(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Simon Rogers]

He has sent details about hygiene protocols in his newsletter by email.

Can you give any details?

You'll have to bear with me as I only post on the forum from my phone and Tony has sent the email to my phone.
I'll have to write them down. Then I'll post them. Tony informed me that numbers will be restricted to below 30.
I've also done my back in when I was gardening this morning after I spoke to Tony.

[Tim Harding]

...

As to the vaccine, I would prefer to inject myself with rat poison. At least we know what's in that.

That's good to hear since there won't be enough vaccine to go round quickly when it's available - so if all the anti-vaxers like you prefer to die, the folks who welcome the vaccine will move a bit higher up the queue.

[Tim Spanton]

Fareham:

Welcome to the 12th Castle Chess Newsletter – August 2020 Please reply to: [email protected] ( please NOTE THE NEW ADDRESS )

or [email protected] Check out our website: www.castlechess.co.uk

There will be an occasional series of letters. Please let us know if you wish to have your address removed.

DATA PROTECTION REGULATION 2018:

Castle Chess holds the personal data of players who have provided it to us. We will only use it to contact you with regard to the marketing of Castle Chess or other chess related activities. In normal circumstances we will make contact by email or occasionally telephone / mobile.

The data required for grading purposes will be sent to the ECF.

Please advise us if you do not wish to be contacted.

The Lysses House Hotel has agreed conditions with Castle Chess and so we will attempt to run the Congress at Fareham : 25th – 27th September

We had 12 positive responses to our previous Newsletter from players to say that they would like to play over the board chess during the weekend at the end of September. We have reserved space in the hotel, if you have asked for it, and have worked out the reduced capacity for the tournament. We would now ask you to confirm your place by paying the required fee. Please note that we have added £10 per player to cover the costs of the weekend considering the very reduced numbers. We expect to play the event in two sections with a total prize fund of £200. Should the numbers entering increase then we may be able to run the event in our usual 3 sections with prize money accordingly upgraded, but it is unlikely that there will be a full prize list.

We have notified the ECF that the event will be happening and we will use the latest grading list available to us for the purposes of pairing.

Lysses House Hotel has put into place many safety measures regarding the use of toilets, extra deep cleaning of bedrooms, preparation and serving of food in the restaurant. Tea and Coffees will need to be ordered and paid for from the bar rather than in the congress office, as normal.

In the event that the curve of the virus increases dramatically then the tournament will not happen and all monies will be refunded.

The congress at Dudley will be cancelled for November.

Future Castle Chess Events for 2021 will be notified via the next Newsletter.

Unless things are completely back to normal, which we think is unlikely, there will have to be some new playing conditions.

1. Each player will be required to bring their own chess set and each player will make moves on their own board, just as you would if you are playing against a blind player.

Note:

Castle Chess can sell you a new tournament set and board for £15 if ordered in advance.

2. You will not sit facing your opponent but diagonally away from them with the statutory social spacing distance.

3. Two clocks will be placed back to back between the two boards so that each player can see a clock face and each player will press the buttons simultaneously on both clocks to complete their move.

4. The result slip will be completed by the person with the white pieces and will be the only player to touch the slip when they place it in the results box.

5. The arbiter will be on call as normal. At the end of the round the arbiter will clean the clocks ready for the next round.

6. Players will be required to wear a mask or visor whilst in the hotel.

7. Your temperature will be taken as you arrive upstairs for the tournament. Anyone who is not feeling well should stay away from the tournament.

We think that these will be the only alterations to the playing conditions.

Entry to the hotel and then the playing rooms will be controlled by the arbiters. Players are asked to follow their guidance and be a little patient as social distancing is maintained.

There will be lower numbers allowed to play in each of the playing rooms, which means that our total number of players who can enter for the weekend will be limited.

In order of priority players who reply earliest and who also are booked into the host hotel will be allocated a place in the tournament.

Because the number of players will be lower, we have to share the costs between fewer players and therefore Castle Chess will be adding a £10 CoronaVirus19 surcharge on top of the prices on the entry form.

Please reply as soon as possible to let us know if you are interested in being present at the tournament.

Looking forward to hearing from you and hopefully seeing you at a Castle Chess Event soon.

