Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Information regarding live broadcasts using the ECF sensory boards.
Leonard Barden
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Leonard Barden » Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:02 am

I always watch and enjoy the 4NCL live transmissions, and would be sorry to see them dropped. I would like them even more if there was computer commentary, so that it would be good if they were also available to chessbomb and chess24.

I also watch the 4NCL live transmissions as a chess journalist who does the bulk of his writing at weekends. That there are live transmissions is a prime factor in getting the 4NCL coverage in the following Saturday's Guardian column, which Mike has reproduced a few times on the 4NCL site. I cannot speak for other chess writers, but without live transmissions my own coverage will certainly diminish.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:25 am

Paul Sanders wrote: One factor you might not have taken into account is that for hangers on like myself the live transmission saves quite a bit of footfall in the playing rooms, which is of course a benefit for the players.
The other side of this being that more often than not, the top players are hidden away in a side room for ease of wiring, making them less visible during actual play to the less exalted also playing.

benedgell
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by benedgell » Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:02 pm

I play in Div. 3 most weekends and to be honest I wouldn't really miss the live transmissions. I tend to only look up the results from Divs 1 & 2 on the weekend, rather then play through any of the games. I wait until some time the week afterwards, when all or at worst most of the games are up on the website, to play through them.

NickFaulks
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:32 pm

Paul Sanders wrote: the live transmission saves quite a bit of footfall in the playing rooms, which is of course a benefit for the players.
I misread this ( twice ) as football, and was very confused.
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John Saunders
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by John Saunders » Tue Sep 15, 2015 1:31 pm

I can only echo what Leonard and Jack have written upthread. I would say that live games transmission is pretty much a mandatory requirement these days for any event that expects to be taken seriously by the press and the chess-watching public. And it's as essential for an on-the-spot reporter as it is for Leonard and others hoping to cover it remotely.

I am a bit surprised that Mike should even consider doing away with it, which suggests to me that the 4NCL doesn't see itself as a prestigious international competition. It's true that the 4NCL has morphed into being more of a mass participation event than the more exclusive and elite competition that it was a few years ago. But there are still 2700+ rated players who take part and it would be a bit embarrassing for British chess if there were, say, half a dozen players rated around 2750 taking part and we couldn't display their games to the world in real time.

Pay per view is a non-starter. Not worth debating. As for thank-yous: people don't send emails after they've watched a good TV show, but that doesn't mean they don't appreciate a job well done. I personally do often send private supportive messages to games inputters and electronic board operators (who, incidentally, do a great job) but then I'm in the business and many of them are personal friends. However, I wouldn't expect many chess 'civilians' to do that. Lack of feedback should be interpreted as satisfaction with the service. Keep up the good work.
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LawrenceCooper
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Sep 15, 2015 1:43 pm

John Saunders wrote: I am a bit surprised that Mike should even consider doing away with it, which suggests to me that the 4NCL doesn't see itself as a prestigious international competition. It's true that the 4NCL has morphed into being more of a mass participation event than the more exclusive and elite competition that it was a few years ago. But there are still 2700+ rated players who take part and it would be a bit embarrassing for British chess if there were, say, half a dozen players rated around 2750 taking part and we couldn't display their games to the world in real time.
Is part of the problem not just the actual cost but also the time taken to set it up for only two days of chess? If it's purely financial then it may come down to 4NCL captains being prepared to accept an increase in entry fees :oops:

Mike Truran
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Mike Truran » Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:56 pm

Great comments everyone, and definitely food for thought. Keeping journos and inputters happy? Revolutionary stuff!

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:08 pm

I am not advocating any reduction in service; but if that did seem financially prudent, then we could just have the live games on weekends 3 and 5 as far as the first division is concerned. Weekend 3 is when the top two teams in a pool meet, and thus may attract very strong GMs as well as having implications for the title; weekend 5 is self-explanatory and includes some big relegation battles too.

Matthew Turner
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Matthew Turner » Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:58 pm

Mike Truran wrote:Great comments everyone, and definitely food for thought. Keeping journos and inputters happy? Revolutionary stuff!
If we are on the sky blue, outside of the box, thinking then why bother inputting the games? Of course I'll benefit from seeing my opponent's games, but they'll benefit from seeing mine. It is only really non-4NCL players who will make a net gain from more information. The point about journalists is a good one, but is live transmission of games the best way this can be achieved? How would a 15 minutes digest of the key games by say Andy Martin suit?

Andrew Martin
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Andrew Martin » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:19 pm

I would make sure to get the right-sized goldfish bowl to broadcast from.

MartinCarpenter
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by MartinCarpenter » Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:04 pm

The information thing is fascinating down in Div3 because for a lot of the players its the only (and first after decades of play) place their games are visible to the outside world.....

David Sedgwick
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by David Sedgwick » Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:44 pm

Matthew Turner wrote:If we are on the sky blue, outside of the box, thinking then why bother inputting the games?
It's at least an implicit requirement of the FIDE Anti-Cheating Guidelines.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Live Games Transmission - Why Bother?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:20 pm

David Sedgwick wrote: It's at least an implicit requirement of the FIDE Anti-Cheating Guidelines.
Going back to the days when ratings didn't go below 2200, wasn't it a requirement, in theory, that a "bulletin" be produced, for Norm tournaments at least?

Rumours that tournaments are rated that didn't exist refuse to go away. A file of games supposedly played in these tournaments proves something, although I'm not sure what.

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