic policy centrally in the ECF, then ask the Unions in turn with Scotland and Wales to organise a venue i.e. once every 7 years (or 6 if you want to exclude the MCCU given it already hosts the central venues for the County Championships and for half the ECF Council meetings) they get to do it - seems a better way of trying to use volunteers closer to the grass roots without overloading them

I think that it would be very useful for someone with experience of chess tournaments, good local knowledge, and some appreciation of the conditions at the Championships, to deal directly with a potential venue. You need to give them the honest parameters within which we can all work - the spaces required, cost (as close to nil as possible), equipment (tables and chairs, breakout rooms, IT facilities). You will quickly know whether it is realistic.

If the prospect seems at all likely, then you can arrange a site visit with the Manager of the British Championships or the Director of Home Chess.