English Chess Forum

I have no current examples but as Roger said it's unlikely the practice has completely died out. In the Yorkshire League (and likely other leagues) it used to be the practice for the home team to serve tea and the clocks to be paused while this was done. It started to become less common when quickpl...

Generally speaking I agree with the principle that once a game of chess has commenced it's the responsibility of the players to manage their own time so they get sufficient comfort breaks and, if they find their opponent has moved sooner than expected upon returning, that's the nature of the beast. ...

I played Jennifer Goldsmith at the 4NCL Huddersfield Congress in 2024 - it was something of a disaster as I launched an incorrect attack thinking I could blag it and was soon disabused. Despite her low grade she could clearly be a dangerous opponent. She was a well known figure on the circuit and mu...

I think the point was made some years ago that the Major open was in decline due to the cohort who would have played in it ageing into the seniors instead. The post pandemic boom has negated this.

It may be ridiculously early to ask this but are there any rumours of where and when the 2027 event will be held?

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 lear...

John Swain wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 01, 2026 11:17 am

(assuming that junior Gold members were not allowed to vote).

Were they not allowed to vote? And if so, why?

Its easy to say that now - but remember when all the Starmtroopers told us the party couldn't let Burnham stand in Gorton & Denton because Labour would "inevitably" lose the subsequent mayoral byelection to Reform? Going off topic here but Labour party rules prevented anybody who was a city mayor f...

A non chess organisation I'm involved with has gender balance rules at all levels - for example a ten person committee must have a minimum of five women but there is no bar to the committee being all women; it is the men who are capped at five. So the 4NCL could allow all female teams and not all ma...

Wasn't there a case many years ago of a Division 1 squad fielding seven women and one man?

I can see both sides of this one but on balance the 4NCL has always had the principle that teams must have one player of each gender and women have historically been beneficiaries of that.

Last year there was an issue with players at the overspill venue being denied access to the main playing hall. I kicked up a stink about that on here and eventually an agreement was found that copies of the pink scoresheet would allow them to gain entry. Accreditation (lanyards was one suggestion of...

I've hesitated to say this but I think it needs to be said. John Reyes has served as a members representative for over ten years now. It is how he is best known in the chess community. As has been noted in the thread above it is not a role many people have sought election for. So it seems curious an...

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 25, 2026 9:49 pm

On the other hand, there was nothing scheduled for the October half-term.

Is Scarborough Congress, which is an infinitely bigger event than (the also excellent) Isle Of Wight "nothing"?

I got this message today on one of the WhatsApp group I’m on and never know location was a issue Having representatives from different parts of the country helps ensure that the views and interests of Gold Members are reflected across a wider area. With much of Council containing representatives fr...

I'm rather at a loss to see how there could be "voter impersonation". Surely ECF members received the link by email (likely to their junk mail box, like I did) and they either voted or they didn't. It has to be said that with the exception of John Reyes who has been a members representative for many...