ABERYSTWYTH - ARE YOU GOING?

[Lee Bullock]

Ah thanks Brendan

I did not see that tab at the top

Was looking on the left.

Its a shame the British dont have an afternoon event for lower rated players. Only the morning ones. I see Paignton this year is introducing a morning event for lower rateds as before they only had an afternoon one and the morning was u180.

I think its really good to have both AM and PM options open for us mere mortals

[Stewart Reuben]

Lee Bullock >Its a shame the British don't have an afternoon event for lower rated players. Only the morning ones.'<

I hadn't noticed that. I think they used to, which implies the support was poor.
Why not write to Kevin Staveley and suggest it? The problem is that there might not be sufficient support for morning and afternoon and both would collapse. I have a feeling there was some objection for the afternoon ones that juniors came along and snaffled the prizes. That could be overcome by making the afternoon events open only to players over 16 (18?).

[Reg Clucas]

The Seniors event is scheduled at a time when many of us might prefer to be having an afternoon doze. What do other seniors think about this?

[J T Melsom]

I think you may be confusing the British Championships with a nursing home

[Lee Bullock]

Lee Bullock >Its a shame the British don't have an afternoon event for lower rated players. Only the morning ones.'<

I hadn't noticed that. I think they used to, which implies the support was poor.
Why not write to Kevin Staveley and suggest it? The problem is that there might not be sufficient support for morning and afternoon and both would collapse. I have a feeling there was some objection for the afternoon ones that juniors came along and snaffled the prizes. That could be overcome by making the afternoon events open only to players over 16 (18?).

Hi Stewart,

Do you know hes contact details?

And yes over the past 4 years I have played in every British and in the afternoon we only have the Major open which is a 2 week event or the PM open as afternoon options. I am certain if they introduced an under 140 or under 125 in the afternoon it would be well supported.

In the PM open you currently have the problem of having a 170 one round and then a 100 the next round. Then if you win you get a 160 odd the next round and if you lose it goes back to a 100 odd player you play. Then finally the last round you may get a player of your grade.

You do get the odd shock though which is nice but these massive grading differences is a bit do make for some total walkovers. A PM event for lower rateds would make the Opens stronger and make for many more close games and for everyone to enjoy more and have more chance.

[Stewart Reuben]

kevin.staveley@btinternet.com. Surely it is on the ECF website?

The British Seniors used to be in the afternoon and 12 days. It got down to 6 entries. I asked and changed it to 7 days and morning play. It went up to a satisfactory number. But there was a problem. The rounds lasted longer than the morning rounds and this was inconvenient unless there was a separate hall for the event, as in Great Yarmouth.
So they changed it to afternoon play. Last year there were 64 entries to the championship and a fair number to new grading restricted morning senior events.
The European Senior Team Championship was held in Croatia and play was in the afternoon. Only 9 ECF players participated.
The World Senior Team Championship is taking place in Lithuania in July and play will be in the afternoon. So far there are 18 English players. But so far no German teams, who are usually the most active senior players.
Of course each person has their own reason. But go figure.

[Paul Habershon]

I understand Stewart's administrative arguments for the British Seniors to be in the afternoon, but, as a Senior, I was disappointed when morning play was abandoned from 2010 (Canterbury) onwards. My main reason was that I would like to watch the British Championship proper and visit the commentary room. Also several players have accompanying wives/partners and it is much better for them if the game is completed in the morning and they have the rest of the day for non-chess activities if they wish. It is not much fun for a non-player to mooch around in the morning with a partner who has the afternoon game on his mind.

[Roger de Coverly]

What do other seniors think about this?

Increasingly the Seniors will contain players who in earlier years would have played in the Major Open or the British Championships. You get used to leisurely breakfasts and using the morning to research openings and prepare something for the afternoon game.

I would have preferred a 2.15pm start or even a 2.00 pm one to the current 2.30 pm , but is this down to the increasing number of people who play both the morning four hour session and the afternoon seven hour one? Also with increments, round finishing times become that bit less certain.

[Brian Valentine]

I agree with Paul Habershon on this one.

[Stewart Reuben]

Do note, it was not my idea to change the event from the morning to the afternoon. In fact, I don't think I was consulted.

[David Robertson]

I'm not going.

Inaccessible

[Reg Clucas]

I think you may be confusing the British Championships with a nursing home

I might stand a chance of winning if it was a nursing home.

Interesting aside - there is an NHS service called CHESS which stands for Care Home Effective Support Service.

[Stewart Reuben]

Should we be sponsoring that NHS service?

[JustinHorton]

Inaccessible

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[John McKenna]

Inaccessible

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Almost every problem -

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