ECF - PLEASE RETURN RHYL TO WALES

[Gordon Cadden]

The compulsory game fee is creating chaos at the Rhyl Congress, with Welsh Chess Union members being forced to join the English Chess Federation.

[Roger de Coverly]

The compulsory game fee is creating chaos at the Rhyl Congress, with Welsh Chess Union members being forced to join the English Chess Federation.

The organisers have to pay the ECF an extra £ 6 for every player not an ECF Silver member. If chaos is being caused by demanding ECF membership for Welsh players, it's been created by the organisers as compulsory membership for non-FIDE Congresses is not (yet) an ECF requirement.

Unless the Rhyl Congress had a previously undocumented Game Fee exemption for WCU players, nothing much has changed since last year except the payment to the ECF for non-members has increased from 58p per game to £ 6 per player and the current equivalent to Cheshire MO members no longer counts as membership for this purpose.

But see http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5376 regarding geography.

[Sean Hewitt]

The compulsory game fee is creating chaos at the Rhyl Congress, with Welsh Chess Union members being forced to join the English Chess Federation.

No WCU member should be forced to join the ECF in order to play at any congress.

However, if a non FIDE rated event wants to be ECF graded, they have to pay a fee for each non ECF member and Bronze member of £6. Membership of another federation does not exempt the congress of paying that charge in respect of that player.

[Roger de Coverly]

The entry form is at
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... m-2013.pdf

Unless overtaken by events, this doesn't say any more than offering a £ 6 discount to Silver etc. ECF members and extending this discount to WCU members.

[Gordon Cadden]

According to the ECF website, the Game Fee, "will effect everyone who plays or organises graded or rated chess in England". Could somebody please advise on how the Game Fee regulations apply to the Rhyl Congress, which is in Wales.

[Roger de Coverly]

According to the ECF website, the Game Fee, "will effect everyone who plays or organises graded or rated chess in England". Could somebody please advise on how the Game Fee regulations apply to the Rhyl Congress, which is in Wales.

Many years ago, in 1968 to be precise, the North Wales county association merged with the Cheshire county association. Thus when the Welsh Chess Union was allowed to become a separate FIDE Federation in around 1970, the North Wales part stayed under what was then the BCF and the Rhyl Congress has operated under the same rules as English Congresses ever since.

It's not just Rhyl, if an event in Ireland offers ECF grading as well as FIDE rating because it's trying to attract English players, that too has to insist on ECF Gold membership, but is under no obligation (to the ECF) to insist on WCU membership for players WLS internationally or Chess Scotland membership for players SCO.

[Alex Holowczak]

Rhyl Congress, which is in Wales.

I'm afraid the Rhyl Congress isn't in Wales, it's in England for chess administration purposes.

The ECF Articles:
3. The Company's objects are:-
3.1. To encourage the study and practice of chess in England and for the purpose of these objects England shall be deemed to include such part of North Wales as is within the jurisdiction of the Cheshire & North Wales Chess Association for so long as it shall so remain.

The BICC Agreement of 2007:
6. ECF and WCU hereby agree that ECF shall continue as heretofore to exercise jurisdiction over the area covered by the former counties of Denbigh and Flint.

Indeed, Rhyl is a voting member of the English Chess Federation, with a vote on ECF Council.

The Rhyl Congress is therefore going to be charged as if it were the London Congress, just as it has been so long as it has been a member of the ECF. It has no special treatment.

[Dewi Jones]

Anybody else going to this Congress? I'm looking forward to it, and will be there for the first round tonight.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Snap!

[Andrew Camp]

Yes, we'll be there. One of my favourite (and cheapest) chess weekends of the year.

[Dewi Jones]

Which section gents?

[Andrew Camp]

Minor.

Wife and Daughter in the middle section.

[Gordon Cadden]

An excellent Congress. Very well organised.
Let's forget about the Boston Tea Party.