New Chess Club - hypothetical question

[NickFaulks]

The Bristol League have "discussed" the matter and have denied my request. Let's keep up the tradition of playing Chess like in antediluvian times and close our hearts and minds to new ideas!

Well done!

Can you remind us precisely what you were asking them to do?

[Mick Norris]

Hi Arnav, I've recently done the fixtures for the Manchester League; I am now proposing that clubs have to have a venue suitable for hosting at least 2 matches (or the ability to play on 2 different nights of the week) if they want to enter more than 3 teams

This isn't because we are stuck in the past, it is because we only have 31 weeks available to schedule matches, and the clubs that restrict the amount of home matches per night are a pain to schedule; if Altrincham had entered as an away only club, I'm pretty sure we would have struggled to cope

We are all volunteers, and we've all got better things to do with our time than chess administration, and some of us have full time jobs too

I'm extremely sympathetic, and I can see venue problems are possibly going to increase as living costs rise, but I do think a club finding a venue is slightly easier than some make out (although no clue what the situation is in Bristol)

[Arnav Sud]

Thanks Mick - I did offer to pay rent on the night that we would play "away", to be fair to the "home" team. This (if done by enough clubs) will actually save money - so 50 clubs can rent and share 25 venues rather than 50 clubs renting 50 venues which are mostly empty during summer.

Thanks for your reply though. I have now requested clarification on whether it's OK to have (1) A physical venue during the season and (2) No physical venue outside the season.

Let's see.

Kind Regards,
Arnav

[Ian Thompson]

Thanks Mick - I did offer to pay rent on the night that we would play "away", to be fair to the "home" team. This (if done by enough clubs) will actually save money - so 50 clubs can rent and share 25 venues rather than 50 clubs renting 50 venues which are mostly empty during summer.

Thanks for your reply though. I have now requested clarification on whether it's OK to have (1) A physical venue during the season and (2) No physical venue outside the season.

I think you'll find a lot of clubs close down over the summer, so only rent a venue for 9 - 10 months a year. Why would a league care what a club's venue arrangements were beyond them having somewhere to play all their home matches?

[David Williams]

50 clubs can rent and share 25 venues

Have you really thought this through? A quarter of matches will be between teams that have no venue. And there must be plenty of clubs with, say, four teams who can accommodate no more than two matches at the same time. They are already full.

[Chris Goodall]

The Bristol League have "discussed" the matter and have denied my request. Let's keep up the tradition of playing Chess like in antediluvian times and close our hearts and minds to new ideas!

Well done!

I believe it's still the official position of the ECF that its constituent counties are "inward-looking and resistant to change".

[Mick Norris]

Thanks Mick - I did offer to pay rent on the night that we would play "away", to be fair to the "home" team. This (if done by enough clubs) will actually save money - so 50 clubs can rent and share 25 venues rather than 50 clubs renting 50 venues which are mostly empty during summer.

Thanks for your reply though. I have now requested clarification on whether it's OK to have (1) A physical venue during the season and (2) No physical venue outside the season.

Let's see.

Kind Regards,
Arnav

No problem

That would not necessarily solve the problem as Ian has alluded to

There's a Summer League here so most clubs stay open in the summer, which probably is a good idea

[David Williams]

Perhaps you could suggest to the league that, although you have no fixed home venue, you will take responsibility for organising a venue for your home matches. In most cases I imagine the opposition will be happy to host the match, but if they are unable or unwilling to do so for any reason, that should be a problem for you to solve, not them. Maybe there is another club which does have ample room that would be prepared to become a regular default home venue for you?

[Arnav Sud]

I keep getting these kind of replies from the reps. I honestly don't know how to interpret this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I should probably ask Alex whether he actually reads the emails he replies to!? LOL. I bet I will get some flak back.

From: Alex Dunn <[email protected]>

Most clubs hire somewhere for the night, few have there own premises I bet if you'd called yourselves the nomads you would have done better!
Cost is a factor, sets, clocks and boards probably cost over £50 each for nice stuff.
Alex

On Fri, 16 Sept 2022, 16:53 , <[email protected]> wrote:
While we are at it – could you please advise whether the following arrangement is OK with the league:

1. Have a physical venue for the duration of the season.
2. Not have a physical venue outside the season.

[IM Jack Rudd]

The league only cares about your having a physical venue for the duration of the matches you commit to playing at it. Not having a venue during the off-season is fine, only hiring a venue for the nine or so home games you have in the season is fine.

[Ian Thompson]

I keep getting these kind of replies from the reps. I honestly don't know how to interpret this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe it's saying that even if a club's venue has sufficient space for hosting your matches they might not have sufficient equipment for extra matches and wouldn't be prepared to buy more equipment.

Were you expecting to use the club's equipment or were you intending to provide your own?

[Arnav Sud]

Oh providing our own equipment of course!! (Chess Boards, Chess Men, Chess Clocks, Scoresheets, pens and pencils).

If we are hiring a venue for the season duration - of course we would bring our own equipment! What happens to that equipment outside the season is our problem!

Cheers

[Arnav Sud]

P.S. Ironically Stuart Iles from Clevedon is looking to ask North Bristol whether they can play the Minor KO at NB's venue as theirs is booked for a function.

I rest my case.

[NickFaulks]

I rest my case.

Am I alone in being unable to work out what your case is?

[Arnav Sud]

Yes.

Jeez, the sarcastic toxicity in these forums is another level for someone who wants to seek genuine help.

Honestly.