ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
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John Upham
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ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by John Upham » Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:56 am

Some may be aware that London is hosting a World Championship match between Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen.

The ECF web site or social media do not mention it (AFAIK)

Would you say it was the correct decision to ignore the event and pretend it is not happening ?

Would other NGBs pursue this course of action ?

Mildly curious...
Last edited by John Upham on Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Michael Farthing
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:08 am

I suspect this may well not be a deliberate decision but simply that the volunteers and stretched office resources have not had the time to tackle this. Why not offer to put a page together (or more if you have the time and skills)? I would not be surprised if the offer were accepted.

J T Melsom
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by J T Melsom » Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:13 am

I suspect it is unusual, but not necessarily surprising. Recent discussions in this place have touched on how short of financial resources the ECF is, and how stretched the Office is in terms of manpower. Assuming efforts to partner with the organisers in some way were not rebuffed this may simply be an event which can't be given the priority that it would perhaps merit at other times. Nothing I suppose would have prevented somebody volunteering to undertake initiatives and then seeking ECF support.

I also note that the considerably wealthier Lawn Tennis Association has announced substantial losses. Next week there is the end of season ATP finals in London. I wonder if there is any promotion of tennis on the back of that world class event?

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by John Upham » Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:15 am

Michael,

I suspect it runs deeper than that and that a board decision was made on the grounds that the ECF is not directly involved in the organisation or staging of the event.

I doubt if Malcolm shares this view but I might be wrong.

Does the ECF take any share of the ticket sales ? If I was FIDE / AGON I would definitely want the NGB to engage with the event and help promote it.

I suspect that the vast bulk of interested persons will follow on-line rather than forking out £60 for a ticket.

Hopefully I am wrong as usual and the ECF is fully behind the match and its marketing / promotion.

Has there been any mention of the match in the ECF Newsletter or messages to ECF members ?

[EDIT] See below about the November Newsletter [/EDIT]
Last edited by John Upham on Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by John Upham » Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:58 am

Spookily, within a few minutes of posting the excellent ECF Newsletter for November (from Mark Rivlin) has landed.

Lots and lots of items and a mention of the London match in the first paragraph.
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by J T Melsom » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:10 am

Do you have a different edition of the newsletter - the match is mentioned in the opening paragraph, together with a link to other material on the subject.

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by John Upham » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:29 am

J T Melsom wrote:
Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:10 am
Do you have a different edition of the newsletter - the match is mentioned in the opening paragraph, together with a link to other material on the subject.
Apologies. I scanned it far too quickly. I looked at the headings only, saw no mention and erroneously concluded.

There is a mention in the very first paragraph.
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Paul Cooksey » Thu Nov 08, 2018 12:39 pm

you can tell it is not an ECF event because no-one has objected to it being in London :-)

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Michael Farthing
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Nov 08, 2018 12:41 pm

LoL :)

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Thu Nov 08, 2018 3:43 pm

"you can tell it is not an ECF event because no-one has objected to it being in London "

Brilliant. I may have mentioned here before that I found a report before the formation of the BCF (in 1904) that Yorkshire objected to the preliminary meeting being held in London!

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Nick Grey » Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:50 pm

On ATP Tennis may be the last. Brexit March. Bidding 30plus cities but say go for the biggest 10 capital cities. I expect London will not get a look-in for the competitive long contract on this end of year event. Nor Glasgow either. Not that British Tennis has anyone in top 10!

Anyway starts tomorrow & I'm having a cup of tea with my parents & they have no internet.

Not as if the Evening Standard or Metro have picked up on a London World Chess Championship. Maybe tomorrow. I was expecting the organisers were going to take out a one page advert. I cannot remember seeing it in Time Out either.

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:36 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Thu Nov 08, 2018 3:43 pm
"you can tell it is not an ECF event because no-one has objected to it being in London "

Brilliant. I may have mentioned here before that I found a report before the formation of the BCF (in 1904) that Yorkshire objected to the preliminary meeting being held in London!
The objection only really comes up in regard to the British Championships (there is one particularly vociferous poster on the Chess Heaven facebook page) and my point is that the British is ultimately financed by all English chess players who should have an equal chance to play in it, not just those in London. Personally I would have no objection to a London British but I would object if it was always in London.

By contrast if somebody wanted the World Chess Championship in Manchester (which did once almost happen) or (random example) a Darlington Chess Classic they need to start assembling the sponsors to make it happen. Flagship chess events haven't always historically been held in major cities.
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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:42 pm

Nick Grey wrote:
Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:50 pm
Not as if the Evening Standard or Metro have picked up on a London World Chess Championship. Maybe tomorrow. I was expecting the organisers were going to take out a one page advert. I cannot remember seeing it in Time Out either.
The Evening Standard had an article on it today (Thursday) by their Home Affairs editor:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ ... 84836.html

"US chess prodigy Fabiano Caruana eyes world title in London as he takes on Norwegian Magnus Carlsen
Fabiano Caruana hopes to be first American victor since celebrated Cold War match"

The wording looks to be the same as appeared in the print edition, but several pages in (like a long way in to the paper).

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:43 pm

FiveThirtyEight has picked up on it, possibly because an American is playing.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/th ... -champion/

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Re: ECF and the World Championship Match ?

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Nov 09, 2018 6:55 am

They do write about chess every few months.
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