1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Details of upcoming UK events, please provide working links if possible.
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David Lettington
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1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by David Lettington » Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:52 pm

The 1st Medway Chess Congress will take place 23rd/24th September 2017, hosted by Chatham Grammar School for Girls.

Further details, online entry and downloadable entry form here: http://www.invictachess.co.uk

The prize fund will be increased if there are more than 60 entrants.

This is the first event organised by Invicta Chess, so we would love your support!

Roger de Coverly
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:26 pm

David Lettington wrote:The 1st Medway Chess Congress will take place 23rd/24th September 2017, hosted by Chatham Grammar School for Girls.
Three hour sessions with the move rate
Players must make 35 moves in 75 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes quickplay
finish to complete the game.
I'm very familiar with that move rate, as it's been used in the Bucks League for getting on for twenty years.
If you have digital clocks available, 80 minutes with 10 second increments can work better by avoiding the need for 10.2/Appendix G claims. That's the rate used by your near neighbours at the Weald Congress.

A start at 10:00 or later on the Saturday would mean a not so early start for those who might be tempted with an M25 commute or even a one-night stopover in Kent.

Michael Flatt
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Michael Flatt » Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:45 pm

Are the organisers aware that the ECF 'Pay to Play' grading fees will increase from 1st September?

Both Adults and Juniors, who are not ECF Silver members or higher, will be charged at £7.50 (previously £7 adult, £5 junior).

I would suggest that the Entry Form is updated with the new fees, otherwise the Congress will lose money unnecessarily to the ECF.

Ref.
ECF membership/grading fees: http://www.englishchess.org.uk/ecf-fees ... mber-2017/

David Lettington
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by David Lettington » Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:38 am

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the fees increase, but as it has been advertised at £7 / £5, we'll stick to that and make it a flat £7.50 for further events.

I had considered a 10am start, but we're obviously reliant on the locking up time that was preferred by the venue.

Similarly, I had considered using increments, but if there were lots of entrants (over 90) then I may not be able to guarantee a DGT clock on every board.

I'd like to run other events, so if you know of any good venues, please let me know.

David Lettington
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by David Lettington » Fri Aug 18, 2017 5:17 pm

I can now confirm that there will DGT2010 clocks on every board and that we have brand new playing equipment too!

David Lettington
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by David Lettington » Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:23 pm

Unfortunately, I have had to cancel the Medway Congress due to lack of entries. I will be returning payment to those who have entered so far.

I may look for a date later in the year to re-launch the idea if I can find a sponsor. I'd only had 12 paying entrants and really need about 40 to 45 to just break even.

Michael Flatt
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Michael Flatt » Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:25 pm

It's a shame that you've had to cancel.

Increasingly players leave it to the last minute to enter, especially if they have the option of Online Entry.

In the local weekend tournaments where I assist 50 percent of entries arrive in the last 7-10 days. A good number used to turn up unannounced on the day, but thankfully that has lessened.

A publicity drive 2-3 weeks ahead of the event helps to encourage those who had intended to enter but hadn't gotten around to doing so.

Organisers need nerves of steel.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:21 pm

"It's a shame that you've had to cancel."

Agreed - I recall one John Sargent event (Westminster Rapidplay or one in the crypt in East End), where he had 14 entries on Friday night and another 50 entered on the day... That doesn't happen so much with weekenders though.

I hope you have better luck in the future.

Ian Thompson
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Ian Thompson » Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:50 pm

Michael Flatt wrote:Increasingly players leave it to the last minute to enter, especially if they have the option of Online Entry.

In the local weekend tournaments where I assist 50 percent of entries arrive in the last 7-10 days. A good number used to turn up unannounced on the day, but thankfully that has lessened.
I asked this once before on this forum, but didn't get an answer. Does the late entry fee deadline make much difference to when people enter?

Alex Holowczak
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Alex Holowczak » Sun Sep 10, 2017 3:00 pm

Ian Thompson wrote:
Michael Flatt wrote:Increasingly players leave it to the last minute to enter, especially if they have the option of Online Entry.

In the local weekend tournaments where I assist 50 percent of entries arrive in the last 7-10 days. A good number used to turn up unannounced on the day, but thankfully that has lessened.
I asked this once before on this forum, but didn't get an answer. Does the late entry fee deadline make much difference to when people enter?
4NCL Congresses are fairly predictable now. They don't have a late entry fee until the day of the event. Of course, we have online entry so people can enter late. I find something a bit different from Michael at 4NCL Congresses - the entries double in the last fortnight. However, there are accommodation considerations there, so people presumably book a bit earlier than for a local event?

I remember being about to get on an aeroplane from Johannesburg on 1st October, worried that my Rapidplay in Birmingham only had 35 entries. What had gone wrong? The event was only 12 days away. We ended up with 112 entries, which was actually higher than usual; high enough that we had to rent extra space.

The Leamington Rapidplay going on presently only had 40odd entries at the beginning of the week, but they reached 96 at start of play this morning.

Michael Flatt
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Re: 1st Medway Chess Congress - 23rd/24th September 2017

Post by Michael Flatt » Sun Sep 10, 2017 4:44 pm

Ian Thompson wrote:I asked this once before on this forum, but didn't get an answer. Does the late entry fee deadline make much difference to when people enter?
I don't believe that late entry fees have any real influence over whether or not a player enters or when. It more likely that personal circumstances cause people to delay until the last possible minute.

Now that organisers can take entries directly by Online forms or direct bank transfers and emailing of details, I don't actually understand the purpose of late entry penalty fees, except as a supplementary income akin to voluntary donations.

It is important for organiser to have details of all competitors before the day of the event to be able to check grades, ECF membership level and eligibility requirements (for county titles, junior prizes, etc.) and set up the pairing software.

The number of volunteers involved in running an event is often smaller than in earlier years so that organisers are increasingly dependent on computer technology. The supply of recognised ECF and FIDE Arbiters is very limited with some parts of the country much better served than others.

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