The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg: A Parable for our Time

[Graham Borrowdale]

It's really sad that the current generation of chess players seem to want the game on the cheap. To some extent the organisers must take some responsibility for not making sure players did not eat food purchased elsewhere.. I can fully understand the hotel managements decision, if indeed it's confirmed, they gave up a sizeable amount of the hotels facilities for the chess event and the staff did all they could to make it a good weekend. If they got very little in the way of financial benefit it's hardly surprising the plug has been pulled.

Perhaps most chess players would be happy playing in a dos house with spitoons in the corner and a bowl of slop for lunch provided they could Play 5 games for 5 bob.

Ernie, I have never met you but I have to say this type of generalisation is really not on, and is a slur on most decent people. I would be equally embarrassed if I saw people bring their own food into a hotel, but I am sure they are in a minority. I am not sure who you mean by 'the current generation' - are we talking about the Fischer boom, the U30s, students, children? Please tell us.

[David Robertson]

most chess players would be happy playing with spitoons in the corner and a bowl of slop for lunch

On which basis, tournament organisers might want to consider block-booking Wormwood Scrubs

[JustinHorton]

For what it's worth, when I was playing 4NCL a dozen years ago it seemed to me that the standard of their breakfasts was the number one topic of conversation among competitors.

I laughed at this. And now I am a middle-aged man, and when I play a chess tournament my number one concern is the standard of my breakfast....

[Alex Holowczak]

I have to say though I did notice quite a few people eating their own food in the hotel which is not on.

This has happened at BUCA over the years. It happened this year. One team in particular was guilty of bringing in food and sitting themselves down in the bar area, eating this food. They were promptly told to leave the building and eat it there, amidst protestations that I was being unreasonable.

[Alex Holowczak]

And now I am a middle-aged man, and when I play a chess tournament my number one concern is the standard of my breakfast....

It's a slippery slope. Next you'll be attending an arbiters' course...

[Sean Hewitt]

I have to say though I did notice quite a few people eating their own food in the hotel which is not on.

This has happened at BUCA over the years. It happened this year. One team in particular was guilty of bringing in food and sitting themselves down in the bar area, eating this food. They were promptly told to leave the building and eat it there, amidst protestations that I was being unreasonable.

Safe to say that I hit the roof when I saw them doing it. Mind you, they were lucky that I asked Alex to throw them out rather than doing it myself

They claimed there were no signs saying they couldn't bring their own food into the bar, therefore it must be ok. I pointed out that there were no signs saying they couldn't defecate on the floor but that I hoped both were equally unnecessary.

[Andrew Zigmond]

I have to say though I did notice quite a few people eating their own food in the hotel which is not on.

This has happened at BUCA over the years. It happened this year. One team in particular was guilty of bringing in food and sitting themselves down in the bar area, eating this food. They were promptly told to leave the building and eat it there, amidst protestations that I was being unreasonable.

Safe to say that I hit the roof when I saw them doing it. Mind you, they were lucky that I asked Alex to throw them out rather than doing it myself

They claimed there were no signs saying they couldn't bring their own food into the bar, therefore it must be ok. I pointed out that there were no signs saying they couldn't defecate on the floor but that I hoped both were equally unnecessary.

Quite right too! When I play Yorkshire League matches I normally bring a sandwich with me and I always pop outside to eat it, even in venues where there wouldn't be any objection to my doing so inside.

At Torquay (in part due to the gentleman screaming on here that not being allowed to eat his own food in the venue violated some fundamental right) the venue was papered with signs forbidding the consumption of own food. Perhaps this is the way forward - together with a warning that they will be thrown out of the tournament if they fail to comply.

[David Pardoe]

Here is a quote from the Blackpool Entry details.....

Timetable
Friday Opening Ceremony 18:55
Round 1 19:00 - 23:00
Saturday Round 2 09:30 - 13:30
Round 3 14:15 - 18:15
Sunday Round 4 09:30 - 13:30
Round 5 14:15 - 18:15

Rate of Play
40 moves in 100 minutes, then after Black's 40th move players receive an additional 20 minutes and the game must be completed in the time remaining.

Venue
The Imperial Hotel is the most famous and historic hotel in the lively coastal resort of Blackpool!

It is situated on Blackpool's North Promenade with spectacular views over glorious beaches to the Irish Sea, only minutes from all local attractions.

The Imperial Hotel has hosted the créme de la créme of British politics with the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair at their annual party conferences and now hosts one of the largest weekend chess events in Britain ... the Blackpool Chess Conference!

PLEASE NOTE: No food or drink to be taken onto the premises. The Imperial is offering special reduced prices on food and drink in our areas of the hotel.

There is a £3.50 a day car parking charge for non-residents using the Imperial Car Park.


So, the only thing to add to this to doubly underline the point, would be an instruction to the Controllers on each section to issue a polite reminder at the start of the Congress.
Yes, Blackpool offers many hotel options...fair enough. Maybe the e2e4 approach to accomodation might help with reservations...
But, if my observation is right, that capacity was down at about 350 entries, when Blackppol venue allows for 450 entries, then this would also effect takings...maybe by up to 25%. Thats a fair chunk....and Blackpools policy of closing off entries on the Thursday night might need looking at. Just slap a surcharge on late entries `on the day`. to deter the laggards....but do except any late business.
On these grounds, maybe someone should go and have a personal word with the Hotel management to see if something can be done. I really cant imagine that any hotel can afford to turn away 350+ visitors in early Spring, unless they have a very strong wedding booking list, or something.
Mistakes are always possible, and sometimes the way forward is to take the hit, issue any notices, and try again, on the understanding that any future failings could result in the Red card.

