ENG FIDE Ratings must be ECF Members

[Adam Raoof]

I know the player you are referring to in your email.

You clearly don't Adam. The player in question is not English.

My apologies.

[Roger de Coverly]

This is not the same if a player is persistently refusing to pay the ECF a membership fee and is deregistered as a result.

Inactive players are also persistently refusing to pay and you don't deregister them provided they stay inactive. You even invite them to open the British Championships.

[Adam Raoof]

This is not the same if a player is persistently refusing to pay the ECF a membership fee and is deregistered as a result.

Inactive players are also persistently refusing to pay and you don't deregister them provided they stay inactive.

True.

You even invite them to open the British Championships.

Untrue.

[Roger de Coverly]

Untrue.

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... ioned.html

[Adam Raoof]

Untrue.

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... ioned.html

That's a great blog, and an excellent article. However even Jon would acknowledge that I did not (which you suggest), and in fact the ECF did not (which you imply), invite RDK to open the Championships. Discuss.

[Roger de Coverly]

That's a great blog, and an excellent article. However even Jon would acknowledge that I did not (which you suggest), and in fact the ECF did not (which you imply), invite RDK to open the Championships. Discuss.

RDK was invited to open the British Chess Championships. The British Chess Championships are organised and run by the ECF. The implication is that the ECF (as a collective entity) invited him.

[Carl Hibbard]

The implication is that the ECF (as a collective entity) invited him.

Seems unlikely...

Why is there ZERO mention of the fact he was even there?

[John Upham]

RDK was invited to open the British Chess Championships. The British Chess Championships are organised and run by the ECF. The implication is that the ECF (as a collective entity) invited him.

I'd suggest that this discussion deserves a thread of its own.

I am curious to know if the inviter of GMRDKOBE to the Championships was aware of the various levels of respect that GMRDKOBE enjoys amongst the English chess community, Private Eye, the S&B blog and the like?

Did the inviter consult the tournament organisers?

I am assuming of course that GMRDKOBE was invited and didn't just show up on the day?

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

So the obvious conclusion is that CJ personally invited RDK to open the Championships. If this is the case, did any other members of the board / organisers of the Championships know about it in time to prevent it happening?

[Roger de Coverly]

So the obvious conclusion is that CJ personally invited RDK to open the Championships. If this is the case, did any other members of the board / organisers of the Championships know about it in time to prevent it happening?

It was certainly announced ,or at least known about ,prior to the event. At home, in the pub on Sunday night, someone mentioned the Times Chess Correspondent and I wondered whether it was worth being strategically late the following day. Although once announced, it's difficult to cancel. That said the website was claiming (still is) there would be an announcement at the opening of a partnership between the ECF and the UK Chess Challenge. This doesn't seem to have materialised.

[Carl Hibbard]

He is of course

'one of the world’s most influential figures in the chess universe'

[Adam Raoof]

It was certainly announced ,or at least known about ,prior to the event. At home, in the pub on Sunday night, someone mentioned the Times Chess Correspondent and I wondered whether it was worth being strategically late the following day. Although once announced, it's difficult to cancel. That said the website was claiming (still is) there would be an announcement at the opening of a partnership between the ECF and the UK Chess Challenge. This doesn't seem to have materialised.

If it is possible, I would like to see any actual evidence of this announcement.

I have to say, however, that despite everything I would very much rather have a President like CJ than a far duller but more pliable alternative. CJ has made more contacts and pushed for more change in a few years than has been seen in the last 20 years. He may annoy a few people along the way, but it gets the issues out into the open. He is personally committed to making sure that chess in England, the British Championships, and the Federation are placed on a more professional footing. He is not anonymous, and is not just a celebrity to put on a letterhead.

The ECF as an organisation cannot be dragged into alliances with anyone against their will, which is some insurance against potential problems. We all have a lot to learn about dealing with major events and we all make mistakes along the way, but the general movement is forward, and positive. If it were not for CJ I would certainly not have stood for office, which you can take as a good or a bad thing! If it were not for Gareth Caller we would not have our finances in order and be ready for the next period of change. If it were not for Lawrence Cooper we wouldn't have sponsorship for our European teams and many international events. If it were not for the steady, guiding hand of Andrew Farthing in moments of stress we would probably all have gone bonkers by now.

[Roger de Coverly]

If it is possible, I would like to see any actual evidence of this announcement.
.

The Streatham blog knew about it

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... upert.html

and this forum

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... &start=377

confirmed by an ECF director.

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... &start=379

The original announcement on twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/Times_Chess/statu ... 5022416897

[Adam Raoof]

If it is possible, I would like to see any actual evidence of this announcement.
.

The Streatham blog knew about it

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... upert.html

and this forum

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... &start=377

confirmed by an ECF director.

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... &start=379

The original announcement on twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/Times_Chess/statu ... 5022416897

Twitter: 24 July as the event was starting might have been the first mention of the event?
S&B Blog: ditto
I suspect the other two are from the same date.

hardly fair warning

[Jonathan Bryant]

Untrue.

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... ioned.html

That's a great blog, and an excellent article. However even Jon would acknowledge that I did not (which you suggest), and in fact the ECF did not (which you imply), invite RDK to open the Championships. Discuss.

Howdi, thanks for the comments Adam, but I should point out that as happy I would be to given the credit for that article, it was actually my fellow blogger EJH who wrote it.

For everybody else, I can confirm that Adam did not invite RDK to the opening ceremony. Post to appear on the S*BC Blog tomorrow morning which will also seek to answer this question

Why is there ZERO mention of the fact he was even there?

and this one.

So the obvious conclusion is that CJ personally invited RDK to open the Championships. If this is the case, did any other members of the board / organisers of the Championships know about it in time to prevent it happening?