ECU Senior Chess Championship 25 May to 4 June 2023

[Tim Harding]

Well spotted. So Terry and Stephen do have norm/title opportunities today.

[Mick Norris]

In the 65+ Terry drew with Ftacnik, John won but so did Fernandez Garcia and Polster, so they all finish on 7/9

In the 50+, Sturua drew Lacasa Diaz, so they are both on 6.5; Bellia & Wacker drew so they both are too; Keith won to reach 6.5 too; as did Mvra;

[Matt Mackenzie]

In the 65+ Terry drew with Ftacnik

Impressive result, especially with Black.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Sadly, it looks like Stephen Dishman has lost to Van Der Werf. The other still-relevant game ended in a draw, so that makes it a 7-way tie in the 50+ event and a 5-way tie in the 65+. Do I have that right?

[Richard Bates]

Sadly, it looks like Stephen Dishman has lost to Van Der Werf. The other still-relevant game ended in a draw, so that makes it a 7-way tie in the 50+ event and a 5-way tie in the 65+. Do I have that right?

Sounds like par for the course in senior events!!!

[LawrenceCooper]

"Five players tied for gold in the European Senior 65+ Championship scoring 7/9 points, each. According to the tiebreaks, the Winners are:
GM John Nunn (England)
GM Fernandez Garcia Jose Luis (Spain)
GM Lubomir Ftacnik (Slovakia)"

European Chess Union Facebook page.

[Mick Norris]

Chess results has John first and Terry in 4th

In the 50+, Keith also in 4th with Stephen 9th

Impressive performances, although Keith will be disappointed to miss a medal

[LawrenceCooper]

https://twitter.com/ECUonline/status/16 ... 5703398402

[Tim Harding]

Yes, some excellent English performances. Unfortunately if the Handbook rules are strictly applied, Terry's fourth on tiebreak doesn't earn him what would have been a well deserved IM norm.

John Nunn now holds both the World and European 65+ titles. He had the best tie-break thanks to being the early leader and playing all the other four who shared in the tie for first.

Fernandez Garcia also met the others but his draw in round 1 meant his second and third round opponents had relatively low scores, while Ftacnik didn't play Polster who finished fifth. (Polster won a couple of senior tournaments in Germany last year so is certainly no mug.)

In the 50+ Stephen Dishman looked to be trying hard for a win with a pawn sacrifice but fell short.
The round 9 PGNs don't seem to have been uploaded yet to chess-results so I haven't analysed the game.
I hope they remember to upload those games later.

Terry and Stephen both made substantial FIDE rating gains.

[Ian Thompson]

Unfortunately if the Handbook rules are strictly applied, Terry's fourth on tiebreak doesn't earn him what would have been a well deserved IM norm.

An IM title, not a norm, surely? He was in a tie for first place, but needed to be in the top three after applying tie-breaks to get the title. He'd have got a norm if he hadn't been in a tie for first, but had been second or third on tie-break (or outright).

[Mick Norris]

Yes, the regs say

DIRECT TITLES : Gold = first after tiebreak; 1st equal = best 3 players after tiebreak; norm = 9 games

[Tim Harding]

Yes, the regs say

DIRECT TITLES : Gold = first after tiebreak; 1st equal = best 3 players after tiebreak; norm = 9 games

It is rather ambiguous about the players who tie. These regulations about Seniors seem to have been added only recently and are not well drafted, it seems to me. Maybe the table is just a summary of more explicit decisions which can be found in FIDE minutes.

Clearly only the player who is first (on tiebreak if required) gets the IM title, and since John already has GM so it doesn't apply.

"Best 3 players after tiebreak" - could be read as 1st, 2nd or 3rd or maybe 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the latter would include Terry.
Polster, who came fifth, seems to be definitely excluded.

The final clause could be construed as saying that the 2nd, 3rd and maybe 4th get a norm not a title.

Anyway the ECF should seek clarification on whether Terry has earned a title or a norm and if the Qualifications Commission say he has not then they should try to make an exceptional application if that is possible.

[Richard Bates]

I think you’re seeing ambiguity where there is none, personally, but maybe that’s just me.

I also don’t think they’re new - in existence or in drafting. They’ve been there at least since 2014 (as per https://handbook.fide.com/ ) and I’m pretty sure pre- date the switch to >50 and >65 - in existence anyway).

[NickFaulks]

In other news, after a long delay FIDE announced today that the World Senior Individual Championships will be held in Terrasini, Sicily (near Palermo)

I don't know how this has come to pass, but the venue looks really good. I think I shall go.

[Leonard Barden]

The critical wording is:
Continental >65; >50 Individual
Continental & Regional U20

Gold – norm

1st equal – title;
Silver & Bronze – norm

where gold norm refers to GM and the other two to IM.

It seems to me, and I understand also to others, that Terry as 1st-4th equal has qualified for the IM title.

Could Nick, who is on the Fide Qualifications Commission, give his opinion on the matter?