An average of 10 people use this forum (if not less)

[Greg Breed]

I agree with you Gavin, it's a shame that there's little (or no) involvement from the people that make decisions. C'est la vie!

[Bill Wilson]

yes

I believe that posting on a forum should have a meaning. So many other forums have spammers even in the nicest possible sense. A one word reply to another post is hardly worth the space it takes up.

i agree

[Greg Breed]

Fair enough.

[Charles W. Wood]

I agree with Martin.

I have always read this forum, now I've joined due to some threads. I will be telling all my friends to join, all of us should do the same.

[Charles W. Wood]

Well coming upto a week and since I first posted this message and we have reached the average. I think all the points raised are valid. I suppose I am surprised that there are not more discussions going on as chess could do with a bit of a boost and there are plenty of hot topic areas that could be covered (and have been!).

My first post (Chess on TV) was incredibly popular and gained a lot of interest and discussion; my intentions were hoping that someone with a tv connection who plays chess often may have read this and been inspired to do something.

This is probably going to be my last post (apart from advertising of congresses I will be running or if someone asks me a question directly) as I am a touch disappointed by the lack of use and I don't think that the ECF exec read this forum or would act on anything discussed on it (such as the lengthy grading stuff that has been discussed!).

Without ECF involvement I agree the forum is somewhat dead in the water - to be honest I am somewhat tempted...

A good half aren't even registered - so I sometimes wonder why I waste my "free" in all senses of the word time

I quite like this forum, not full of idiots and well watched. know a few of my friends are goin g to join, lucky they all have different views to me, so should liven things up a little.

[Nigel Wright]

I was hoping to refrain from posting in this thread, as I'm sure you're all aware of how active I am anyway!

Maybe the lack of support is due to the age of the average chess player? I know that in my league, there are about 20 of us at the most who aren't 40-something or older. I presume that at that stage of life, people either have careers, children or both to worry about, and therefore are not likely to find time to post, or the older still players are unable to use computers due to their age or don't have one because the need is not there.

The ECF, in my opinion, really needs to concentrate on getting as many 20-40 year olds as possible interested in chess again, or we're going to be in real trouble when the current older generation is no longer with us. There are plenty of keen juniors, leave them alone for a bit, who cares about making them world class or anything, chess in my opinion is not about the winning, not about how good you are and how much theory you know, but about socialising and having fun.

[Charles W. Wood]

I was hoping to refrain from posting in this thread, as I'm sure you're all aware of how active I am anyway!

Maybe the lack of support is due to the age of the average chess player? I know that in my league, there are about 20 of us at the most who aren't 40-something or older. I presume that at that stage of life, people either have careers, children or both to worry about, and therefore are not likely to find time to post, or the older still players are unable to use computers due to their age or don't have one because the need is not there.

The ECF, in my opinion, really needs to concentrate on getting as many 20-40 year olds as possible interested in chess again, or we're going to be in real trouble when the current older generation is no longer with us. There are plenty of keen juniors, leave them alone for a bit, who cares about making them world class or anything, chess in my opinion is not about the winning, not about how good you are and how much theory you know, but about socialising and having fun.

Hi Nigel

I'm 37, and I play in the third division in Bradford. The average age of the third division in Bradford is 24. Why because I did something about, not the ECF, they have bigger fish to fry. Junior Chess, Adlut Chess, National Tournaments, Grading Lists, Master Systems etc. etc. etc. but as part of the system everything we do is part of the ECF. The more we do the bigger the family gets. So I take it you are a Mermber of the ECF, so your a part of the ECF so your saying that you and others should do more to encourage more 20-40 year olds. Good Luck, a small part of that falls in my prefered age range, I'll give you a hand if you want.

Regards

[Nigel Wright]

So if we have to do all of the work, what is the point of the ECF board?! That's my view on it...

[Charles W. Wood]

So if we have to do all of the work, what is the point of the ECF board?! That's my view on it...

So let me get this right. You think 7 people can run every congress, grading system, junior tournament, even sort the trophies for derbyshire, or do we all as members do our bit to help?

I think the second point is right.

[Charles W. Wood]

I think the average of 10 just jumped to 15, with alot of visitors watching.

Don't watch! come in, sit down, pull up a chair and tell us what you think. We are all friends here, and nobody is 100% right, its just your point of view. Questions and answers are how we get to know the world around us.

Your points and experience counts too

[Nigel Wright]

We're not talking about running congresses etc., we're talking about getting more people involved. Wht I mean is that the ECF should be guiding us on how to do things like this, or coming up with the ideas, not us thinking them up and doing it all...

[Charles W. Wood]

We're not talking about running congresses etc., we're talking about getting more people involved. Wht I mean is that the ECF should be guiding us on how to do things like this, or coming up with the ideas, not us thinking them up and doing it all...

They do, and very well I might add, the packs of information I received after starting to run events last year were fantastic. More people involved, 250,000 chess sets, 10 to every school, exactly how many more people do you want to get involved, 500,000 is a lot in my book, you must have a huge book.

BTW; you do a great job I hear.

[Nigel Wright]

I don't want you to get the wrong impression about me, I'm all for the ECF and think they do a good job, but I just think more could be done in certain areas, and the way they go about doing certain things could be changed as well.

And how do you mean you hear I do a good job?

[Charles W. Wood]

I don't want you to get the wrong impression about me, I'm all for the ECF and think they do a good job, but I just think more could be done in certain areas, and the way they go about doing certain things could be changed as well.

And how do you mean you hear I do a good job?

Stop the press!!!! I agree, but this ECF is becoming a better organisation, people like IM Andrew Martin, Martin Regan, Clare Summerscale, Gerry Walsh are learning the ropes of business and doing a great (if not better) job of it, my hat goes off to them all and the rest of the board and office. We are duty bound to help them keep moving forward. We don't want to fall back to the bad old days, someone once told me, we are Team England, every single chess player. Together we are loud, in single we a just a small vioce in a big room. Lets shout together.

Call the office when you have a problem, be nice, and the problem will have gone. The board are at the other end of an email and do things to help. The new direction is coming, the ECF board know it has to come, brace yourself, its here.

[Nigel Wright]

Well that's good, even if I don't agree with you fully in what you just said, but at least it's a start...