Post
by David Pardoe » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:50 pm
Roger,
We are not talking about non chess players. If you start from the simple notion of someone who just knows the basic moves..
Your idea of free events that might bring players flooding in...I like. Its called `on-line chess`, or that's as near as it gets..
Maybe some of our top GMs giving public Simuls in a local shopping precinct can also help boost local interest..
But seriously, maybe our local chess bodies need to look at ways of reaching out to joe public, who are often frightened off activities such as chess because they think you have to be some kind of super intelligent being in order to participate. We need to break down these barriers, put out by some media pundits, and inform joe public that chess really is `the people`s game`, which really can provide hours of entertainment and challenge to players of all standards and ages...including, dare I say it, the ladies.
Question is, can we divert some of these players towards OTB chess....
My membership concepts are of an offering that is certainly not expensive.. ie, for just a few quid, you can sign up.. ie, about the cost of a night out down the local, swigging a few pints of Tetleys best bitter...
It costs me a tenner to go and watch Stockport County play football.. double it, and hey presto, your watching a super charged Man United... or some of us are..!
So, our leisure activities don't need to cost a mint....and we get hours of `challenge` ..loosely called entertainment.
There`s no such thing as a free lunch...but I`m all in favour of any initiatives that can boost membership and support British chess...
Yes, there is no magic answers to solve the many issues that serve to challenge us...a good steady influx of new blood, supported by volunteers to keep the wheels turning, and your organisation has legs...
BRING BACK THE BCF