Best wishes,

Tony and Barbara Corfe, Marc Shaw

CASTLE CHESS

07973 516718

SPONSORS:

Thank you, as always to the players who have offered to sponsor Castle Chess Events. Without them the events would not be able to survive. They have asked to remain anonymous.

OUTSTANDING PRIZES:

There are a number of unclaimed prizes which have grown during the past few years. We are holding them until the player returns to a Castle Chess Event. These prizes will remain on hold until they are claimed……

BUT…….

To help us with our administration we have decided that from January 2019, we will only hold unclaimed prizes (cheques or cash) for two years. After this time, any unclaimed prizes will b

[Simon Rogers]

Fareham:

Welcome to the 12th Castle Chess Newsletter – August 2020 Please reply to: [email protected] ( please NOTE THE NEW ADDRESS )

or [email protected] Check out our website: www.castlechess.co.uk

There will be an occasional series of letters. Please let us know if you wish to have your address removed.

DATA PROTECTION REGULATION 2018:

Castle Chess holds the personal data of players who have provided it to us. We will only use it to contact you with regard to the marketing of Castle Chess or other chess related activities. In normal circumstances we will make contact by email or occasionally telephone / mobile.

The data required for grading purposes will be sent to the ECF.

Please advise us if you do not wish to be contacted.

The Lysses House Hotel has agreed conditions with Castle Chess and so we will attempt to run the Congress at Fareham : 25th – 27th September

We had 12 positive responses to our previous Newsletter from players to say that they would like to play over the board chess during the weekend at the end of September. We have reserved space in the hotel, if you have asked for it, and have worked out the reduced capacity for the tournament. We would now ask you to confirm your place by paying the required fee. Please note that we have added £10 per player to cover the costs of the weekend considering the very reduced numbers. We expect to play the event in two sections with a total prize fund of £200. Should the numbers entering increase then we may be able to run the event in our usual 3 sections with prize money accordingly upgraded, but it is unlikely that there will be a full prize list.

We have notified the ECF that the event will be happening and we will use the latest grading list available to us for the purposes of pairing.

Lysses House Hotel has put into place many safety measures regarding the use of toilets, extra deep cleaning of bedrooms, preparation and serving of food in the restaurant. Tea and Coffees will need to be ordered and paid for from the bar rather than in the congress office, as normal.

In the event that the curve of the virus increases dramatically then the tournament will not happen and all monies will be refunded.

The congress at Dudley will be cancelled for November.

Future Castle Chess Events for 2021 will be notified via the next Newsletter.

Unless things are completely back to normal, which we think is unlikely, there will have to be some new playing conditions.

1. Each player will be required to bring their own chess set and each player will make moves on their own board, just as you would if you are playing against a blind player.

Note:

Castle Chess can sell you a new tournament set and board for £15 if ordered in advance.

2. You will not sit facing your opponent but diagonally away from them with the statutory social spacing distance.

3. Two clocks will be placed back to back between the two boards so that each player can see a clock face and each player will press the buttons simultaneously on both clocks to complete their move.

4. The result slip will be completed by the person with the white pieces and will be the only player to touch the slip when they place it in the results box.

5. The arbiter will be on call as normal. At the end of the round the arbiter will clean the clocks ready for the next round.

6. Players will be required to wear a mask or visor whilst in the hotel.

7. Your temperature will be taken as you arrive upstairs for the tournament. Anyone who is not feeling well should stay away from the tournament.

We think that these will be the only alterations to the playing conditions.

Entry to the hotel and then the playing rooms will be controlled by the arbiters. Players are asked to follow their guidance and be a little patient as social distancing is maintained.

There will be lower numbers allowed to play in each of the playing rooms, which means that our total number of players who can enter for the weekend will be limited.

In order of priority players who reply earliest and who also are booked into the host hotel will be allocated a place in the tournament.

Because the number of players will be lower, we have to share the costs between fewer players and therefore Castle Chess will be adding a £10 CoronaVirus19 surcharge on top of the prices on the entry form.

Please reply as soon as possible to let us know if you are interested in being present at the tournament.

Looking forward to hearing from you and hopefully seeing you at a Castle Chess Event soon.

Best wishes,

Tony and Barbara Corfe, Marc Shaw

CASTLE CHESS

07973 516718

SPONSORS:

Thank you, as always to the players who have offered to sponsor Castle Chess Events. Without them the events would not be able to survive. They have asked to remain anonymous.

