Isle of Man to be one of the Candidates - what about us patzers?

[Brian Towers]

The Isle of Man is to double as one of the new world championship candidates selectors. The new venue will be a golf resort several miles out of town. What will happen to the lower level tournaments for the many chess players outside the world elites?

Will they still hold them? If so where? Who is going to want to pay through the nose for a 5 start hotel miles out of town? If not at the same venue who is going to want to go and play and not have the chance to watch the stars when your game is finished as in previous years?

[Roger de Coverly]

a 5 star hotel miles out of town?

The hotel is not actually that far from Douglas and not that far off the main road which runs to the airport and the south of the island.

It remains to be seen whether any side events will be organised and where they would be held, but if held at the same venue, it's not so far to commute from Douglas, or, if you have a car, anywhere else on the island.

[Angus French]

...What will happen to the lower level tournaments for the many chess players outside the world elites?

In answer to a question about whether there will still be Challengers and minor sections, Alan Ormsby says (in the comments to the article) "Yes, Major and Minor sections aimed at club players rated below 2100 will be announced in the coming weeks."

[Roger de Coverly]

Alan Ormsby says

In the interests of winding up a regular commentator.

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?i ... hyear=2017

Alan Ormsby looks after the charitable interests of the Scheinberg family and was co-opted on to the board himself in 2014.

[JustinHorton]

Yes, I've spoken to him a couple of times. He's a blustering guy.