(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Simon Rogers]

I forgot to mention. One tournament that I am definitely planning to enter next year, all being well, is Northumberland Chess Congress.
From what I've seen on various websites, the only OTB Congress that is still going ahead in England over the next couple of months is Harrogate.

[Tim Spanton]

The scientific press conference today was quite sobering. The doubling of infection rates each week heading in the direction of 50,000 cases a day by mid-October if unchecked. For chess I’d think over the board chess will remain quite limited until people receive a vaccine, and feel confident it’s making them safe. Perhaps by Autumn next year people will start to get a choice of some congresses to attend again, but who knows?

An alternative prognosis on the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54228649

[Tim Spanton]

There seems to be an OTB event going ahead tomorrow in London, unless I am reading something incorrectly:

http://muswellhillchess.blogspot.com/

[Matt Bridgeman]

There seems to be an OTB event going ahead tomorrow in London, unless I am reading something incorrectly:

http://muswellhillchess.blogspot.com/

I think all the Chess England events are still online.

[Simon Rogers]

Best of luck to Tim and Nick at Pardubice.
We will all be cheering you both on.
If you both can keep us regularly informed on the forum as to how the tournament is going.

[Matt Bridgeman]

In Wales you have to have express permission of the WCU for any over the board chess; https://www.welshchessunion.uk/covid19/ ... ard-chess/

Hopefully the resignation of the Czech Health Minister yesterday doesn’t mean they will be bringing the hammer down this week.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/czech-health- ... 24304.html

[Simon Rogers]

According to the Chess Scotland and Welsh Chess Union websites there is no OTB chess tournaments going ahead before Christmas.

[Tim Spanton]

Best of luck to Tim and Nick at Pardubice.
We will all be cheering you both on.
If you both can keep us regularly informed on the forum as to how the tournament is going.

Thanks Simon, but actually I won't be blogging the tournament in any form (at least while it is going on). I have had such a bad run of results in my last few tournaments that I've decided to see if not analysing my games and posting about them will help my results. It had got to the stage where I was spending more time analysing after a game than during it. That is probably a good thing if done at the right time, but I think doing it during a tournament may be tiring myself out (a bit like studying during a tournament). Anyway, I intend to give my new system a trial.

[Roger de Coverly]

An alternative prognosis on the BBC

Looks as if he's been talking to the scientific opposition, those based at Oxford University. The government appears to take a lead from Imperial College in London.

Larger gatherings do still seem a problem for spread. One of the latest appears to be the Manchester police attending a golf day.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-18967254

[Mick Norris]

In Wales you have to have express permission of the WCU for any over the board chess; https://www.welshchessunion.uk/covid19/ ... ard-chess/

That's very prescriptive, although the approach of the Welsh Government appears more stringent e.g. although here in Bolton pubs and restaurants are takeaway only, and shut at 10 pm, at least we can leave the area, whereas the Welsh local lockdowns only allow travel for work and school

Since parts of North Wales are in the jurisdiction of the ECF for chess purposes, do the ECF see the situation differently to the WCU?

[Simon Rogers]

Why does parts of North Wales come under the jurisdiction of the ECF for Chess purposes?
I've always wondered.

[Neil Graham]

Why does parts of North Wales come under the jurisdiction of the ECF for Chess purposes?
I've always wondered.

You can read about this in a book by the late Richard Furness arriving on Amazon this week:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheshire-hundr ... B0007BK0NE

I recall that jurisdiction over the North Wales area was enshrined in a document of the British Isles Co-ordinating Committee which someone might have. I see that the National Library of Wales may have a copy of the minutes filed somewhere.

[Simon Rogers]

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*sort*

Kiel********-P***********, Dominic, of Coulsdon.

Thanks Chris, you saved my skin.
I've not found the shortest one yet, perhaps you could help.
The players with the shortest names on the fide list are all Chinese.

Li Wu, Isle of Man.

Thanks Chris.
Li Wu has just entered the Manx Chess Championship, thus increasing the number of entrants to 17. He is also currently number one seed.

[Paul Cooksey]

I see Tim won his first game. As did Keith Arkell in the A open.

[Tim Spanton]

From the BBC account of the PM's speech today:

The PM then announces there will be new places where face coverings will be required.
Staff in the hospitality and retail sectors will now need to wear them, as well as passengers travelling in taxis.
The exemptions to the “rule of six” will be cut down. For example, people doing indoor team sports will now not be allowed.
And when it comes to weddings, the limit on guests will now reduce from 30 to 15.

This would seem to make chess congresses even less likely, but three-board club matches still possible, probably