OUTSTANDING PRIZES:

There are a number of unclaimed prizes which have grown during the past few years. We are holding them until the player returns to a Castle Chess Event. These prizes will remain on hold until they are claimed……

BUT…….

To help us with our administration we have decided that from January 2019, we will only hold unclaimed prizes (cheques or cash) for two years. After this time, any unclaimed prizes will b

Thanks Tim for posting it for me.

[NickFaulks]

6. Players will be required to wear a mask or visor whilst in the hotel.

Eating and drinking are forbidden? Presumably there is a 1984 type camera in your room to check that you don't take it off there. Sounds like a fun weekend.

[Ian Thompson]

Unless things are completely back to normal, which we think is unlikely, there will have to be some new playing conditions.

3. Two clocks will be placed back to back between the two boards so that each player can see a clock face and each player will press the buttons simultaneously on both clocks to complete their move.

Which begs the question of what happens towards the end of the game when there's a few seconds discrepancy between the two clocks (either because they weren't set to exactly the same time at the start of the game, if analogue, they don't both run at exactly the same rate or they're not always pressed simultaneously) and a player's lost on time on one clock but not the other.

[Wadih Khoury]

Agreed, 2 clocks seem like a less than ideal solution.

[Simon Rogers]

Unless things are completely back to normal, which we think is unlikely, there will have to be some new playing conditions.

3. Two clocks will be placed back to back between the two boards so that each player can see a clock face and each player will press the buttons simultaneously on both clocks to complete their move.

Which begs the question of what happens towards the end of the game when there's a few seconds discrepancy between the two clocks (either because they weren't set to exactly the same time at the start of the game, if analogue, they don't both run at exactly the same rate or they're not always pressed simultaneously) and a player's lost on time on one clock but not the other.

I agree aswell. It will be difficult with two clocks. Even with digital.
There will be a slight time discrepancy between each clock it will be difficult to press both clocks simultaneously to the millisecond.
You also have the issue of time scrambles. I expect arbiters to be very busy at these tournaments.
I've never played at Tony Corfe's Castle Chess tournaments.

[Roger de Coverly]

There will be a slight time discrepancy between each clock it will be difficult to press both clocks simultaneously to the millisecond.
You also have the issue of time scrambles. I expect arbiters to be very busy at these tournaments.

It is possible to adjust the times to the second on digital clocks. That might be a necessity in the event of time pressure. Alternatively the slower clock is treated as definitive. Having one time control instead of two would help minimise this risk.

Perhaps as we write DGT or their Chinese clones are working on a double sided clock or even as demonstrated by the Irish, extended levers.

[Simon Rogers]

There will be a slight time discrepancy between each clock it will be difficult to press both clocks simultaneously to the millisecond.
You also have the issue of time scrambles. I expect arbiters to be very busy at these tournaments.

It is possible to adjust the times to the second on digital clocks. That might be a necessity in the event of time pressure. Alternatively the slower clock is treated as definitive. Having one time control instead of two would help minimise this risk.

Thanks Roger. I didn't know that about the slower clock.
I suppose at least there are OTB tournaments that are hopefully going ahead.
I've looked on the Northumberland Chess Congress website earlier and noticed the number of entrants has increased to 38.
Not sure about numbers for Harrogate yet.

[NickFaulks]

I commend Tony for organising Fareham and really hope it is a success, but for me it does not represent "life returning to normal".

[Simon Rogers]

Well done to Tony for arranging Fareham.
Also Mick for Northumberland and Noel for Harrogate.
I've just been on the Northumberland Chess Association website and Mick has done at Covid 19 Protocol for hygiene etc which can be downloaded.

[Ian Thompson]

Perhaps as we write DGT or their Chinese clones are working on a double sided clock or even as demonstrated by the Irish, extended levers.

That's not necessary. It's already possible for existing clocks to have their times displayed on multiple devices. That currently happens when games are relayed locally to commentary rooms and the like, and when broadcast on the Internet. All you need is the single clock to be within reach of both players and then a separate slave display for the player who can't see the face of the clock.

[Nick Grey]

Two hands at same time FUN

[Roger de Coverly]

That's not necessary. It's already possible for existing clocks to have their times displayed on multiple devices.

Not without more equipment, a DGT board and compatible clock for example. On the popular DGT 2010, there's no external interface.