ECF Game Fees

[Michael Flatt]

Is the information on Game Fees published on the ECF website correct?
In partcular, what game fee is payable by a Junior (non ECF member) playing an ECF standard rated game in the local league?

I assumed it was £0.60, but the ECF website suggests £2.50, since adult Bronze membership appears to be required.
I don't think that Council intended that Juniors playing in adult competitions would have to pay adult fees.

ECF Game Fees: http://www.englishchess.org.uk/membersh ... vent-type/

[Roger de Coverly]

I don't think that Council intended that Juniors playing in adult competitions would have to pay adult fees.

It had always been the case that the amount of Game Fee payable was the same for every board in an adult League. Under the previous regime, internal club events and junior only events had concessions which were to be swept away under the enthusiasm for compulsory membership. Despite the denials of membership advocates, the new scheme was a considerable price hike for juniors. In an attempt to moderate this, the membership proponents came up with the idea of free Silver membership for new Junior players. This thwarted the stated objective of the membership scheme, namely to raise money for the ECF by increasing the costs of participating in Leagues and Congresses for those playing a relative handful of games.

So if Council as it did, voted for a membership scheme, part of that package was trebling of Game Fee in respect of the occasional player, no exceptions being made, other than for exclusively junior events. Notwithstanding that it ( pseudo-compulsory membership) was a de facto constitutional change, it was pushed through as requiring only a 50% majority.

[David Sedgwick]

I don't think that Council intended that Juniors playing in adult competitions would have to pay adult fees.

I would have said that Council did intend that - and I'm going back to the introduction of Game Fee in the early 1990s.

There have always been concessions for Junior only events, but not for Juniors playing in adult events.

[Michael Flatt]

1. Adult ECF-rated Congresses
We have Juniors who play in our local ECF rated standard play Congresses and I thought that we accept Junior Silver membership as sufficient to play and for games to be graded. Should we be demanding Adult Silver membership from Juniors?

We include a game fee notice in our entry form suggesting that those entering our competitions with Bronze or Junior Bronze membership may upgrade to Silver or Junior Silver membership by payment of £7 (adults) or £5 (juniors).

2. Junior only ECF-rated Rapidplay
My memory may be incorrect but up to 2 or 3 years ago weren't Junior games in Junior only Rapidplay competitions graded for free?

3. Forthcoming ECF-rated combined Adult League and Junior Friendly
Normally, I don't get involved on the money side of things so what actually happens hasn't been of any concern. But now with our Juniors being invited to play a few games in the league I wanted to be sure I understood what fees are due.

Incidentally, a forthcoming league game will be extended to include two friendly games between two pairs of juniors. Will those playing an adult league have to pay adult game fee and those playing junior only friendly games have to pay the junior game fee?

4. Free Junior Silver membership
If our Juniors take out the one year free junior membership will they be exempt from all league game fees?

[Roger de Coverly]

1. Adult ECF-rated Congresses
We have Juniors who play in our local ECF rated standard play Congresses and I thought that we accept Junior Silver membership as sufficient to play and for games to be graded. Should we be demanding Adult Silver membership from Juniors?

The way that the ECF Council voted the wording of the membership scheme was that Junior Silver membership was sufficient. It was just offering a cut price concession, given that the ECF was otherwise massively increasing the costs of taking part in exclusively junior events given that more often than not, they are classifiable as Congresses.

2. Junior only ECF-rated Rapidplay
My memory may be incorrect but up to 2 or 3 years ago weren't Junior games in Junior only Rapidplay competitions graded for free?

Only if ECF members. In the days when membership wasn't a requirement, Game Fee was about 50p per head for a five round junior tournament.

3. Forthcoming ECF-rated combined Adult League and Junior Friendly
Normally, I don't get involved on the money side of things so what actually happens hasn't been of any concern. But now with our Juniors being invited to play a few games in the league I wanted to be sure I understood what fees are due.

The same rules as for adult non-members
As to friendlies, they would likely to count as adult games, unless you can twist the arm of the local grader to classify them as a separate junior event.

4. Free Junior Silver membership
If our Juniors take out the one year free junior membership will they be exempt from all league game fees?

League Game Fees apply only to non-members.

Although a much simpler system to charge in respect everyone playing in a League, such was the moaning and gnashing of teeth from some quarters, particularly in the North, that the current hybrid was forced on those who would have kept things more or less as they were.

[Michael Flatt]

Thanks, Roger.

So, I assume that wherever Bronze, Silver and Gold adult membership is required then the equivalent Junior membership level would be sufficient. In which case the information on the ECF website does need to be corrected.

As juniors are currently required to play full adult game fees, £2.50 standard play and £1.25 rapid play, there is little incentive for juniors to play an occasional game for an adult team.

[Roger de Coverly]

Thanks, Roger.

So, I assume that wherever Bronze, Silver and Gold adult membership is required then the equivalent Junior membership level would be sufficient. In which case the information on the ECF website does need to be corrected.

What information needs to be corrected? There's still a concessionary rate for junior only events.

As juniors are currently required to play full adult game fees, £2.50 standard play and £1.25 rapid play, there is little incentive for juniors to play an occasional game for an adult team.

Or an adult, if not a regular player, for that matter.

[Michael Flatt]

What information needs to be corrected? There's still a concessionary rate for junior only events.

The following table: http://www.englishchess.org.uk/membersh ... vent-type/

[Roger de Coverly]

The following table:

Other than noting that G, S and B include JG, JS and JB for membership, was there anything to change?

[Michael Flatt]

Other than noting that G, S and B include JG, JS and JB for membership, was there anything to change?

I think that it requires a statement to clarify that.

Currently, the way it reads seems to exclude JG, JS and JB membership from having any benefit in adult competitions.

Does anyone actually do an independent review of these documents before they are posted on the website?