Warwick 2015 (British Championships)

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
Stewart Reuben
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Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:16 am

Various experiments have been made at the British. e.g. here used to be a 9 round, 2 games a day tournament each Monday to Friday. It started off highly successfully and then the numbers dwindled down. Swisses used to be small sections like Hastings everywhere. These have gone out of fashion. More popular are large sections with an eye-catching first prize.
AS VAT has to be paid on entry fees to the British Championships, I have thought that it would make sense to play the weaker tournaments without prizes and thus have lower entry fees. But it seems to me the cash prize validates the win. 'I played in a chess tournament and won first prize.' Oh yes, yawn.' 'So I won £100'. 'Well done'.

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Lee Bullock
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Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Lee Bullock » Sun Jan 11, 2015 2:04 am

Hi Stewart.

A 9 rounder tournament for lower rated players sounds great. Sometimes things lose their spark when they are every year. Sometimes you need to keep things fresh. I think re introducing something like that could be a great idea. Something like deciding the best u140 player or u120 player etc at the British is important, and over 5 rounds it really can be lost by 1 bad move. Over more rounds it would have more meaning and result in the better/strongest player winning it in the end.

I myself like more rounds in tournaments. I am sure many do. Ofcourse some may not. And like the free afternoons. This is where options for players to do that could be available. But with the dwindling numbers at the British and the graded senior events just introduced I fear not enough numbers to make it work. :(

I am not a big fan of the senior graded sections. It takes a lot of the players out of the Major and I feel a graded section for all in the afternoons would be best received. And for me the prize money means very little. I myself appreciate the few trophy's a lot more that I have won than any of the money I have won. So lower entrance fee's and trophies instead for me would be a lot nicer.

Also for something like the British I feel a rating floor should be introduced. To stop deliberate sandbagging that I am afraid does go on. A simple rule if you have been below a certain grade for 2 or 3 years then you can play in that section. Some congresses do it and it really makes the lowest section for new players, youngsters, old players, beginners and players who have never reached a certain standard.

To stop over rated juniors cleaning the lowest section up maybe some rule needs to be used for that or that juniors play in their own section. I know plenty of players who detest playing these under rated juniors and not just because they are better than there grade. Some just want to play v adults.
2013/2014 and 16/17 U140 Grand Prix Winner! ;)

2015 and 2016 Chess character of the year :)

Its not a failure to lose. Its a failure when you dont try and win.

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Jon Mahony
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Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Jon Mahony » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:22 am

Well I was sobbing away, handing the best part of £400 quid over last night, but I am now booked in accommodation and entered in my tourneys for the British :D
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker

Clive Blackburn

Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Clive Blackburn » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:42 am

Does anyone else find the title of this thread confusing?

I certainly do, for two reasons:-
  • 1. The 2015 British Championships are actually being held in Coventry (at the University of Warwick campus)

    2. There is also a 2015 Warwick Congress, taking place from 28-29 February
Perhaps including "British Championships" in the title would make it clearer

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:57 am

Clive Blackburn wrote:
Perhaps including "British Championships" in the title would make it clearer
I've changed the heading of the original posting.

Clive Blackburn

Re: Warwick 2015 (British Championships)

Post by Clive Blackburn » Tue Jan 27, 2015 10:33 am

Thank you for that Roger

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Warwick 2015

Post by Alex Holowczak » Tue Jan 27, 2015 7:59 pm

Clive Blackburn wrote:2. There is also a 2015 Warwick Congress, taking place from 28-29 February
I look forward to seeing you at both events, but I'm concerned about what might happen to you in Warwick on 29th February, 2015. :wink:

Clive Blackburn

Re: Warwick 2015 (British Championships)

Post by Clive Blackburn » Tue Jan 27, 2015 11:25 pm

Haha sorry Alex, yes the Sunday will of course be 1st March :-)

Gary Kenworthy

Re: Warwick 2015 (British Championships)

Post by Gary Kenworthy » Sun Sep 25, 2016 9:24 pm

I think the conclusion of this should be --B R Eley should not be listed as qualified to be playing in the British Championship. Rather than redacted the name -- he would prefer the word "expunged". The ECF should make this a policy. His name comes up too much, each year, and causes problems.

(just seen this ---) I do like this from Dr J Rodgers - "If it is South Yorkshire Police who didn't care much about trying to bring Eley to trial, then 'nuff said, I think - this force has form. "

Also it is like saying Jimmy Saville was never convicted so he must be innocent.

BTW: Some others have been convicted. Additionally, BCF Directors in the past have written to publishers about promoting books that have been written by convicted jailed pedophiliacs. This should be formalised as an additional action.

There is an Interpol Arrest Warrant out for very good set of reasons.

CRB / DBS are needed in order to be compliant with the law. Even if they do not detect undesirables. The process has to be followed. The government holds a very big stick, and they have in the past threatened to use it on various organisations. They have also carried out those threats on some sports, pastimes and voluntary groups. Prevention is best.