I'm an ungraded player - get me out of here!

[Neil Graham]

I've spend the weekend in arbiting duties at the local Congress - thankfully without too many problems.

However the lowest section (under 120) was won by an ungraded unknown with a clean score of 5/5 which resulted in the usual grumbles from the more established players on the circuit. Incidentally a further ungraded new player in the same section finished on 4/5 - his sole loss attributable to his mobile phone going off mid-game.

Anyway back to the main thrust of the thread.

The winner had played in no other congresses, had no previous grading and I guess is originally from abroad. With this sort of background one can only go on what's said on the entry form and discussions with any doubtful players before the start of play. Firstly can I emphasise that in my view there was no suggestion of fraud or the like, simply a difficulty in establishing a likely grade of a newcomer. I'm satisfied now that the player concerned was unsuited to the section and that he should have been in a higher section. What I'd like to be doing now is advising other tournaments that this player would be better suited to Under 150 events; it could turn out that this is an underestimate who knows?


as a postscript to the above, a new player turned up from abroad in the local league last year. He started off in the fifth team and beat players graded 50; his progress was rapid until he ended up on board one of the first team beating players graded over 180 - and he finished with a published grade of 180+. He wasn't in the FIDE list, no-one had any idea of how good a player he was - including himself!

[David Pardoe]

Hi Neil,
Interesting comments....obviously this guy has played some chess previously.....maybe we need to get some information from such players about there chess history/experience.....maybe some internet chess...might be good to perhaps get some sample game scores for such players.
I would add that such players should be awarded an emergency grade...based on recent results. This players success in Notts should go straight through to the grading system...with an emergancy grade issued.
I`d make the same comment about any players who appear to play well above there actual grade...say over 25 points higher.

[Ian Kingston]

One minor correction to Neil's postscript: the player started out in his club's third team, not the fifth team.

[Charles W. Wood]

With the oncoming event of "Chess for Schools" how do we look after 500,000 potential ungraded players and what effect do they have on grading systems?

[Greg Breed]

a new player turned up from abroad in the local league last year. He started off in the fifth team and beat players graded 50; his progress was rapid until he ended up on board one of the first team beating players graded over 180 - and he finished with a published grade of 180+. He wasn't in the FIDE list, no-one had any idea of how good a player he was - including himself!

I wish I had a problem like that [grumbles]

[Charles W. Wood]

a new player turned up from abroad in the local league last year. He started off in the fifth team and beat players graded 50; his progress was rapid until he ended up on board one of the first team beating players graded over 180 - and he finished with a published grade of 180+. He wasn't in the FIDE list, no-one had any idea of how good a player he was - including himself!

I wish I had a problem like that [grumbles]

The same thing happened at the Polish Parish Club when the Serb Mica turned up a 210. But the club had reach out to some of the Eastern Europeans and found some great players. A good policy if you ask me. Some of the Polish and Slav communities are full of good players most welcome the chance to be part of our leagues. Not my area but worth a try.