Hastings Congress 2021-22

Details of upcoming UK events, please provide working links if possible.
Roger de Coverly
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Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:34 pm

An email from the organiers reminds us that the Congress starts in less than four weeks.

Both in an absolute and relative sense, I don't think they are doing particularly well for entries. A lack of foreigners because of travel restriction uncertainties is a factor.

Personally I took a decision months ago that I wouldn't play. What put me off was both the manner and the tone of the restrictions being imposed which go beyond the scope of what's legally required into the realms of doing it because they can. One of them which I would have thought was unenfoceable was an insistence on players being double jabbed. They've accepted entries from players known to be juniors where it seems unlikely that they've had more than one wab, if that.
Last edited by Roger de Coverly on Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ian Thompson
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Re: Hastings Congtess 2021-22

Post by Ian Thompson » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:15 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:34 pm
One of them which I would have thought was unenfoceable was an insistence on players being double jabbed. They've accepted entries from players known to be juniors where it seems unlikely that they've had more than one wab, if that.
Whilst the e-mail says " We are Making it a condition of entry that everybody will be double jabbed", the website says "It is a condition of entry that all players over 18 should be double-jabbed unless they are exempt under government guidelines".

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: Hastings Congtess 2021-22

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:49 pm

Yes, I don’t think the organisers have any issues with under 18 entries. They did email around and ask for everyone’s vaccine status. We’re down to go to the event. The Omicron reports are getting a bit more alarming. Some scientists now estimating that there could be a 100,000 cases a day in 4 weeks time. There might well be a cut off point around Christmas where if it looks like it’s making vaccinated people seriously ill, I wonder if the entry list might shrink a bit?! Hopefully not though!

Wadih Khoury
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Re: Hastings Congtess 2021-22

Post by Wadih Khoury » Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:28 pm

I am still to register my son to it. It's a big financial commitment to spend 10 days there, but it looks like a great experience.

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John Upham
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Re: Hastings Congtess 2021-22

Post by John Upham » Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm

Wadih Khoury wrote:
Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:28 pm
I am still to register my son to it. It's a big financial commitment to spend 10 days there, but it looks like a great experience.
Yes, Hastings in December is indeed a special experience.
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Wadih Khoury
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Re: Hastings Congtess 2021-22

Post by Wadih Khoury » Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:59 pm

What better place to spend the new year with the family!

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Wed Dec 08, 2021 6:40 pm

I’d guess the whole field would have to wear face masks with Plan B coming into force? Or did some chess events in covid restricted times manage get around masks?

NickFaulks
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by NickFaulks » Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:54 pm

"Getting around" mask mandates is trivial. However, it seems unlikely that the Hastings organisers would fail to take advantage of any unpleasant measure which comes into range.
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:29 am

NickFaulks wrote:
Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:54 pm
"Getting around" mask mandates is trivial. However, it seems unlikely that the Hastings organisers would fail to take advantage of any unpleasant measure which comes into range.
There is no need for that kind of gratuitous cynicism. Your scathing denunciation of the Prime Minister and his Government is one thing, but voluntary organisers doing their best in extremely difficult circumstances deserve better than to be subjected to comments like yours above.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:23 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:29 am
but voluntary organisers doing their best in extremely difficult circumstances deserve better than to be subjected to comments like yours above.
Rather than be apologetic about the need for restrictions, I felt the tone and detail of the conditions for Hastings went over the top. Why for example is a one way system needed? I get the impression that entries for Hastings are disappointing, whereas other Congresses have been over subscribed.

Do the organisers want feedback as to why this might be?

Ian Thompson
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Ian Thompson » Thu Dec 09, 2021 9:27 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:23 am
Rather than be apologetic about the need for restrictions, I felt the tone and detail of the conditions for Hastings went over the top.
That, I agree with.
Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:23 am
Why for example is a one way system needed?
They might have looked at typical arrangements in healthcare settings such as vaccination centres, where one-way systems are often used to minimise contact between people. They may have concluded from that that a one way system is a good thing to do, easy to implement and of minimal inconvenience to people.

They have my support on that one, even if it won't actually make much difference to anyone, because there's no harm in doing it.

Wadih Khoury
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Wadih Khoury » Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:55 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:23 am
Why for example is a one way system needed?
I cannot claim to know what they were thinking, but it appears to be a common and standard procedure in many continental tournaments. Not all tournaments have it, some do.
On top of my head Biel 20, Agen 21, 4NCL Leamington Spa 21 and a couple more I can't recall.

Tim Spanton
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Tim Spanton » Thu Dec 09, 2021 9:16 pm

Wadih Khoury wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:55 pm
Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:23 am
Why for example is a one way system needed?
I cannot claim to know what they were thinking, but it appears to be a common and standard procedure in many continental tournaments. Not all tournaments have it, some do.
On top of my head Biel 20, Agen 21, 4NCL Leamington Spa 21 and a couple more I can't recall.
In some ways it is counterproductive. The busiest times at a congress are at the start of a round when the vast majority of people are heading into a tournament hall, so from a covid view it would make sense to have as many entry points as possible instead of restricting everyone to a one-way system.

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:07 pm

We’ve decided Hastings might be a bit risky in the current climate and decided not to go. The prospect of it turning into a super-spreader event doesn’t sound too far fetched!

Wadih Khoury
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Re: Hastings Congress 2021-22

Post by Wadih Khoury » Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:10 pm

Understandable, I have delayed my decision to Thursday to see what decisions the government will take.