English Chess Forum

Over the last twelve months the “England Women’s online team” have received great support from Aga, both as a player and in her role as Alternate Director of Women’s Chess for the English Chess Federation. With her help and contacts the membership of the LiChess team now stands at an amazing 315 players. The team continues to take part in at least four tournaments every week.

She also did a great job as Deputy Arbiter in the title norm “Wood Green Invitational” tournament in August where she qualified for her final FIDE Arbiter norm.

With the experience she has gained over the last twelve months I can’t think of a better person to take over as women’s director after the October elections.

Yours faithfully,

IM Jovanka Houska
WGM Katarzyna Toma
IA & WFM Shohreh Bayat
Jo Hutchinson
Rayelynn Posadas
IM & IO Lawrence Cooper

That is an impressive achievement , and an impressive list of signatories. I would have some sympathy for Aga if she is suddenly cast aside after all this work. because she is willingly or not caught in the cross-fire between the two candidates for Chief Exec. Aga is a newly joined member of the forum, perhaps she can tell us whether she is happy with Malcolm's hashtag endorsement, and how she would respond if she were the only member of the ticket to be appointed.

I think you need to judge the candidates for Director of Women’s Chess on their merits without aligning them to Either Mike or Malcolm. They are both very strong candidates who I am sure would work well with whoever is elected as CEO.

That's very much what I'd personally like to do, and I have said in the primary thread that the two candidates seem excellent. But the hashtag exists and cannot be unseen. I regard that as unfortunate, others probably feel more strongly, and suggesting they simply ignore it when the option to clarify the situation exists, doesn't strike me as helpful. On this point I'd rather hear from the candidate first hand, however much respect I hold for those providing reassurances. Now would be better than waiting for Council so it can be part of deliberations at the county AGM.

I do accept that this place cannot serve as host to hustings in a formal sense, but there is the opportunity to raise questions here which might occur to the electorate and it would be appreciated if candidates could provide answers. Or is that unfair? How else might want obtain this information - by private e-mail?

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:11 pm

How else might want obtain this information - by private e-mail?

There was a forum set up for the use of Council members, hidden from the outside world. Does anyone use it though?

I don't use it but I support the reasons for it, and the reasons for a deliberately chosen/restricted membership. Your problem isn't so much conversations you can't join in, as the ECF democratic model. I actually tried to resign my ECF role at the same time as my main posts, but as that was misunderstood by our AGM, I'm maintaining a watching brief rather than allow it to disappear into a deeper hole. It could be yours if you volunteer.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:21 pm

There was a forum set up for the use of Council members, hidden from the outside world. Does anyone use it though?

It crossed my mind in this context. The most recent post was in June 2020

Matthew Turner wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:33 pm

I think you need to judge the candidates for Director of Women’s Chess on their merits without aligning them to Either Mike or Malcolm. They are both very strong candidates who I am sure would work well with whoever is elected as CEO.

I do agreed there and i know Aga Milewka has seen the comments about the Director of Women chess as i spoken to her today on my lunch.

Both of the candidates are very strong and you need to judge them on their merits.

I also reached out to Fenella as well to speak to her as well as i judge people on face value and be fair to people.

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:22 pm

That is an impressive achievement , and an impressive list of signatories.

This is embarrassing for me

I am hoping Lawrence will explain who the people are, so I don't have to ask about the names I don't recognise specifically

Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:18 am

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:22 pm

That is an impressive achievement , and an impressive list of signatories.

This is embarrassing for me

I am hoping Lawrence will explain who the people are, so I don't have to ask about the names I don't recognise specifically

Hi Paul,

No problem, here goes:

Jo (Joanne) is the former ECF Manager of Women’s Online Chess and I found an interview that she did with Sean Marsh that may fill in some of the gaps on her chess C.V.: http://cscteesside.blogspot.com/2020/01 ... inson.html

Rayelynn is an intensive care nurse, originally from the Philippines. She lived in the North East for about four years but has now moved to North Carolina. She remains one of the admins of the English Women's LiChess team and is invaluable sorting out any I.T. issues. She also helped arrange a women's match against the Philippines last year. Playing wise she beat WFM Kanwal Bhatia in the 2019 English Women's Championship and played (but lost) to Louise Head in the last round when the English Women's title was at stake.

There is so much more I could say about the two of them but hopefully this gives you an idea of who they are and how valuable their contribution is to the online teams and to helping Aga, Jovanka and myself.

I suspect that you know who the others on the list are but if anyone doesn't then I'm happy to add a few words about them.

Fenella Headlong has now withdrawn from this election. There are more details in the Director of Women's Chess thread

Thanks Lawrence.

I'd like to take this opportunity to pretend I did know who Jo and Rayelynn are but had momentarily forgotten who Jovi is, in case I ever meet them in person.

Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:18 am

Thanks Lawrence.

I'd like to take this opportunity to pretend I did know who Jo and Rayelynn are but had momentarily forgotten who Jovi is, in case I ever meet them in person.

Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:18 am

I'd like to take this opportunity to pretend I did know who Jo and Rayelynn are but had momentarily forgotten who Jovi is, in case I ever meet them in person.

Whilst the name on the letter meant nothing to me either, Laurence's explanation made me realise that Rayelynn is https://twitter.com/FemaleNurse27, who appears in my twitter feed from time to time.