English Chess Forum

… when someone posts a message asking when the new grades will be out?

You're a day early

A day early of when someone posts a message, rather than when the grades will be out?

Yes

The process is the same every year. On July 21st someone asks when the new grades will be out. The Chief Grader reads this, and goes "ah, sh!t, we forgot about the new grades". So he emails all the Deputy Graders, and tells them to wake up, sharpish. The DGs jump into action, take out their clever toys, and start doing sums. Then, on July 27th or thereabouts, the CG fires up the master machine, presses Button A, cogs whirr - and the new grades appear

Oh good ... I'm watching out for the grades - hoping for a longplay grade, which will be my first for 41 years. The youth of today seem to say "adjust" now and don't announce check ... did we always shake hands before the game?

"The process is the same every year. On July 21st someone asks when the new grades will be out. The Chief Grader reads this, and goes "ah, sh!t, we forgot about the new grades". So he emails all the Deputy Graders, and tells them to wake up, sharpish. The DGs jump into action, take out their clever toys, and start doing sums. Then, on July 27th or thereabouts, the CG fires up the master machine, presses Button A, cogs whirr - and the new grades appear"

I do hope that isn't actually true...

However, you forgot that there is then a lot of screeching from people who are 149 instead of 150, and even worse, 150 instead of 149, and then everything changes over the next month.

"The youth of today seem to say "adjust" now and don't announce check ... did we always shake hands before the game?"

Educational standards have dropped (adjust), announcing "check" is regarded as a distraction, and probably not, but you are supposed to shake hands or give some sort of recognition.

Andy Stoker wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:49 pm

Oh good ... I'm watching out for the grades - hoping for a longplay grade, which will be my first for 41 years. The youth of today seem to say "adjust" now and don't announce check ... did we always shake hands before the game?

Not when playing correspondence

Andy Stoker wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:49 pm

Oh good ... I'm watching out for the grades - hoping for a longplay grade, which will be my first for 41 years. The youth of today seem to say "adjust" now and don't announce check ... did we always shake hands before the game?

I’m not “the youth of today” any more (although sometimes a bit difficult to tell in the chess world..) but i’ve always stuck doggedly to “I adjust”. I would describe the alternative as pretentious French nonsense, but as far as I have always been able to tell, most people think the alternative phrase is “Shadoob” anyway

David Robertson wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 20, 2018 4:36 pm

Yes

The process is the same every year. On July 21st someone asks when the new grades will be out. The Chief Grader reads this, and goes "ah, sh!t, we forgot about the new grades". So he emails all the Deputy Graders, and tells them to wake up, sharpish. The DGs jump into action, take out their clever toys, and start doing sums. Then, on July 27th or thereabouts, the CG fires up the master machine, presses Button A, cogs whirr - and the new grades appear

It's great to see that I'm ahead of someone's expectations. Not only reading this a couple of hours early, and not having to use expletives. The bit David misses out is that process always begins with someone with expectation of a higher grade(correct in this case).

The final fixes are already taking place and my expectation is that the July list will be on the website around 24th.

Brian Valentine
Manager of ECF grading, aka Chief Grader

" I would describe the alternative as pretentious French nonsense, but as far as I have always been able to tell, most people think the alternative phrase is “Shadoob” anyway "

A friend of mine reported that an opponent suddenly said "En passant", then adjusted a piece. So that provides evidence for your theory! It would make a great dispute, but he decided not to complain. It appears that he would accept any phrase in French... If I play him again, I'll say "Folies Bergere"

Combining the two phrases, however, makes perfect sense, "J'adoube en passant"

I've never seen any reason to announce check. Is this really poor etiquette? I think not.

It were proper etiquette when I were a lad. I know 'cos me dad said so. .

Announcing check was certainly done when I was a boy - but that didn't make it right. Indeed it may well be a (minor) distraction as has been stated. I understand that it is not done now and am trying hard to keep my mouth shut. Just an observation.

To be clear, I was not suggesting that announcing check or using a foreign phrase when adjusting were in any way better than what is done now. I'm certainly happy to shake hands before play - just don't remember doing it in the 1970s.

... but then there are many things from the 70s I have forgotten.

Andy Stoker wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:17 pm

I'm certainly happy to shake hands before play - just don't remember doing it in the 1970s.

FIDE/Kirsan had it as an obsession a decade ago. There were high profile disputes or attempted disputes where one party refused the handshake.

Here's a contemporary report.

https://en.chessbase.com/post/short-che ... e-ends-1-0