Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
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John Upham
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Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Upham » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:24 am

Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

If you are subject to an ECF gagging order or D-Notice then it would be best for you not to read the above or comment on it.
Last edited by John Upham on Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:29 am

I had started a thread, but then I saw that John had got there first, so I have transferred my the contents of my post over here:

Tim Wall has made a new blog post at www.chess.com/blog/timpeterwall/is-posi ... lish-chess.

I have made the first comment thereon. I quote my remarks verbatim below:

"Well well well.

The English Juniors Coaches and Organisers Association, of which you are Vice-Chairman, chose to announce its intention to challenge Alex Holowczak as ECF Junior Director on the English Chess Forum. Presumably you thought that that announcement would attract a wider audience that the statement on the EJCOA website.

Most contributors thought that Alex Holowczak was doing an excellent job and deserved to be re-elected. You didn't like that, so you flounced off.

Now you seek to belittle as inconsequential the Forum that EJCOA chose to use. That is your privilege, of course.

However, you go on to allege that the criticism of you on the Forum was orchestrated by Mike Truran. I have heard some ridiculous suggestions in my time, but that one ...

David Sedgwick"

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John Upham
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Upham » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:37 am

Thanks David: I was about to switch my post into your thread but you got there before me. :lol:

There was potential for a comedy moment.
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by JustinHorton » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:47 am

Can I once again express the opinion that Tim Wall's election is to be regretted, and that he is an outstandingly belligerent and bullying individual of no particular principle.
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Upham » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:01 am

JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:47 am
Can I once again express the opinion that Tim Wall's election is to be regretted, and that he is an outstandingly belligerent and bullying individual of no particular principle.
It puzzles me that these qualities were not noticed by the people who voted for him.

Is this the Donald Trump/Boris Johnson effect in action?

Do you have an explanation for that Justin? Were they all unaware of these matters?
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:14 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:29 am
However, you go on to allege that the criticism of you on the Forum was orchestrated by Mike Truran. I have heard some ridiculous suggestions in my time, but that one ...
Contributions to the forum are robustly independent and it is widely enough read to have approaching a fifteen year history and survival of attacks by termite haters and directors or officers of the ECF itself.

Turnout for the Silver Members Representative vote wasn't really high enough to enable any conclusions to be drawn. As observed in another thread, the voting figures were low enough that a single club, nexus, cabal or organisation could have a strong influence with a concerted effort.

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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by Mick Norris » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:28 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:29 am
I had started a thread, but then I saw that John had got there first, so I have transferred my the contents of my post over here:

Tim Wall has made a new blog post at www.chess.com/blog/timpeterwall/is-posi ... lish-chess.

I have made the first comment thereon. I quote my remarks verbatim below:

"Well well well.

The English Juniors Coaches and Organisers Association, of which you are Vice-Chairman, chose to announce its intention to challenge Alex Holowczak as ECF Junior Director on the English Chess Forum. Presumably you thought that that announcement would attract a wider audience that the statement on the EJCOA website.

Most contributors thought that Alex Holowczak was doing an excellent job and deserved to be re-elected. You didn't like that, so you flounced off.

Now you seek to belittle as inconsequential the Forum that EJCOA chose to use. That is your privilege, of course.

However, you go on to allege that the criticism of you on the Forum was orchestrated by Mike Truran. I have heard some ridiculous suggestions in my time, but that one ...

David Sedgwick"
Interesting comment from Andy Howie on the blog
As an outsider from another Federation, I have been working with Mike and others on the ECF board in the last year during the Pandemic to try and put events on. I have to agree wholeheartedly with what has been said by David above.

The description of Mike here is not the Mike I have been working with and I think it is a scandalous thing to suggest.

I am not completely familiar with the politics of the ECF, but describing as North Korea?? Come on, seriously???? Do you really think they are that insular when they are happy to reach out to other Federations for advice on some matters and actively encourage those people to contribute and assist with activites.

I think the author needs to take off his rose tinted glasses and take a long hard look at what is really happening.

The author complains about character assassination and then happy launches in to a character assassination themselves... Double standards much?

In my own federation, had someone written a blog like the one mentioned and was writing for the federation magazine, I would be taking the same action. Lets put it in a bit of context, you are working for a large firm and you publish a widely read blog on one of the busiest servers that is highly critical of the firm, what do you really expect is going to happen? Tea and biscuits with the CEO? I think not!

If I was the author I would seriously consider taking this down before I caused even more damage to my reputation!
I think Tim's upset :lol:
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by Mick Norris » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:32 am

JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:47 am
Can I once again express the opinion that Tim Wall's election is to be regretted, and that he is an outstandingly belligerent and bullying individual of no particular principle.
There's clearly going to be an attempt to remove Mike Truran and Alex, both of which would be regretted too; not sure what can be done, given the opposition appear to be well organised; it might appear that negative change is coming to English Chess
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Upham » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:45 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:14 am
Turnout for the Silver Members Representative vote wasn't really high enough to enable any conclusions to be drawn. As observed in another thread, the voting figures were low enough that a single club, nexus, cabal or organisation could have a strong influence with a concerted effort.
Are you explaining TWs election (that nobody wanted to happen apparently) on the basis that not enough people voted or that the right people did not vote?

Had more voted they would have returned another candidate? That is deep insight indeed.

Presumably those that did vote in TWs favour were misguided or blinkered in some way?

I shall be recommending yourself to the BBC to replace John Curtice for Thursday, May 2nd 2024.
Last edited by John Upham on Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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NickFaulks
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:48 am

Andy Howie wrote:If I was the author I would seriously consider taking this down before I caused even more damage to my reputation!
That would be some task, but in any case I doubt that chess.com would follow this forum's helpful lead of censoring any subsequent references to it.
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:51 am

John Upham wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:45 am
Are you explaining TWs election (that nobody wanted to happen apparently) on the basis that not enough people voted?
Compared to the number of Silver members, very few voted. That Tim Wall topped the poll isn't the cause for self congratulation and the mandate for change he makes out.

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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:51 am

Tim does give every sign of being the sort of love-him-or-hate-him candidate who does well in low-turnout elections.

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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Upham » Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:03 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:51 am
John Upham wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:45 am
Are you explaining TWs election (that nobody wanted to happen apparently) on the basis that not enough people voted?
Compared to the number of Silver members, very few voted. That Tim Wall topped the poll isn't the cause for self congratulation and the mandate for change he makes out.

Perhaps these elections are inherently flawed and some other means of appointing / electing representatives should be employed?

Obviously, we don't want the wrong candidate to be elected.
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John Swain
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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by John Swain » Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:32 pm

I wait to see who the candidates will be for various ECF Board positions and also what their election statements amount to (as well as their past record in various capacities, both ECF and non-ECF).

I'm a Level II ECF Arbiter but I've never received any income as an arbiter from ECF or 4NCL events and have no wish to do so. Not every contributor to this debate is financially independent of the ECF/4NCL.

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Re: Is Positive Change Coming To English Chess?

Post by Nick Burrows » Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:47 pm

*Breaking News*

Years of playing adversarial game turns colleagues into adversaries

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