......If indeed this is the situation for Blackpool...?

PS Heres an extract from the Blackpool report..
The event went well with no problems for the Arbiters Dave Welch, Alex McFarlane, Lara Barnes,
Fiona Green and Peter Purland to resolve. The venue looked good after recent improvements to the
lighting in the main playing rooms and despite a few problems with heating the players seemed to
enjoy the event.
Thanks to Brendan O’Gorman for taking the photos at this year’s event which can be viewed from
the link on the website.
We hope to hold the event again next year on the same weekend in March but this will have to be
confirmed.
Thanks to all our players for supporting the event and to the sponsors for their help in hosting it.
Simon Woodcock
Congress Director.

[Roger de Coverly]

I really cant imagine that any hotel can afford to turn away 350+ visitors in early Spring, unless they have a very strong wedding booking list, or something.

I thought the point made was that there were 350 in the Congress, but only 80 to 90 of them were staying in the hotel.

Checking prices in Blackpool using next weekend as the example, there's a profusion of establishments offering two nights for £ 50 or less, which may account for Blackpool's continued popularity. Compared to other Congresses where it's difficult to find anywhere for that sort of price even for one night only, there's a lot of choice.

[Andrew Zigmond]

I really cant imagine that any hotel can afford to turn away 350+ visitors in early Spring, unless they have a very strong wedding booking list, or something.

I thought the point made was that there were 350 in the Congress, but only 80 to 90 of them were staying in the hotel.

Checking prices in Blackpool using next weekend as the example, there's a profusion of establishments offering two nights for £ 50 or less, which may account for Blackpool's continued popularity. Compared to other Congresses where it's difficult to find anywhere for that sort of price even for one night only, there's a lot of choice.

Roger is correct that those seeking cheap accomodation in Blackpool are spoilt for choice. For those who aren't familiar with the town there are streets that are literally row upon row of B&Bs and these are just ten minutes away from the venue.

At the risk of being a pedant I think we need to know which of the following was the biggest cause of the hotel withdrawing their offer.

a) insufficient numbers of players staying at the hotel (Ernie has said upthread that he understood the hotel was full)
b) insufficient number of players buying food from the hotel bar
c) players consuming their own food in the premises despite a request on the entry form not to do so.

[Ernie Lazenby]

Mike has confirmed to me in a PM that the hotel has pulled the plug on hosting the event again.

In another post I may have been a little ott but my wife who has commented in recent years that her observations of the dress of chess players leads her to conclude that chess has gone down market, and although she certainly is not a snob my any means, she feels a little uncomfortable being around some at congress's. I have been saying for a number of years that chess has gone downmarket and no longer has a good image which is why sponsorship is hard to find if it can be found at all.

I may have commented about this before but; about three years ago at South Lakes the hotel management segregated the chess players from other residents for the evening meals.Hardly surprising given one individual was walking around with torn jeans exposing part of his backside and a pair of trainers that a tramp would had discarded.

At the Imperial chess players were excluded from one of the lounges used by other residents; my wife and I were allowed into it because we were correctly attired and it was clear why the hotel had done this. Many of the other residents(non chess players) in this lounge were nicely dressed as befits a hotel of the Imperial's standard.

BTW I did not say the hotel was full of chess players, it was full as I said but I have no idea how many were chess players.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Ernie, why on Earth are you posting here what you were told by Mike in a PM? If Mike wanted to post confirmation of which hotel it was publicly, he would have done so himself. We should all back off this and let the organisers say something official, rather than speculating or saying things that will make things worse.

[Ernie Lazenby]

While I am on here, these days I tend to keep off forums- its safer;
At Blackpool in the last round I had to play a chap who was loaded with flu or a heavy cold, coughing an sneezing all over the place. Worst he kept putting his fingers in his mouth then touching the pieces. I spent an absolute minimum of time at the board to avoid being infected and was pleased to get a quick draw and get away.
In my opinion people suffering like that ought not to be allowed to play, indeed they ought to have the good sense to know the risk to others.

[Ernie Lazenby]

Ernie, why on Earth are you posting here what you were told by Mike in a PM? If Mike wanted to post confirmation of which hotel it was publicly, he would have done so himself. We should all back off this and let the organisers say something official, rather than speculating or saying things that will make things worse.

Because he did not say it was in confidence. Fairly obvious by now is it not! However your fundemental point is accepted I ought to have asked him. BTW Things can only ever get better if the negative sides of our game are discussed openely, honestly with the intention of getting chess out of the gutter.

[Andrew Camp]

While I am on here, these days I tend to keep off forums- its safer;
At Blackpool in the last round I had to play a chap who was loaded with flu or a heavy cold, coughing an sneezing all over the place. Worst he kept putting his fingers in his mouth then touching the pieces. I spent an absolute minimum of time at the board to avoid being infected and was pleased to get a quick draw and get away.
In my opinion people suffering like that ought not to be allowed to play, indeed they ought to have the good sense to know the risk to others.

There is a player who plays in the minors who insists on chewing gum with his mouth open during games.

Fewer things are more likely to drive me to murder...