Scottish and Commonwealth Championships 2014

[andyburnett]

A question asked today on our CS forum...

A week to go and not a single GM or IM from England? Anyone know why?

http://www.chessscotland.com/forum/view ... f=4&t=1091

which might better be answered on this forum

[Nigel Short]

No money offered...

[Roger de Coverly]

A question asked today on our CS forum...

You might want to have a word with Chess Scotland. It's all very well to restrict posters to Chess Scotland members or whatever, but a casual visitor isn't even allowed to read what is being said, let alone reply.

Nigel has already spoken from his viewpoint, but from the amateur viewpoint there's been next to no marketing of it as an event that English or other British competitors can be encouraged to enter. Someone writing on the ecforum, the 4NCL site, the ECF site etc. on the wonders of the tournament, Scotland, Glasgow etc. would have helped.

[Mike Truran]

Enjoy the quality of the exchanges on the Chess Scotland forum below. It puts our own feeble efforts to shame.

Re: Commonwealth less than fortnight to go!!

Unread postby George Neave » Sun Jun 22, 2014 6:05 pm
A week to go and not a single GM or IM from England? Anyone know why?

George Neave
Emanuel Lasker

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Re: Commonwealth less than fortnight to go!!

Unread postby andyburnett » Sun Jun 22, 2014 6:48 pm

George Neave wrote:A week to go and not a single GM or IM from England? Anyone know why?



Could it be because 'they' complained so much about the Indian contingent winning at the British - (who were subsequently deemed ineligible from 2004) - that they have no desire to return to losing ways against our sub-continent brethren?

andyburnett
Boris Spassky

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Re: Commonwealth less than fortnight to go!!

Unread postby Alan Jelfs » Sun Jun 22, 2014 6:58 pm

George Neave wrote:A week to go and not a single GM or IM from England? Anyone know why?


It is still term time in England so that would rule out the under-18s and teachers.
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine

Alan Jelfs
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Re: Commonwealth less than fortnight to go!!

Unread postby Alan Tate » Sun Jun 22, 2014 9:22 pm
My source informs me that many English chess players intended on watching England lift the world cup and that playing the Commonwealth would have clashed with the games, hence the reduced entry from our neighbours. This information is actually confidential so don't tell anyone I told you.

[andyburnett]

No money offered...

Did you actually enquire about this Nigel?

I do know there was a relatively substantial budget (£25,000 was given by an anonymous benefactor) though how much of this was set aside for 'conditions' I have no idea. The majority of the top players entered so far are Indian - perhaps the 'conditions fund' has gone East?

So, what would a professional/titled player expect from such an event re: conditions/appearance fee?
Would they expect to be contacted to enter, and offered conditions? Or would they normally have to enquire firstly themselves?

[Nigel Short]

About 30 of the leading Indian players have sponsors, and this enables them to play where they like. There are basically only 3-4 professional players in England so, if no effort is made to attract them, they are unlikely to participate, given the modest prizes on offer. Anyone organising the Commonwealth Championship ought to set aside some funds for GMs, if they want proper representation. I say this as a general piece of advice as former President of the Commonwealth Chess Association, and not only as an interested party. Just expecting strong players to show up is naive.

[Nigel Short]

I would have been quite happy to try and add to my three Commonwealth titles but, if no effort is made to attract people who add value to the tournament, you shouldn't complain if they don't show up.

[Alex McFarlane]

As the main organiser of the Commonwealth Championships let me state that I was not naïve enough to expect titled players to turn up without conditions. I might have been naïve enough to expect that Federations may have given additional support to those representing their nation.

Initial conditions were offered to each Commonwealth federation in respect of free accommodation for their nominees in each section (including junior sections). I had hoped to be in a position to offer further incentives but sponsorship negotiations and a major grant application proved fruitless. Though we have been supported by Celebrate which is Lottery funded.

I am slightly surprised that more English players seeking title norm opportunities have not taken advantage of the event and its proximity.

I have been told that some players would have come to Britain had they been able to play in the Major Open in Aberystwyth before heading over to the Olympiad. Unfortunately the timings of the events prevented this.

