2019 British

[Roger de Coverly]

but my point was more the notice at which individual events within them are announced.

It's a problem that failing to announce dates for the British Championship Congress puts a planning blight on anyone planning an event at around that time. It can be a similar problem with the late announcement of the dates for the London Chess Classic that Leagues may be asked to avoid arranging fixtures that clash. That's difficult to do when the dates remain unknown.

FIDE are rather more forthcoming. If (or is it when) the 2022 Olympiad is awarded to Belarus, the dates will clash with the normal slot for the British Championship. The similar problem to 2016 at Aberystwyth.

[Michael Farthing]

Ian,

I don't think anyone in the ECF actually wants to announce venues at the last minute. Surely Alex's point is that it is quite difficult to do anything else - and the examples he gives simply illustrates that other sports also have this difficulty. I take your point that it can make a big difference to know the venue earlier, but Alex (nor anyone else) can magically change reality to make that possible.

[Nick Grey]

When is the venue and dates likely to be announced?

[Andrew Zigmond]

Ian,

I don't think anyone in the ECF actually wants to announce venues at the last minute. Surely Alex's point is that it is quite difficult to do anything else - and the examples he gives simply illustrates that other sports also have this difficulty. I take your point that it can make a big difference to know the venue earlier, but Alex (nor anyone else) can magically change reality to make that possible.

Well said Michael. The fact that there may be practical problems preventing the ECF from confirming and announcing the venue and dates seems lost on certain people on this thread. More to the point, and as I stated earlier, if they think they can do a better job now is their moment to run for the Home Directorship.

[Alex Holowczak]

For example, the World Snooker Q School was in late May, and the first tournaments were in July. The PDC World Championship dates in December/January were only published in June, shortly before tickets were going on sale once they'd revised the format. The first tournament on the PGA Tour was announced at four months notice. The Australian Grand Prix in 2019 only has provisional dates in March 2019.

The sports just happened to form part of a season wide of events, but my point was more the notice at which individual events within them are announced.

All of these sports are significantly different from the British Chess Championships because they are predominantly, if not exclusively, for professional players. The professional player is likely to be willing to go wherever they are, whenever they are, to earn a living.

The British Chess Championships are for amateurs, bar a very small number of players. Amateurs will be fitting their chess in around work commitments, other family commitments, etc., so knowing dates and venues far in advance will help them do that.

But the tens of thousands of spectators who will go to these events are not.

In my case, for example, although I have no interest in playing in the British Championships, I am currently looking at where I might play up to the end of April 2019/early May 2019. Why? Because I usually play in a tournament around Easter and next year that's 19 - 22 April. If I do that again the leave will come out of my 2019/2020 leave allowance (which commences on 6 April 2019). If I do play over Easter I don't really want to be taking the remainder of my 2018/2019 leave in late March (as it's too close to Easter), so I'd want to take it sooner. On the other hand, if I don't play over Easter, I could play towards the end of March/early April. That means it would be really useful to me to know the dates and venues of every tournament that's taking place up to May next year right now.

Well, the British Championships are in July/August, which is after your cutoff.

[Alex Holowczak]

When is the venue and dates likely to be announced?

The first day the webmaster is in the Office after we've signed a contract.

[Alex Holowczak]

Ian,

I don't think anyone in the ECF actually wants to announce venues at the last minute. Surely Alex's point is that it is quite difficult to do anything else - and the examples he gives simply illustrates that other sports also have this difficulty. I take your point that it can make a big difference to know the venue earlier, but Alex (nor anyone else) can magically change reality to make that possible.

Well yes, that too. The London Chess Classic festival in December hasn't been announced - presumably because one of the emails on the topic in my inbox requires me to do something, and it's less than four months to go until that. OK, you can guess that's in London, but the dates aren't yet public.

Anyway, I'd best go read those emails.

[JustinHorton]

More to the point, and as I stated earlier, if they think they can do a better job now is their moment to run for the Home Directorship.

Well, it's a good deal less to the point. It may be useful to find out if ECF members want or need dates for the next years's British announced by a given time, or if there might (or might not be) be other problems associated with a late announcement. This way, we can try to find out how much of a priority it is, and even whether or not it could be delayed still further without damage. That's the benefit of open discussion.

On the other hand, it's not clear what shut-up-or-do-it-yourself contributes at all.

[Nigel White]

Well yes, that too. The London Chess Classic festival in December hasn't been announced - presumably because one of the emails on the topic in my inbox requires me to do something, and it's less than four months to go until that. OK, you can guess that's in London, but the dates aren't yet public.

Anyway, I'd best go read those emails.

It would be really helpful if the dates for the London Chess Classic could be confirmed soon. Whilst I don't need to know dates a year in advance, my diary planning horizon is usually about three to four months distant. Trying to juggle family, work, chess and other commitments is not easy, and I already have some potential clashes in early December.

[Alex Holowczak]

On the other hand, it's not clear what shut-up-or-do-it-yourself contributes at all.

I don't subscribe to the view that "volunteers" should mean doing things in an amateur way, but given there are not a large number of volunteers, it does mean that people have to be reasonably tolerant of those who do volunteer, perhaps moreso than you would normally expect to be. 99% of people understand this, but by the very nature of a Forum, it will attract some of the 1% who don't. So perhaps the 1% need to be reminded of this from time-to-time to keep a sense of perspective.

[JustinHorton]

On the other hand, it's not clear what shut-up-or-do-it-yourself contributes at all.

perhaps the 1% need to be reminded of this from time-to-time to keep a sense of perspective.

But perhaps not repeatedly.

[Brian Towers]

On the other hand, it's not clear what shut-up-or-do-it-yourself contributes at all.

perhaps the 1% need to be reminded of this from time-to-time to keep a sense of perspective.

But perhaps not repeatedly.

Indeed. Beating a dead horse is a waste of time.

[Nigel White]

It would be really helpful if the dates for the London Chess Classic could be confirmed soon.

Impressive! My request was answered within three hours.

[Nick Burrows]

It would be really helpful if the dates for the London Chess Classic could be confirmed soon.

Impressive! My request was answered within three hours.

Clearly a man of great importance. Ask something else!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Perhaps we should put Nigel in charge of getting us a decent Brexit deal?