British Chess Championships 2013

[Angus French]

I have notice of a grading-related agenda item for next month's AGM. The meeting will be asked to endorse a proposal from the Manager of Grading & Rating that the grading of overseas games be discontinued following the publication of the January 2013 grading list. Chris Majer is preparing a paper on the subject, which will be uploaded to the ECF website as soon as it is available (probably in a week's time).

Excellent. I was going to write in my election "manifesto" that I thought this would be a good idea. Glad that the Manager of Grading agrees with me!

I’m eager to hear about your plans for the centenary British Championships.

[Alex Holowczak]

I’m eager to hear about your plans for the centenary British Championships.

I suppose that depends on what you mean by my "plans". I believe that it's up to the Director of Home Chess to make sure the event goes ahead, and it's for the Director of Membership and Marketing to come up with all the bells and whistles associated with that event (albeit in consultation with me, and the Manager of the British Championships).

[Roger de Coverly]

(albeit in consultation with me, and the Manager of the British Championships).

Who appoints or re-appoints the Manager?

[Sean Hewitt]

Who appoints or re-appoints the Manager?

I believe the board makes the appointment, upon the recommendation of the DoHC.

[Angus French]

I’m eager to hear about your plans for the centenary British Championships.

I suppose that depends on what you mean by my "plans". I believe that it's up to the Director of Home Chess to make sure the event goes ahead, and it's for the Director of Membership and Marketing to come up with all the bells and whistles associated with that event (albeit in consultation with me, and the Manager of the British Championships).

Well, the ECF Regulations which cover Directors and Officers' Responsibilities, state that the Director of Home Chess "has overall responsibility for ... the British Championships". I think this means that you would be in charge, not anyone else. And here, I'm really meaning not the current ECF President who appararently has very big plans for the Championships and has made clear that they're a major part of his election campaign.

[Alex Holowczak]

I’m eager to hear about your plans for the centenary British Championships.

I suppose that depends on what you mean by my "plans". I believe that it's up to the Director of Home Chess to make sure the event goes ahead, and it's for the Director of Membership and Marketing to come up with all the bells and whistles associated with that event (albeit in consultation with me, and the Manager of the British Championships).

Well, the ECF Regulations which cover Directors and Officers' Responsibilities, state that the Director of Home Chess "has overall responsibility for ... the British Championships". I think this means that you would be in charge, not anyone else.

Yes, I'd have overall responsibility for organising the British Championship. The event will be organised.

What I wouldn't have overall responsibility for is generating publicity due to it being event #100. The idea presumably is that the press would be far more into the event, with it being #100.

I found this extract from the same Regulations: "Develops and implements a strategic marketing plan aimed at increasing the commercial revenues of the ECF through a market-research-led approach to strengthen relationships with members, Game Fee payers, chess organisers and officials, local and national media, and the wider business community."

With this in mind, it would seem to me that generating media interest in British Championship #100 isn't the sole responsibility of me, but also of the Marketing Director.

I accept that generating the publicity that is usually generated is part of my remit, but generating publicity above and beyond that because of the special nature of it being #100 must also fall under the remit of the Marketing Director. We'd need to work together on it.

[Angus French]

Yes, I'd have overall responsibility for organising the British Championship. The event will be organised.

What I wouldn't have overall responsibility for is generating publicity due to it being event #100. The idea presumably is that the press would be far more into the event, with it being #100.

I found this extract from the same Regulations: "Develops and implements a strategic marketing plan aimed at increasing the commercial revenues of the ECF through a market-research-led approach to strengthen relationships with members, Game Fee payers, chess organisers and officials, local and national media, and the wider business community."

With this in mind, it would seem to me that generating media interest in British Championship #100 isn't the sole responsibility of me, but also of the Marketing Director.

I accept that generating the publicity that is usually generated is part of my remit, but generating publicity above and beyond that because of the special nature of it being #100 must also fall under the remit of the Marketing Director. We'd need to work together on it.

Ugh. Alex responded to the original post just as I was editing it.

