World Junior U-20 2013

[Roger de Coverly]

This is based on a report of an ECF Board meeting which could well have been overtaken by events. It would appear that the ECF have declined to send players to this year's U20 in Turkey on the grounds that the venue is very near the Syrian border.

PE provided this report after the meeting for Members’ information:

World Junior U20. For safety reasons, David Openshaw and I agreed that we will not be sending
players to the World Junior U20 (15-30 Sep in Antakya, Hatay Province, Turkey). Effected players:
Yang-Fan Zhou, Amy Hoare, Sam Franklin, Rob Thompson, Martin Brown. Coach effected: Mark
Hebden and potentially David Howell. The Foreign Office warns against travel within 10 km of the
Syrian border. Antakya is 13 km from the border, an insignificant distinction. Nigel Short, David
Sedgwick and David Anderton (for the JRT) are considering how to proceed.

[Geoff Chandler]

This is a serious one.

Agree it's best not to go. That whole region is a powder keg at the moment.

Perhaps use the time and funds they had set aside to go and turn it into a mini-training camp.

[Peter D Williams]

This is based on a report of an ECF Board meeting which could well have been overtaken by events. It would appear that the ECF have declined to send players to this year's U20 in Turkey on the grounds that the venue is very near the Syrian border.

PE provided this report after the meeting for Members’ information:

World Junior U20. For safety reasons, David Openshaw and I agreed that we will not be sending
players to the World Junior U20 (15-30 Sep in Antakya, Hatay Province, Turkey). Effected players:
Yang-Fan Zhou, Amy Hoare, Sam Franklin, Rob Thompson, Martin Brown. Coach effected: Mark
Hebden and potentially David Howell. The Foreign Office warns against travel within 10 km of the
Syrian border. Antakya is 13 km from the border, an insignificant distinction. Nigel Short, David
Sedgwick and David Anderton (for the JRT) are considering how to proceed.

Maybe the JRT/ECF could help these players enter an extra adult 9 round FIDE chess event to make up for the disappointment of not being able to play in the World Junior?

Anther lovely day here in the South

[Roger de Coverly]

The Turkish Chess Federation has decided to move the venue at the last minute. Was this against a threat of cancellation by FIDE?

http://www.chessvibes.com/world-juniors ... ast-minute
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... ation.html

[Peter D Williams]

The Turkish Chess Federation has decided to move the venue at the last minute. Was this against a threat of cancellation by FIDE?

http://www.chessvibes.com/world-juniors ... ast-minute
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... ation.html

Is it to late for the ECF to send some juniors to this event?

[David Sedgwick]

The Turkish Chess Federation has decided to move the venue at the last minute. Was this against a threat of cancellation by FIDE?

http://www.chessvibes.com/world-juniors ... ast-minute
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... ation.html

Yes. The Turkish Chess Federation statement available at your second link says so.

Is it to late for the ECF to send some juniors to this event?

It's very short notice, but I'm aware that Phil Ehr is investigating the possibility. I think he'll be too busy to wish to comment on here.

[David Sedgwick]

Is it to late for the ECF to send some juniors to this event?

It's very short notice, but I'm aware that Phil Ehr is investigating the possibility. I think he'll be too busy to wish to comment on here.

FIDE have now announced (http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... -2013.html) that new registrations will be accepted, so it's not too late in that sense. It may not now be feasible, of course.

[David Sedgwick]

The list of participants now includes two English players, FM Samuel Franklin and Robert Thompson (of this parish). Good luck to both of them.

[LawrenceCooper]

The list of participants now includes two English players, FM Samuel Franklin and Robert Thompson (of this parish). Good luck to both of them.

I'll echo that. Thirteen rounds is tough but it will be great experience. Good to see that Mark Hebden is going as their coach too. For convenience the unofficial list of players is here: http://wjcc2013.tsf.org.tr/images/stori ... l_list.pdf

[John McKenna]

All the best to Samuel and Robert - arrival today, round 1 tomorrow.

[LawrenceCooper]

The list of participants now includes two English players, FM Samuel Franklin and Robert Thompson (of this parish). Good luck to both of them.

I'll echo that. Thirteen rounds is tough but it will be great experience. Good to see that Mark Hebden is going as their coach too. For convenience the unofficial list of players is here: http://wjcc2013.tsf.org.tr/images/stori ... l_list.pdf

All three have arrived safely at their hotel.

[Rob Thompson]

We arrived yesterday afternoon some 3 1/2 hours after landing. So far the food seems reasonable, the rooms good, the hotel facilities excellent and the internet patchy. Hopefully the latter of these will stabilise as the fortnight progresses.

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 1 pairings:

Bo. Name IRtg FED Pts Res. Pts Name IRtg FED
36 BORTNYK MYKOLA 2417 UKR 0 0 THOMPSON ROBERT 1966 ENG
50 FM FRANKLIN SAMUEL G A 2353 ENG 0 0 ZHANBAI UULU ZHOKHAR 1843 KGZ

[David Sedgwick]

So far the food seems reasonable, the rooms good, the hotel facilities excellent and the internet patchy.

And the opposition challenging.

[Mick Norris]

Although the number 1 seed is not there, and interesting reason why
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/spo ... iors-chess

Hope everyone returns safely, and enjoys themselves while they are in Turkey