Certificate of Merit

[John Upham]

All,
I have uploaded the ECF Certificate of Merit presentation in both Microsoft PowerPoint (sorry about that!) and Adobe pdf formats to the ECF Coaching site.

Click here http://www.ecfcoaching.org.uk/com/ and the select the two ecf_com type files

Please feel free to download either / both.

Please ask me any questions via this thread or privately if you so wish (john.upham@zen.co.uk)

Note: The ppt file is read-only and requires a password to modify it.

I've embellished the text since the version I produced for Saturday with some words I had in mind. There are still many optional words I've not used

Carl,
There is no need to upload these to the forum since we would like to measure the total number of downloads. Thanks!

[Carl Hibbard]

Carl,
There is no need to upload these to the forum since we would like to measure the total number of downloads. Thanks!

No problems!

You can measure the downloads here if you look at the Right Move individual posts but of course the choice is yours

Have you considered the look and feel regarding the upcoming change to the ECF site or will this new site be branded in its own right?

[John Upham]

Carl,
There is no need to upload these to the forum since we would like to measure the total number of downloads. Thanks!

No problems!

You can measure the downloads here if you look at the Right Move individual posts but of course the choice is yours

I'd rather provide one URL for the download rather than many : TBL always had this feature in mind pre 1993.

Have you considered the look and feel regarding the upcoming change to the ECF site or will this new site be branded in its own right?

Right now, our key focus is on functionality and on good content. We want to make the application reliable, fast, robust and secure.

My may organise a penetration test to allay any fears of weak security.

Look and feel issues is almost the last issue on my mind right now.

I'm not privy to the forthcoming changes to the ECF web site and am looking forward to them. I am sure we will use the word "Portal" more frequently following its launch.

[John Upham]

We would appreciate feedback on this...

A.
All of the questions&answers have / will be tagged in the following ways :

1. Level : Practise (free), Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Fun (free)
2. Category : Rules, Etiquette, Tactics, Strategy, Planning, Fun, History, Trivia, Technical, Literature, Knowledge (rather than understanding)
3. (Lower) Age Limit, 18, 14, 8
4. Game Phase: The Opening, The Middle Game, The End Game, Game Analysis, All Phases, n/a

Can you suggest any additions to these?

B.
Some of the questions show a position diagram and then ask :

Black is to move : What is the * move for Black to play? where * = either "most accurate" or "best". What do you think?

Thanks for your feedback

[Carl Hibbard]

We would appreciate feedback on this...

How is this one going John, are we close to release yet or do you have something we can all have a play with?

[John Upham]

Carl,
Thanks for the interest. We will be progressing to the UAT stage for the end of June to make it available to coincide with the Holloid Plastics public launch.

The database is being populated with questions and answers by Ken Coates.

I have yet to integrate the purchasing of CoM credits via the new ECF site : I was hoping to see ECF regalia available via this means so as to prove the concept.

We intend to sell this and the CoM DVD via this means.

As usual, I under estimated the time required for the PHP coding as I intend to make the application bullet and idiot proof.

Each Q&A is presented one at a time and written to the DB in that way. Students have the option to PASS and then go back at the end (which has been awkward to code) but I've nearly cracked it!

Most real Answers are stored as diagram BLOBS which are presented in a random order.

I hope that all of this effort is worth while and that we have sets to launch it with. I am assured (by HP) that end of July is the intention.

Rest assured, I am very keen to let you all have a go, slag it off and wish I have never bothered. That joy is not that far away!

Having seen the reception of Duncan and Sophie's effort I know what to expect!

J.

[Carl Hibbard]

Having seen the reception of Duncan and Sophie's effort I know what to expect!

Ok thanks...

The new ECF site is still shocking and some abuse is to be expected

[Carl Hibbard]

I hope that all of this effort is worth while and that we have sets to launch it with. I am assured (by HP) that end of July is the intention.

Do you know if the promised initial events mentioned in the press release for May and June are a go or not?

[John Upham]

Carl,

Here is a recent reply to a recent enquiry from Yours Truly :

From: Caroline Morris
Sent: Wed 20/05/2009 16:54
To: John.Upham@euroclear.com
Subject: RE: Chess Sets for Schools Project


Dear John,

Thank you very much for your interest in Chess for Schools. The proposed schools to be the first to receive their sets will be in Surrey, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, and these launches will take place in May and June.