My concern is that CJ has said that he has big plans for centenary championships - they’re part of his election campaign – and I wonder how things will work out since it’s the Director of Home Chess who has overall responsibility for the Championships. I’m also mindful of what happened and didn’t happen at Sheffield in 2011. Alex, as a candidate for the DoHC position, can you comment on this?

[Alex Holowczak]

Alex, as a candidate for the DoHC position, can you comment on this?

CJ's election address says:

"The coming year will be a spectacular showcase for chess in this country with the Grand Prix, London Chess Classic, Candidates and 100th British. If I am lucky enough to be allowed to continue in my role, I will work as closely as I can to ensure the success of, and enjoyment from, these amazing events."

Working "as closely as I can" doesn't suggest to me that he considers himself to have the overall responsibility for the event.

If Council elects CJ based on what he's written in his article with respect to the 100th British, then I'm affectively mandated to work with him with respect to the funding side of the Championship.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Alex, as a candidate for the DoHC position, can you comment on this?

CJ's election address says:

"The coming year will be a spectacular showcase for chess in this country with the Grand Prix, London Chess Classic, Candidates and 100th British. If I am lucky enough to be allowed to continue in my role, I will work as closely as I can to ensure the success of, and enjoyment from, these amazing events."

Working "as closely as I can" doesn't suggest to me that he considers himself to have the overall responsibility for the event.

If Council elects CJ based on what he's written in his article with respect to the 100th British, then I'm affectively mandated to work with him with respect to the funding side of the Championship.

Presumably with the Finance Director as well. Or to put that another way, with something like the British Championships, there are a fair number of Directors and Managers that need to liaise with each other.

[Roger de Coverly]

Presumably with the Finance Director as well. Or to put that another way, with something like the British Championships, there are a fair number of Directors and Managers that need to liaise with each other.

Past practice was that the Congress was more or less autonomous. Perhaps the ECF Office were involved but not the other directors. That was where CJ broke the previous system in 2011 by handling expenses and fees to players himself rather than leaving it in the hands of Congress management. One consequence being that the sponsorship income was misstated in the ECF Accounts for nearly a year, only being corrected on the morning of the April 2012 Finance meeting.

[Roger de Coverly]

I not sure whether we were ever supposed to be allowed to read the minutes for 2012 Board meetings, but there is one piece of unannounced good news.

It appears the ECF has received a legacy, part of which, £ 8000 being the quoted figure, is to be used for 2013 British.

[Alex McFarlane]

This was announced at the AGM albeit in answer to my question about the position of 'promised' underwriting of the hire cost for the venue.

Perhaps this should be in the 'Leaks' thread but my understanding is that a certain ex-member of the Board gave an undertaking to cover the cost of the hire of the venue if necessary, which if you take VAT into consideration is a figure very similar to that allocated from the bequest. My source is not the current manager nor any previous one but a former Board member. Now that I am reminded of this it is the one occasion where I have been given correct information directly.

In this respect it is a great pity that the previous policy of getting a free venue was not continued as the £8000 could then have been used for conditions for titled players in its entirety.

[Paul McKeown]

Errr, but the venue was already booked years ago....

[Roger de Coverly]

Errr, but the venue was already booked years ago....

The announcement about Torquay was made during 2011. It appears the rental cost will be of the order of £ 8,000 but I don't expect the ECF has to pay it until much nearer or after the 2013 event. The story appears to be that the ex-President was prepared to underwrite the expenditure in the absence of other sources of finance. On this basis, the ECF made the booking, presumably as a way of getting certainty for 2013, rather than holding out for a better offer.

[Rob Thompson]

I’m eager to hear about your plans for the centenary British Championships.

I suppose that depends on what you mean by my "plans". I believe that it's up to the Director of Home Chess to make sure the event goes ahead, and it's for the Director of Membership and Marketing to come up with all the bells and whistles associated with that event (albeit in consultation with me, and the Manager of the British Championships).

Since we don't currently have a Director of Membership and Marketing, and there is no certainty of getting one, have you had to change your previous stance on this?