(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[David Robertson]

From the Torbay Chess Congress website

"On a positive note, we are planning to hold the 2021 Congress on Armistice weekend (12th - 14th November). We hope to start accepting entries for the 2021 Congress around the middle of 2021.

On a negative note, don't plan too deep. This event won't happen. We'll be well into a 3rd wave by then, albeit a wave hopefully lowered by vaccinations

[David Gilbert]

The harbinger of doom! Mind you the 1918/19 Spanish 'Flu pandemic came in three waves, the second the most virulent by far and the third the least. It returned in a much milder form in 1920 with only a handful of deaths. Of course, in those times there was no vaccine, but according to the results pages from the local press, chess continued alongside darts, skittles and bagatelle. It seems these activities were centred on a network of local working mens clubs which appear to have been pulling pints as usual. Maybe we'll get away with it - 50p that it goes ahead Professor?

[NickFaulks]

Of course, in those times there was no vaccine, but according to the results pages from the local press, chess continued alongside darts, skittles and bagatelle.

Crucially, there was also no SAGE.

[David Gilbert]

Of course, in those times there was no vaccine, but according to the results pages from the local press, chess continued alongside darts, skittles and bagatelle.

Crucially, there was also no SAGE.

No we had Newsholme instead!

[John McKenna]

"... The Chief Medical Officer of the Local Government Board (LGB), Sir Arthur Newsholme, did not see the notice, but in the same month cancelled plans he had prepared for dealing with a resurgence of the epidemic, because of the requirements of the war.
His strategy had proposed measures such as preventing large gatherings of people or overcrowding on public transport (where the disease could easily spread) and provisions for maintaining the production of munitions for the war effort. He did not issue any instructions to local authorities until 22 October..."

https://history.blog.gov.uk/2018/09/13/ ... t-spanish/

[Wadih Khoury]

I am still annoyed by the government's wording of phase 2, in particular the following 2 sentences:

All children’s activities, indoor parent & child groups (up to 15 parents).

All children will be able to attend any indoor children’s activity, including sport, regardless of circumstance. Parent and child groups of up to 15 people (not counting children aged under five years old) can restart indoors.

I can see the following interpretations:

1. Only a total of 15 individuals (parents + children are allowed), excluding under 5s
2. Only 15 households are allowed, with no limit of children
3. An unlimited number of children is allowed, and only 15 adults

Points 1 and 2 would allow small tournaments, while 3 would allow large scale junior tournaments (with autonomous juniors who do not require parents around).
The main issues I have is the difference between "up to 15 parents" and "up to 15 people" (are children "people" from a government jargon point of view???), as well as the string "parent and child group": is it "parent" and "child group" or "parent and child" "group"?

[MartinCarpenter]

From the Torbay Chess Congress website

"On a positive note, we are planning to hold the 2021 Congress on Armistice weekend (12th - 14th November). We hope to start accepting entries for the 2021 Congress around the middle of 2021.

On a negative note, don't plan too deep. This event won't happen. We'll be well into a 3rd wave by then, albeit a wave hopefully lowered by vaccinations

I have a feeling that we're driving things low enough before reopening/vaccinations sufficiently far along that any 3rd wave will be very heavily lowered.

It'll need a few months to build of course, which should get most of the adult population vaccinated.

[Roger de Coverly]

I have a feeling that we're driving things low enough before reopening/vaccinations sufficiently far along that any 3rd wave will be very heavily lowered.

The risk to event organisers is also that political and medical establishments will panic and impose lockdowns "just in case". I suppose the shut down of last year's Northumberland Congress was justified, but it's still a risk that Congress organisers and players have to take. In the case of players it's whether to book potentially non-refundable accommodation and travel as well as the personal risk if the event goes ahead.

[Joseph Conlon]

I am still annoyed by the government's wording of phase 2, in particular the following 2 sentences:

All children’s activities, indoor parent & child groups (up to 15 parents).

All children will be able to attend any indoor children’s activity, including sport, regardless of circumstance. Parent and child groups of up to 15 people (not counting children aged under five years old) can restart indoors.

I can see the following interpretations:

1. Only a total of 15 individuals (parents + children are allowed), excluding under 5s
2. Only 15 households are allowed, with no limit of children
3. An unlimited number of children is allowed, and only 15 adults

Points 1 and 2 would allow small tournaments, while 3 would allow large scale junior tournaments (with autonomous juniors who do not require parents around).
The main issues I have is the difference between "up to 15 parents" and "up to 15 people" (are children "people" from a government jargon point of view???), as well as the string "parent and child group": is it "parent" and "child group" or "parent and child" "group"?

My reading of this is that these are two separate types of event; first, general children's activities, where children are in social contact but not their parents, and second, the 'parent and toddler' type of group where the parents are socially mixing as well. I take the 'up to 15 parents' as an indication that the second clause is indeed referring to parent and toddler groups where all the children are tiny.

There's somewhere else in the document where children's activities and 'Parent and child group' are under separate bullet points, which supports the notion that these are separate types of event.

Separately, HMG guidance on education and youth activities during the pandemic (when we were in the tier system) had earlier said that groups should not be larger than 15. I haven't checked whether this is still operational, but do think it good practice to keep the size of child 'bubbles' as quite small and under 15.

[Stewart Reuben]

WHY NOT PLAY IN THE FIRST SATURDAY TOURNAMENTS IN BUDAPEST? Some section are weak enough for me, or Tim Spanton.

[Matt Mackenzie]

If vaccinations mean the "third wave" of Covid is no more dangerous to humans than your routine flu, then things will be normalised accordingly.

[NickFaulks]

WHY NOT PLAY IN THE FIRST SATURDAY TOURNAMENTS IN BUDAPEST? Some section are weak enough for me, or Tim Spanton.

You have an escape plan?

[Nick Burrows]

WHY NOT PLAY IN THE FIRST SATURDAY TOURNAMENTS IN BUDAPEST? Some section are weak enough for me, or Tim Spanton.

You have an escape plan?

In case Stewart turns up...and finds Tim is there?

[Nick Burrows]

If vaccinations mean the "third wave" of Covid is no more dangerous to humans than your routine flu, then things will be normalised accordingly.

An average of 17'000 people die from Flu. The current 3rd wave modelling seems to say the most "optimistic" outcome is 30'000 deaths.

[Matt Mackenzie]

i think some have suggested that figure may be over-pessimistic?

Nonetheless, the wider point remains.