These will be small pilot events to test our model prior to the larger Launch events that are to begin in September. The first of these small events is happening on Friday and is not going to be covered by the press. However, I am currently finalising plans for the June events and hope to get some local press coverage at these.

Until the plans are final I won't disclose which schools are to be involved, but it's great to be in contact with you about this exciting initiative.

With very best wishes, and thanks again for getting in touch,

Caroline Morris

Project Manager, Chess for Schools

I have no reason to doubt anything above : I fully understand why they wish to practise a launch without fanfare. There is too much at stake for a brazen approach. I wish them well and hope for a total success. I hope that this wish is shared by this forum.

[Matthew Turner]

John,

Caroline Morris wrote "Thank you very much for your interest in Chess for Schools. The proposed schools to be the first to receive their sets will be in Surrey, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, and these launches will take place in May and June."

Technically this means that the first event has to take place by tomorrow. I look forward to seeing the write up in due course. It will be hard to organise events in May and June because some schools were on half-term last week and some next week. It is also a busy period for exams.

Chris Majer wrote
"Sets are being delivered to schools that have registered, so yes they do want them.
When we succeed in delivering 100,000 sets in Year One that will be 40% of all schools in England.
The strategy is not merely to deliver the sets; it involves follow-up to try to make sure that they are used. There is a declared vacancy for the person that will be recruited to make this happen."

It is hard to believe the positive statements about the project when the person who is going to 'make it happen' is not in place.

Having said all this, it seems to me that a more sane approach is being adopted in an effort to build up slowly, lets hope for some tangible progress in the near future. I imagine by now the ECF could have bought a fair few sets with the amount of money already 'invested' in the project.

[Stewart Reuben]

Black is to move : What is the * move for Black to play? where * = either "most accurate" or "best". What do you think?

John, Remember your target audience is young.

It is Black to move. What is Black's best move?

Accurate is a much more difficult concept and I guess not every 8 year old knows the word. Having a symbol indicator of who is to move may well be desirable. Personally I prefer to use Black and White in this context capitalised.

Never fall into the trap I have seen in chess columns and in equivalent public examinations. 'Can you find White's best move?' The answer is yes or no. Both should get full marks.

Stewart Reuben

[Chris Majer]

Matthew wroIe:

It is hard to believe the positive statements about the project when the person who is going to 'make it happen' is not in place.

Plainly Matthew won’t make a detective. “Project Manager, Chess for Schools” would seem to provide a fairly obvious clue as to who will make it happen -at least for the delivery of the sets.

[Matthew Turner]

Chris,
Thank you very much for your response, but earlier you wrote "There is a declared vacancy for the person that will be recruited to make this (Chess For Schools) happen."
Are you now saying there isn't a vacancy and everyone is in place. Will Caroline Morris 'deliver' the project without any involvement from the ECF?
My detective skills tell me that your statements are contradictory.

[Chris Majer]

Matthew wrote

Chris,
Thank you very much for your response, but earlier you wrote "There is a declared vacancy for the person that will be recruited to make this (Chess For Schools) happen."
Are you now saying there isn't a vacancy and everyone is in place. Will Caroline Morris 'deliver' the project without any involvement from the ECF?
My detective skills tell me that your statements are contradictory.
Chris,
Thank you very much for your response, but earlier you wrote "There is a declared vacancy for the person that will be recruited to make this (Chess For Schools) happen."
Are you now saying there isn't a vacancy and everyone is in place. Will Caroline Morris 'deliver' the project without any involvement from the ECF?
My detective skills tell me that your statements are contradictory.

Alas Matthew your detective skills are only those of Dr Watson.

To explain
1) Caroline Morris is the Project Manager appointed by Holloid to ensure delivery of the sets.
2) The ECF will provide some admin support (basically someone to ring round the schools on behalf of Caroline).
3) The ECF is looking for an ECF Manager to deliver the rest of the project. Setting up chess academies and sorting out the support package (i.e. the follow-up).

[John Upham]

Alas Matthew your detective skills are only those of Dr Watson.

I feel that now is the time to request Ernie Lazenby to shed light on these matters. His magnifying glass has been itching to seek employment

Maybe at the next 4NCL weekend we can have a murder mystery with MT in charge of one team and CM in charge of another?