English Chess Forum

Nominations are invited for the positions detailed below, which will be the subject of elections to be held at the Annual General Meeting on 14th November 2026. Posts due for election are listed below together with the intentions of the current holders regarding re-standing. Members of the Board Hom...

"I don't think this has happened with the Open and Women's teams. I suspect selection of the Senior teams is more open-ended given that the "amateur" but wealthy players can assist with the financing." I suspect Junior selection is somewhat murky as well. I have heard several reports of people volu...

Personally if we go down the selection committee route (like present) it is best to be confidential; players missing out just have to accept the decision Just look at selection for the England football for the World Cup, this was Tuchel's squad and his choices, he technically doesn't need to explai...

Just to clarify, my comment was not aimed at any specific person, and I did not mention anyone by name. My point was simply that people are not always exactly as they appear in photographs these days. I agree with Alex H. At the end of the day, a team has to be selected before the British Championsh...

I reckon Nigel Povah is probably the best person to ask. I put 'top 10 chess players over 50 in England' into AI and this was the list it came up with. Mind you, some people use AI on their photos these days, so they don't always look their age!" (have a look at the board and officers on the ecf pag...

i do want to know how many people here are skills enough to do the role?

i know my skills set is not that but i am interested who is good enough?

I know someone like Gavin Cartwright was very good and also was a excellent Gold rep when i worked with him, Julian and Deema.

"If there were any evidence that I had received a police warning, I would step down as a Gold Member Representative." You are more honourable than some Cabinet Ministers. Anyway, I believe you would have to accept the police warning for it to count(?) And if you rejected the warning, they would eit...

Hi there, I have been affected by mental health issues during the Gold Members Elections and in the period leading up to them and before hand. I was wondering what people's views are on mental health and what the ECF and local leagues could do to support those who may be struggling. Does your club o...

I may be wrong but I believe Direct Members Representatives are subject to the ECF code of conduct and that this applies to all candidates the moment they put themselves forward for election. Therefore the route for redress may lie there. Having dealt with toxic people myself in the past I have lea...

I genuinely think this is the new generation of chess, and we're starting to see the same kind of momentum that darts experienced with Luke Littler. Hopefully, we can secure some major sponsors. I noticed from the DG chat that a few people didn't stay for the prize-giving, which was a shame. I reall...

I have waited until after the election to raise this. I have been accused by someone on this forum of having received a police warning. I want to make it absolutely clear that this allegation is false. I would like the person who made the claim to confirm whether they believe I did receive a police ...

"I imagine that the candidates have already been informed about the results but asked to avoid comment on social media until it's formally announced on the ECF website." It should be announced there, but the arrival of Vitiugov was announced on an individual's Facebook page (then here), and only so...

I can only speak from my own experience, but I can confirm the impact this situation has had on me. My friends and my wife know exactly what happened, and they have seen the effect it has had. Mike Norris, who is highly respected both on this forum and within the NCCU and the wider North West chess ...

The impression I had was that Eccles were trying to run three teams with pool of perhaps 12 players with guests from time to time. Thus what was nominally the C team was in practice the B team playing in a lower division. Something must have caused the serious resentment which was reflected in stri...

True. But lower rated players can play 'up' in most circumstances that I am aware of, including in the MCF. It only works the other way, i.e. stronger players are limited in how far (if at all) they can play ''down'. The impression I had was that Eccles were trying to run three teams with pool of p...