ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Discussion about all aspects of the ECF County Championships.
David Sedgwick
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ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm

Entries are now open for the ECF's Summer OTB County Championship Competition. See www.englishchess.org.uk/county-entry-op ... challenge/.

The Regulations are available at www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-content/uplo ... 1-Regs.pdf.

These Regulations stipulate that:

1. The playing session is four hours.

2. Unless medically exempt, players must wear a face covering at all times within the playing area.

3. Players are not allowed any refreshments in the playing area, not even a glass of water.

It must have taken me all of 15 seconds to conclude that I did not wish to be either a player or an arbiter in this event on the basis of these Regulations.

I was disappointed, as I have been looking forward to the competition for some months.

However, at least it was one of the easiest decisions which I have ever had to take.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:19 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm
These Regulations stipulate
Also
D7.1 During play, a player must not have any access to mobile phones, electronic
means of communication or devices capable of suggesting chess moves. Such
devices, if brought into the playing venue, must be completely switched off and placed
in a bag on or under the player’s table before play starts.
That used to be a totally normal condition. However, if as indicated by the nature of some of the other regulations, the matches are to be played under conditions of paranoia, should not the mobile phones remain switched on? The point being that they cannot bluetooth one another to establish mutual presence if totally powered off and thus are unable to support the attempt to impose lockdowns by forcing self isolation.

Nick Burrows
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Nick Burrows » Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:34 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm

3. Players are not allowed any refreshments in the playing area, not even a glass of water.
Why?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:52 pm

Nick Burrows wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:34 pm
Why?
You would need to remove the mask to consume a glass of water. I suppose that a condition of no refreshments at the board was implicit at the recent 4NCL Congress played before restrictions were lifted. The water station was adjacent to the door leading to the outdoor smoking/mask free area.

Alex McFarlane
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Alex McFarlane » Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:48 pm

At a recently re-opened chess club where masks were to be worn, one player bought one pint (possibly a half) and then spent the entire night claiming he was drinking and therefore couldn't wear his mask. It is that sort of behaviour which adversely affects everyone else and leads to rules designed to prevent them from being circumvented.

Having said that, I have no knowledge of the reasons for the County Challenge rule but the above example would be a good justification.

David Sedgwick
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:11 pm

Alex McFarlane wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:48 pm
At a recently re-opened chess club where masks were to be worn, one player bought one pint (possibly a half) and then spent the entire night claiming he was drinking and therefore couldn't wear his mask. It is that sort of behaviour which adversely affects everyone else and leads to rules designed to prevent them from being circumvented.

Having said that, I have no knowledge of the reasons for the County Challenge rule but the above example would be a good justification.
No, it wouldn't. It would be a reason for having a sensible and responsible rule.

Even with good ventilation, the summer temperature may be hot. A player who has been wearing a mask for over three hours may well need some water, but if there is a time scramble he may be reluctant to leave the playing area.

What if he then collapses?

These Regulations are a good example of what happens if you allow concern about Covid-19 to lead you to blind you to other risks and considerations.

Mike Gunn
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Mike Gunn » Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:23 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm
It must have taken me all of 15 seconds to conclude that I did not wish to be either a player or an arbiter in this event on the basis of these Regulations.
It's unlikely that Surrey will have teams in this event - both Julien and myself were invited to be captains and we both turned it down. (Of course the county may find others prepared to take it on, but I think it is unlikely.)

David Sedgwick
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:46 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm
It must have taken me all of 15 seconds to conclude that I did not wish to be either a player or an arbiter in this event on the basis of these Regulations.
Mike Gunn wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:23 pm
It's unlikely that Surrey will have teams in this event - both Julien and myself were invited to be captains and we both turned it down. (Of course the county may find others prepared to take it on, but I think it is unlikely.)
Yes, that was confirmed to me when I informed a Surrey officer that I did not wish to play.

However, like many others, I am qualified to represent more than one county. So I might still have played had the Regulations been different.

NickFaulks
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:46 pm

To be fair to the ECF, they may have hit on something. Perhaps a form of cage chess, where the winner is the one who doesn't collapse from dehydration, really is the way forward.

I hope they've checked the European Convention on Human Rights, though.

Seriously, this does validate my decision to ignore the British Senior Championships and instead seek opportunities to play abroad. The ECF has in no uncertain terms declared its intention to make any event it organises as unpleasurable as possible.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:55 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:46 pm
Seriously, this does validate my decision to ignore the British Senior Championships and instead seek opportunities to play abroad.
Is there any news on this?

Tim Harding's site at http://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Seniors-calendar.html
has
** 4-10 October: British Senior Championships (OTB) 50+ and 65+ may be played, at an English hotel venue yet to be announced (Covid-19 regulations permitting). No details yet, but keep checking the English Chess Federation website for announcements. (As of 21 July there was nothing.)

Nick Ivell
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Nick Ivell » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:19 pm

I can imagine your disappointment, David. I can also imagine that no decision has ever been easier.

If this is the way 'forward', a lot of us will be dropping out of chess for ever.

(I define serious chess as OTB; online chess as skittles.)

NickFaulks
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:29 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:19 pm
If this is the way 'forward', a lot of us will be dropping out of chess for ever.
We can only assume that is the plan, and the ECF does not wish us to be lured away from its ( admittedly well oiled ) online offering.

It won't work for some of us, but we are just collateral damage.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Ian Thompson
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Ian Thompson » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:34 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:19 pm
If this is the way 'forward', a lot of us will be dropping out of chess for ever.
I doubt it. In the one event I've played in with similar coronavirus restrictions in place, I didn't find it unduly onerous to have to take my drink outside the playing area before removing my mask to consume it. The important thing is that there is somewhere close to the playing area to do this so it won't take long.

Nick Ivell
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by Nick Ivell » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:53 pm

I just don't think that would work with my bottle of Peroni.

David Gilbert
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Re: ECF Pre-Season Regional County Challenge

Post by David Gilbert » Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:00 pm

Mike Gunn wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:23 pm
David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:58 pm
It must have taken me all of 15 seconds to conclude that I did not wish to be either a player or an arbiter in this event on the basis of these Regulations.
It's unlikely that Surrey will have teams in this event - both Julien and myself were invited to be captains and we both turned it down. (Of course the county may find others prepared to take it on, but I think it is unlikely.)
It’s a sorry state of affairs when Surrey can’t manage a single team for this pre-season tournament. Oh well, let it be so. Their old rivals Kent expects to enter three teams (two new captains) - one in the Average 2000 group and two in the Average 1600. There have been expressions of interest from 37 players (including half-a-dozen new/past ones) A survey taken just before I flew off to the ACO’s Amateur Championships on Rhodes, elicited 28 replies. Good news. 17 said they’d play with or without masks - they just wanted to get back over-the-board again. Of the rest, nine would only play with masks and two said they would only play without them. Overall 18 said they would even be prepared to play in a two board match at a push, although that was no one’s first choice and it does feel like a clumsy alternative.

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