English Chess Forum

I know the answer to this one's probably on the Forum somewhere, but it's late and I was hoping someone could answer me without me having to trawl through it all.

I am the organiser of Middlesbrough Chess Congress and, although the event is not being staged this year, I do hope to run it some time in 2013 (probably around May?). Clearly, in order to set my entry fees at the correct level, I need to know what the new ECF membership/game fee charges are likely to be.
The levels of membership being offered are clear cut and it seems that those with Silver membership or above should receive a discount. The question is, how much? Here's an extract from a document circulated by NCCU:-

• For congresses not restricted to juniors only, non-members (and Bronze members) will be charged a “Pay to Play” fee of £6 for adults (£4 for juniors) for each event entered. NB. In practice, this is likely to appear as the full entry fee, with a discount of up to £6 (£4 for juniors) available to ECF members of Silver level and above.

So £6 is being suggested. However, I've read elsewhere that the new game fee for non-members is going to be £2 per result (or half game). How do the maths work? Typical congress is five games and 5 x £2 = £10. Is it a kind of bulk discount for playing five games?
Problem is, not all weekend events are five games. Some are only four and others may be as many as 6. What about non-weekend events such as week long competitions that may be 11 rounds or so?

The £2 you mention only applies to leagues.

A congress with any number of rounds should all insist that players either:
(1) Are ECF Silver (or above) members, or
(2) Pay an additional £6 via Pay-to-Play if an adult, £4 if a junior.

For example, the Birmingham Rapidplay will have an entry fee of something like £21, with a £6 discount for ECF Silver members in its ECF-graded sections.

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February 16-17: 2013 BUCA Team Championship
April 20: 2013 British Blitz Championship
July 27-August 10: 100th British Chess Championships

Just to clarify from a players perspective, does this mean that the player would not be allowed to enter, or that the player would be allowed to enter but the games would not be graded?

Does the congress have to decide all-or-nothing, in other words it could opt out of having the games graded in return for being able to offer (non-silver members) lower entry fees? I reckon £21 will be a bit steep for some people for a day's rapid chess.

Finally, does the same £6 surcharge apply for a full weekend congress, which if so seems much better value than for a 1-day event.

Apologies if these questions have been answered elsewhere, but I am losing the will to live wading through this stuff, and I have received nothing from the ECF itself on any of it.

If you are already a bronze memberthere is a one off fee of £6 for either a one day torny or a weekend congress once you have paid that £6 you become a silver member for the next 12 months.

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I am speaking here for myself and not the NCCU which i am now president of

The only "get out of Jail" clause is that the one day event could elect to be wholly or partly un-graded


Those are the rules as voted for by the ECF Council . If you don't agree , then attending the local AGM and shouting at your local ECF representative is to be recommended.

Brian,

For a congress the answer to your question is as follows

1) The congress has no game fee to pay, so that will be a saving on previous years
2) ECF Platinum, Gold and Silver members all play at no cost
3) ECF Bronze members can play but must pay £6 (£4 for juniors) to upgrade their membership to Silver
4) Non-ECF members (e.g. foreign or occasional players) can also play but must pay a £6 pay to play fee.

Hope that helps.

Alex Holowczak wrote
"For example, the Birmingham Rapidplay will have an entry fee of something like £21, with a £6 discount for ECF Silver members in its ECF-graded sections"

Are you planning to have one or more sections that are not ECF graded?

The player will not be allowed to enter.



Most of our players play in many congresses, and will already be bronze members through league chess. So the £6 will cover them for all congresses they play that season, not just our Rapidplay.

I also know that ~ 40% of our players will be Gold members of the ECF (or at least, are currently members, and will be turned into Gold members on 1st September).



The £6 surcharge only applies to non-members. The £6 is the upgrade fee between bronze and silver, so your £6 covers all congresses. If all you're going to do is play one congress, then yes, it's £6 for whatever type of congress it is that you run.

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February 16-17: 2013 BUCA Team Championship
April 20: 2013 British Blitz Championship
July 27-August 10: 100th British Chess Championships

Record entry for the Manchester Rapidplay on 25 March would indicate not

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Any postings on here represent my personal views and should not be taken as representative of the Manchester Chess Federation