New Grading List

General discussions about ratings.
Roger de Coverly
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:18 pm

Neil Graham wrote:
I don't think Sean said or inferred anything of the sort; he merely quoted some figures
He was quoting figures in defence of his assertion that the abolition of Game Fee has increased the amount of chess played. Perhaps, but it has also reduced the head count of players by driving away those who only played a handful of games a season. He appears to imply this is a good thing.

It's not part of the metrics for club and domestic Congress chess, but the headcount of both players and games is influenced by the success or failure of the prestige international events in attracting overseas players. In terms of non-English participants, I think Gibraltar would be the largest, followed by the London Classic FIDE Open, Hastings and the Isle of Man.
Neil Graham wrote: b) There is an increase of the "baby boomer"generation reaching retirement age and a consequent increase in games played. I think you will find that Mr R De Coverly (for example) is playing a great deal more competitive chess than he was in, say, 2010-11.
Not according to my personal archive.

In calendar 2010 including rapidplay and an ungraded friendly, I played 137 games, whilst in calendar 2015, I played 134.

Ian Thompson
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Ian Thompson » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:38 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:[Sean Hewitt] was quoting figures in defence of his assertion that the abolition of Game Fee has increased the amount of chess played. Perhaps, but it has also reduced the head count of players by driving away those who only played a handful of games a season. He appears to imply this is a good thing.
I don't think that's fair. I think he's suggesting that losing infrequent players is a price worth paying for increased activity overall. Of course, there is no proof that the membership scheme has either caused increased activity, or driven players away.

Here's a question for everyone then - if you could choose from membership schemes that had the following effects, which would be the best and worst options?
  • 4,000 players playing 50 games each per annum
    8,000 players playing 25 games each per annum
    20,000 players playing 10 games each per annum
    40,000 players playing 5 games each per annum

David Sedgwick
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Re: New Grading List

Post by David Sedgwick » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:41 pm

Neil Graham wrote:There is an increase of the "baby boomer"generation reaching retirement age and a consequent increase in games played. I think you will find that Mr R De Coverly (for example) is playing a great deal more competitive chess than he was in, say, 2010-11.
Roger de Coverly wrote:Not according to my personal archive.
In calendar 2010 including rapidplay and an ungraded friendly, I played 137 games, whilst in calendar 2015, I played 134.
However, between the two years you got banned from three events during the course of a single thread on this Forum. :lol:

That would suggest that you are playing more games in other events.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:52 pm

David Sedgwick wrote: However, between the two years you got banned from three events during the course of a single thread on this Forum.
This has yet to be tested. If I were to enter an e2e4 event and my entry was refused, would I have a valid complaint to the ECF? Plan B would be to do an Eagle and attempt to overthrow one or other of my local County representatives. Then turn up in person at an ECF meeting with disruption in mind.

It has to be said that I object to e2e4's business method of setting up events that compete with long established annual volunteer run events and then withdrawing the following year. Surrey to my mind have been the major victims in this, with their long running series of Congresses discontinued. e2e4 competition may have eliminated "Ilford" as well. Internal competition from CCF didn't help in Surrey either.

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Adam Raoof
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Adam Raoof » Tue Aug 09, 2016 7:49 am

In my experience most people who are on the grading list as having played one or two games are either visitors or parents acting as fillers at weekend events, or club members avoiding defaults in league games. They may not appear in the list, but they are still appearing at tournaments and attending club nights.

Does anyone truly give up chess? I get players at golders green who haven't played for a decade or more bringing their kids to their first serious tournament, and they inevitably pick up where they left off!
Adam Raoof IA, IO
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Neil Graham
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Neil Graham » Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:59 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
David Sedgwick wrote: However, between the two years you got banned from three events during the course of a single thread on this Forum.
This has yet to be tested. If I were to enter an e2e4 event and my entry was refused, would I have a valid complaint to the ECF? Plan B would be to do an Eagle and attempt to overthrow one or other of my local County representatives. Then turn up in person at an ECF meeting with disruption in mind.

It has to be said that I object to e2e4's business method of setting up events that compete with long established annual volunteer run events and then withdrawing the following year. Surrey to my mind have been the major victims in this, with their long running series of Congresses discontinued. e2e4 competition may have eliminated "Ilford" as well. Internal competition from CCF didn't help in Surrey either.
e2e4 events are nothing to do with the ECF - you would have no redress in making any complaint to the Federation. Independent organisers can accept or decline whichever entries they want. Perhaps instead of attempting to overthrow your local County representatives you might like to take on the role of County Captain which you have reported as vacant - no volunteers!

Neil Graham
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Re: New Grading List

Post by Neil Graham » Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:19 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Neil Graham wrote:
b) There is an increase of the "baby boomer"generation reaching retirement age and a consequent increase in games played. I think you will find that Mr R De Coverly (for example) is playing a great deal more competitive chess than he was in, say, 2010-11.
Not according to my personal archive.

In calendar 2010 including rapidplay and an ungraded friendly, I played 137 games, whilst in calendar 2015, I played 134.
Can I apologise for not researching this thoroughly enough. I can say that since I retired from work I have started playing 4NCL again and also the odd congress so clearly my games played have increased.

Incidentally in a missive from Alex Holowczak on the new arbiter proposals I was interested to see the word "grandfather" used as a verb, though if we are to remain politically correct I suppose it should be "grandparent" as in "Existing ECF Arbiter Instructors and FIDE Lecturers are grandfathered into this role". I am not quite sure how being "grandfathered" into a role compares with actually being a grandfather. Since retiring I can say that my ever increasing duties as a grandparent are not in any way comparable to being an arbiter.

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