World Youth Chess Championship 2015

National developments, strategies and ideas.
LawrenceCooper
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by LawrenceCooper » Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:06 pm

I do get a bit frustrated by all the doom and gloom merchants that wade onto the forum during every junior event at the first sign of someone performing below what they perceive to be an acceptable level. Yes, things were great in the 90s but that was a long time ago, I wish there was still a Lloyds Bank Masters, a thriving weekend circuit and lots of opportunities for our juniors but sadly there isn't.

Aside from the UKCA scores I don't see any player there that is out of their depth, some are in better form than others and there are often other factors such as illness and inexperience that can effect players but often it is a sign of how strong the opposition is.

I also don't see the size of the delegation as an issue, 24 players and 6 coaches is not excessive, certainly lower than other countries. I think parents are entitled to be there and are generally very supportive.

Fingers crossed for a successful last four rounds, I am in contact with a number of the families out there and I know that support from home is appreciated, especially when they hit a bad patch.

Mick Norris
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Mick Norris » Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:31 pm

Indeed, we wish them all well

My understanding was that many parents wanted to open up events like this to allow us to send larger delegations, and in electing Junior Directors that agree with this policy ECF Council has rubber stamped it
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J T Melsom
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:48 pm

Although this is a chess form, and chess is therefore the primary focus for people, I can't help feeling that as well as trying to learn from mistakes and learn from how other countries do things, we should reflect on the absence of English sporting success across the board. Outliers such as cycling have come to the fore because of major investment, we still do well at rowing and sailing because they are not truly global. Its not just chess where we fall short.

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David Shepherd
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by David Shepherd » Mon Nov 02, 2015 2:41 pm

If my calculations of the results are correct the reality of the results for England players is as follows:

Number of players in ECF team: 24
Average score: 3.5/7
Average players per section: 2

Other English players 5
Average score 1.6/7

Of the ECF team 19/24 players are on a score in the range 3/7 to 4/7.

Mick Norris
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Mick Norris » Mon Nov 02, 2015 2:44 pm

Interesting report comparing English coaching numbers/time with the US and Scotland
Glenn Flear

Distracted myself there while looking for this
Junior selection policy which is currently up for review, so for those advocating a change this would be a good time to put your views to the Junior Director
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Peter D Williams
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Nov 02, 2015 3:49 pm

Mick Norris wrote:
My understanding was that many parents wanted to open up events like this to allow us to send larger delegations, and in electing Junior Directors that agree with this policy ECF Council has rubber stamped it
Peter Purland was the then junior director who refused as far as i know to allow more children to go to world/ euro. I belive many parents tried speaking .to him about this matter in the end it cost him his job.The reason for sending more players is to give them experience of these types of events.The parents pay so it does not cost the ECF anything. The other problem when Peter Purland was running the show was that you could have 2 very strong juniors in 2 different age groups who would always be able to go ie winning any selection event by a mile thus this would put off other juniors from attempting to enter the selection event as it would be a waste of time money. When Peter was younger Felix was way to strong no point entering if he was in it! So the idea was to allow a few other strong chess juniors in each age group to be able to go to me it was a win for every one.Allowing a few more players to go does not stop the strongest junior from going.
If the ECF was really serious about trying to get medals at these events then more money would need to be spent but some how i can not see adult members allowing this can you?
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

Mick Norris
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Mick Norris » Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:10 pm

I see that Akshaya has drawn today

game probably emphasises Leonard's point, as her opponent didn't play at a standard 400 points lower than her
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NickFaulks
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:34 pm

Mick Norris wrote:I see that Akshaya has drawn today

game probably emphasises Leonard's point, as her opponent didn't play at a standard 400 points lower than her
Yes, but choosing to defend a Maroczy isn't the most obvious way to go for a win with Black. Was that her decision or her coach's?
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:58 pm

NickFaulks wrote: Yes, but choosing to defend a Maroczy isn't the most obvious way to go for a win with Black. Was that her decision or her coach's?
The Accelerated Dragon is her regular line against the Open Sicilian.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by LawrenceCooper » Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:20 pm

I'm not totally confident in my maths but I make it 15.5/24 in round 8 which seems a very decent day.

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David Shepherd
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by David Shepherd » Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:28 pm

The impact on ratings that the tournament can have and the accuracy of the ratings is illustrated by Venetia Sivarajasingam from Wales. She is rated 1644 on 5/8 having just lost to a player rated 1720. Unfortunately she is down 54.8 points having lost in round 1 to a player rated 1162 who is now on 5/8 and up 165 points and in round 5 to a player rated 1498 who is now plus 120 points on 7/8 and leading the tournament :?

pauldhatchett
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by pauldhatchett » Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:01 pm

David Shepherd wrote:The impact on ratings that the tournament can have and the accuracy of the ratings is illustrated by Venetia Sivarajasingam from Wales. She is rated 1644 on 5/8 having just lost to a player rated 1720. Unfortunately she is down 54.8 points having lost in round 1 to a player rated 1162 who is now on 5/8 and up 165 points and in round 5 to a player rated 1498 who is now plus 120 points on 7/8 and leading the tournament :?
Rating performances at this age are very variable. However, Venetia is already one our best juniors that I can ever recall in Wales. In a recent Welsh tournament I battled hard for a draw and there was a period where I thought I would lose. Her positional play is very sound. However, my WCU, FIDE and ECF grades are substantially higher. That means nothing when you sit down at the board. Venetia will be a star.
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David Shepherd
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by David Shepherd » Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:15 pm

Paul

Yes I agree fully but it seems her rating is being messed up by hugely under-rated opponents :(, I don't think there is much wrong with her performance, certainly not to the extent that she deserves to lose nearly 55 points whilst being on a score of 5/8.

Brian Towers
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by Brian Towers » Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:23 pm

David Shepherd wrote:it seems her rating is being messed up by hugely under-rated opponents :(,
Tant pis and welcome to the club!
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

David Sedgwick
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Re: World Youth Chess Championship 2015

Post by David Sedgwick » Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:04 am

Leonard Barden wrote:As for the true reasons, I suggest that one can be found in the daily reports on the ECF website by the team leader, which (along with a detailed report of Halloween celebrations) reveals that the England delegation totals 79(!) people. Jeez.

Compare that to the small, experienced groups that went to World Youth events in years like 1992 and 1998 when we actually won titles and medals.
I was BCF International Director in the late 1990s.

Are you the same Leonard Barden who regularly telephoned me during those years bemoaning the failure of then BCF Junior Director David Newell to send more players to World Youth events?