Congresses Start Too Early In The Morning

[Roger de Coverly]

I think Fri nights stopped 25 years ago, & move towards 2 games a day maximum since push towards FIDE.

Outside of London and the South East, Friday evening play never really went away. The introduction of the e2e4 style of weekend event brought it back to the South East, although in fairness, it's less painful to play a Friday evening if you are staying where you play.

What did go away was six round tournaments. Tournaments with Friday evening play schedule only two rounds on the Saturday. The Irish, Bunratty being an example, still go for the six round stamina test.

Whilst you are allowed to have three rounds a day in FIDE rated tournaments, the minimum session length of 4 hours for an Open is likely to lead to a timetable with 9 am starts and 11 pm finishes, particularly if an increment is used.

[Ian Thompson]

I think Fri nights stopped 25 years ago

A brief perusal of the current ECF Event Calendar suggests about 1/3 of weekend congresses start on Friday night.

[Nick Grey]

Good luck to them. Then again I think more than 70% of entrants are school age, out of work, or retired, or not in the London area.

Best wishes with your chess Ian.

[NickFaulks]

St Alban's in April uses a 36 in 90 plus 15 move rate and start times of 10 am 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm on the Saturday and 10 am and 2:30 on the Sunday.

That could be FIDE rated - at least it could if it were 40/90, and perhaps that requirement will be relaxed.

In London, Adam Raoof runs a series of five round, two day rated events, but restricts entries to U-2200, thus enabling a 60 30 time control to be employed.

Which is sadly why I don't play in them. Knockabout G/60 chess is good fun, but I know that my FIDE rating would be shredded and I just don't want that to happen.

[Roger de Coverly]

That could be FIDE rated - at least it could if it were 40/90, and perhaps that requirement will be relaxed.

It's my understanding of the FIDE rating regulations that they require a minimum four hour session, so the only legal non-incremental rate is 40 in 100 minutes plus 20.

For reasons stated elsewhere in this thread, Friday evening play is a now a non-starter for a non-residential tournament in outer London and the South East and players are reluctant to accept 9 am starts and 11pm finishes. That's why five round tournaments have the structure and session lengths that they do.

[NickFaulks]

It's my understanding of the FIDE rating regulations that they require a minimum four hour session, so the only legal non-incremental rate is 40 in 100 minutes plus 20.

Sorry, got my sums wrong. Too early in the morning!

[MartinCarpenter]

As far as I know, Friday evening play is absolutely universal up here.

Its not always pleasant - and you always get a fair few byes - but an absolute bargain compared to 3 on the Saturday.

[Andy Ward]

As far as I know, Friday evening play is absolutely universal up here.

Its not always pleasant - and you always get a fair few byes - but an absolute bargain compared to 3 on the Saturday.

I rarely play the full 5 rounds in any case, but for those who do I see a real plus in not finishing late on Saturday. Don't know about others but after 2 long games I just can't devote much concentration in the third.

[Stewart Reuben]

Roger >It's my understanding of the FIDE rating regulations that they require a minimum four hour session, so the only legal non-incremental rate is 40 in 100 minutes plus 20. <

Incorrect. All the moves in 2 hours is OK for players 2200+. The 40 move rule applies ONLY if there are at least 2 time controls.
All the moves in 110 minutes + 10 seconds per move increment is used in the morning tournaments in Gibraltar and will be used similarly in the CCCCC.
Morning play will start at 9.30am and afternoon at 2.30pm. The only tournaments with 2 rounds a day are on the weekend of 9-10 April. They are 4 round Swisses. People will be able to play in the morning and then in a different tournament in the afternoon 4-8 April at a different rate of play. In Gib this is surprisingly popular possibly becuae of the high prize money. I would find it very disconcerting to play at two different rates of play on the same day. But I don't play two games a day anyway.

[NickFaulks]

I rarely play the full 5 rounds in any case, but for those who do I see a real plus in not finishing late on Saturday. Don't know about others but after 2 long games I just can't devote much concentration in the third.

Certainly it doesn't make for a relaxing weekend, but I do believe that the gruelling schedules which were standard 30-40 years ago played a role in toughening up England's greatest generation of future and newly qualified grandmasters.

[Andy Ward]

I rarely play the full 5 rounds in any case, but for those who do I see a real plus in not finishing late on Saturday. Don't know about others but after 2 long games I just can't devote much concentration in the third.

Certainly it doesn't make for a relaxing weekend, but I do believe that the gruelling schedules which were standard 30-40 years ago played a role in toughening up England's greatest generation of future and newly qualified grandmasters.

You may well have a point, the enormous pressure placed on Soviet players is often cited as a reason for their domination of the field. For me personally though it comes down to enjoyment and wanting to play as well as I can. If I'm tired from the first 2 games I will likely mess up the third and spoil the day. Case in point at the British where I simply entered too many tournaments and overestimated my stamina, so this year I will be keeping it limited so I enjoy the experience all the way through.