[Nigel Short]

[quote="Alex McFarlane"]As the main organiser of the Commonwealth Championships let me state that I was not naïve enough to expect titled players to turn up without conditions. I might have been naïve enough to expect that Federations may have given additional support to those representing their nation.

Alex, you attend ECF Council meetings and you know the know the parlous financial condition of our body better than most. The ECF doesn't provide more than token financial assistance, if anything at all, even to a major event like the European Championship, despite it being the sole available route, for all players bar Adams, to the World Championship (incidentally,I don't qualify for any money at all, being too old). Without being disrespectful to the Commonwealth Championship, why would you expect the ECF to provide support for what is, in the grand scheme of things, a lesser event?

I am not accusing you in any way, and nor am I complaining. In July I will participate in Chengdu, China, where I will get paid. But the original question came from the Scottish Chess Forum and it has a very simple answer.

[Alex McFarlane]

why would you expect the ECF to provide support for what is, in the grand scheme of things, a lesser event?

I didn't say I did.

Perhaps I should have added 'some' in front of Federations

I might have been naïve enough to expect that Federations may have given additional support to those representing their nation.

I will not get into a debate about how the ECF should spend its International budget but it has come in for much criticism in the recent past on this issue.

[David Sedgwick]

I will not get into a debate about how the ECF should spend its International budget but it has come in for much criticism in the recent past on this issue.

That criticism has mainly been for devoting too much rather than too little of the available funds to the top male players.

[Peter D Williams]

Just expecting strong players to show up is naive.

I agree with that statement.

Have you done anything to get chess seen as a sport by parliament? as this would open up the door to funding for the ECF. I remember going to parliament a few years ago with Peter to lobby over this matter but never heard what follow up action was taken by the ECF.With your contacts in the chess world you have a far higher chance of geting MPs to listen to this idea. Still got the picture of you with Peter at Gibraltar when he was 7

[Roger de Coverly]

Have you done anything to get chess seen as a sport by parliament?

The underlying problem is that UK law requires a sport to contain physical exertion. Moving a piece on a board or touching a screen or mouse doesn't count. Notwithstanding that other European countries ignore it for chess, it's actually a Council of Europe definition.

http://www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk/projec ... ide_03.htm

Sport means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competitions at all levels.

You would need to change two words to include Chess (and Bridge, Draughts, Backgammon, Poker, Scrabble, Magic: The Gathering etc.)

Sport means all forms of activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness or mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competitions at all levels.

[Nigel Short]

The last time there was a major push on this issue, I was told by then Sports Minister, Tony Banks (who supported the proposal), that it required 2 or possibly even 3 major pieces of legislation to be passed before it could become a reality. Given the enormous demands on parliamentary time, this just wasn't going to happen. Part of the problem was that sport is defined under Royal Charter. Of course governments can change Royal Charters, but it is slightly more tricky than simply changing their own legislation.
Perhaps we should take an approach like William Wilberforce to the abolition of slavery and accept that this just cause requires enormous determination and an inordinate amount of time. We need to be in for the long haul.
I see that Roger has contributed usefully with information, above.

[andyburnett]

Having spoken to a couple of titled players today, it would seem that the conditions offered were not good enough, particularly in view of the Indian presence (which as Nigel mentions above might/would likely include sponsored players).

That being said, having heard some of the 'fees' which players might expect, I wouldn't be surprised if the organisers had decided on a different method of using the funds available. I would imagine part of the idea of a Commonwealth championships would be to attract players from ALL eligible countries, not just ensure a couple of big names attend?! While £250-500 for a GM sounds reasonable to me (the amounts mentioned to me today) sums 10 times that would make me baulk, no matter what they bring to the event! Does anyone have any views on what the budget should be focused on primarily?

Although I haven't yet decided whether to play or not, it did occur to me a few weeks ago that I could end up being on the receiving end of 'Indian team preparation' (though to be honest, they probably wouldn't need to gang up on me to win!) - and apparently this is also a factor in some of the English GMs (possibly others also) decisions not to play. Does anyone know if this 'team prep' would be the norm (not just for the Indian contingent) or not at such an event?