English Chess Forum

Here comes the sun. And I say it's all right.

Today’s delivery of “New in Chess” was accompanied by a flyer for the Amateur Chess Organisation’s World Amateur Chess Championship, which is heading back to Kos, and the amazing Helona Resort, for a third straight year. Probably the best chess venue in the world. Probably!

The tournament takes place from Saturday, 6 May 2017 (arrival) until Monday, 15 May 2017 (depart). There are nine grading bands (and only a smattering of juniors smuggled out during term time). Your section is based on the higher of your FIDE or converted ECF grade. Book before 30 September 2016 and save €150.

There are presently 170 participants registered from 21 countries. That includes seven ENG entries, one IRE and one WAL. I just heard of another IRE added today to swell the entry. No one from Scotland yet - possibly Kos in May is too sunny for their Mel Gibson-like complexions? According to two Consultant Dermatologists Factor 50+ lotion gives little extra protection than Factor 15, its just marketing fiction that has most people fooled.

Most of the English entries are staying an extra night (and another day by the pool) to match the BA flights that have started to fill up.

Saturday, 6 May 2017: 08.50 am from Heathrow to Kos
Tuesday, 16 May 2017: 14.35 from Kos to Heathrow

So far as I can see Easy Jet is not booking that far in advance.

Don’t you just love chess, sunny days on the beach and dining al fresco. For the people who can't get enough chess, there's evenings of blitz, chess lectures and a GM simul. If you’re coming, see you there. Enter early before your partner changes their mind!

Details here http://amateurchess.com/aco-world-amate ... -kos-2017/

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.

Games start at 10am, how is this possible? This must be the final confirmation that Greece been subsumed as a German province.

Some of us prefer it that way.

David Gilbert wrote: Today’s delivery of “New in Chess” was accompanied by a flyer for the Amateur Chess Organisation’s World Amateur Chess Championship, which is heading back to Kos, and the amazing Helona Resort, for a third straight year. Probably the best chess venue in the world. Probably!

There's a downside that it's not recognised by FIDE, so no FIDE rating, which may discourage some players.

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7435

Some of us prefer it that way.

I'd like to see some of the 4NCL teams struggle out of bed for a 10am start on Sunday.

Is that the downside? Come and have fun Roger. Swim in the pool or the sea; enjoy the sun; dine al fresco; see Kos the birthplace of Hippocrates; take a massage; delight in the company; bring your partner on holiday; play chess in great surroundings and do your post game analysis with a Grand Master, which may encourage some players.

The Sage of Bourne End is an (ex) actuary. I rest my case.

Mike Truran wrote: I'd like to see some of the 4NCL teams struggle out of bed for a 10am start on Sunday.

Not wishing to be rude about 4NCL venues, but they don't all offer the same nightlife opportunities as Kos. Greece and early mornings just don't seem an obvious combination.

Fair point.

Doesn't seem to stop some of Ben's guys though. Although they do seem to be settling down a little as they reach their teenage years.

NickFaulks wrote:

Mike Truran wrote: I'd like to see some of the 4NCL teams struggle out of bed for a 10am start on Sunday.

Not wishing to be rude about 4NCL venues, but they don't all offer the same nightlife opportunities as Kos. Greece and early mornings just don't seem an obvious combination.

You've not been to Wakefield and Bolton then

NickFaulks wrote:

Mike Truran wrote: I'd like to see some of the 4NCL teams struggle out of bed for a 10am start on Sunday.

Not wishing to be rude about 4NCL venues, but they don't all offer the same nightlife opportunities as Kos. Greece and early mornings just don't seem an obvious combination.

We can’t all be silver-haired playboys. Personally my preference is for morning games. After lunch (the holiday is full board) I enjoy taking a swim or relaxing by the pool or on the beach listening to audiobooks or BBC radio downloads on my Ipad. Some people spend their afternoon in the pool bar drinking beer and playing chess or analysing games. The more active might take the five minute stroll along the beach to the Mark Warner complex where they can learn how to sail or windsurf, or they can try their hand at kayaking or scuba diving. For those who prefer dry land there’s tennis, mountain biking, table tennis, even yoga. Then it's time for dinner. Its all go this chess lark!

The 2017 ACO tournament on Kos was just amazing, again. It attracted record numbers - 314 participants with a further 120 non-playing partners and sunbathers. For those who missed out, every day was sunny and hot with temperatures in the high 70s; the food was fantastic; and there was chess, lots and lots of chess. People were playing and analysing night and day - before breakfast; around the pool and on the beach; and in the bars at night. For some members of our species chess is life. And talking about life, the UK finished way ahead of Germany at Eurovision!

This year’s amateur World champions were:

Group A (under 2400): GM Andrey Gutov, Russia
Group B (under 2200): IM Sandor Biro, Romania
Group C (under 2000): Günther Huber, Austria
Group D (under 1800): Tobias Kühner, Germany
Group E (under 1600): Stephen Stokes, Ireland (and Chorlton-cum-Hardy Chess Club)
Group F (under 1400): Hans-Joachim Plitzner, Germany
Group G (under 1200): Oleg Kushnir, Ukraine

The party that left these shores on 6 May 2017 consisted of thirteen players under the England banner, an Irishman playing for in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, one Indian from Milton Keynes and a Pole from Spalding Chess Club. Stephen Stokes was flagging at the awards ceremony - yes he wore the Irish tricolor -, Michael Jones of Chislehurst Chess Club picked-up third place and €100 in Group E while Pawel Golimowski of Poland and Spalding Chess Club filled the same position in Group D.

After a search of numerous prospective venues across the sunnier parts of Europe, the ACO has decided to return to the incredible Helona Resort on Kos for a fourth year in 2018. It starts a week later next year, beginning on Saturday, 12 May 2018 (arrival) and ending on Monday, 21 May 2018 (departure). Book early. I'm already excited!

Just to be clear, winners of this aren't official world champions

I entered this back in 2013, and only realised after paying for everything that the tournament is unrated, this is because of the argument they had with FIDE around them calling it the World Amateur Chess Championships, FIDE have the rights for this title; so FIDE refused to rated the event

Hence all you are winning is a ACO World Amateur Chess Championship (the bold is important)

EDIT : Noticed Roger posted the link back to 2015, where I made the same argument

Another point to make is that only 9 entrants were from non-European countries (3%), so it not a very representative world event; I suspect having the event in Kos every year doesn't make it really attractive to the rest of the world, to make it more representative perhaps moving it around the world more would be a start

Is this the thing they had in Dubai once?