English Chess Forum

Does anyone know if there is to be a Manchester Congress this year, and if so when and where it will be?

I have sent a message to the email address that was on last year's entry form with this query, but have not received a reply.

Thanks.

Yes - same venue as last year, similar date TBC

Many thanks, Mick.

I shall try to get a posse of players from Huddersfield geared up to play.

Date is July 4/5/6

See http://www.manchesterchessfederation.co.uk/2.html

Many thanks for the info.

Date now in diary. I shall also put a notice up at the club.

Chris

Thanks for that, much appreciated

The entry forms and details will be available shortly

Please contact [email protected] if you need any information, or wish to enter

Mick

Dates now confirmed as 4/5/6 July
Three Sections: Open Tournament. Major Under 150. Knights Under 110

Free on street parking ECF Graded University Accommodation

PRIZES Main Prizes all Sections First £200 Second £100 Third £50
Grading Prizes Open £40 Under 170 Major £40 Under 130 Knights £40 Under 90

ENTRY FEE £23. Late entry fees Postmarked or emailed after Sunday July 8 £2
Entries on the day £5. Phone entries are not accepted. Please use email or mail.
Entry fee reductions Schoolchildren £5 ECFDirect members & NMS members£1
Withdrawal. If you tell us before Friday July 4 we will refund your entry fee.
ACCOMMODATION Available at the venue, £38 per night including full English breakfast. Accommodation must be booked and paid for before Saturday June 28. You can also stay Sunday night.
TIMETABLE Rd 1 Friday 6.45-10.45 Rd 2 Saturday 9.45-1.45 Rd 3 Saturday 2.30-6.30
Rd 4 Sunday 9.45-1.45 Rd 5 Sunday 2.30-6.30 Prizegiving Sunday 6.35
A £2 admin charge will be levied on all prizes not collected at the prizegiving and posted on.
MOVE RATE 40 moves in 100 minutes, then 20 minutes quickplay.
RE-PAIRING Made 30 minutes after the round starts for all players with no opponent.
REFRESHMENTS Light refreshments and sandwiches will be available.
TOURNAMENT CONDITIONS The organisers decision is final in all disputes. We reserve the right to refuse entries without stating a reason.
VENUE Allen Hall. A University Hall of Residence, three miles south of the City centre on the corner of Wilmslow Road and Cromwell Range . This year we will be playing at ground floor level making it much more disabled friendly
DIRECTIONS By Car. Post code M14 6HT. Take the A34. When you come to Old hall Lane turn right. (Left if arriving from the South) At the end of Old Hall Lane turn right into Wilmslow road then right into Cromwell Range. There is plenty of free on-street parking on Cromwell Range and Old Hall Lane
Public Transport If convenient arrive at Manchester Oxford Road station. Cross Oxford Road and get a bus Nos. 41-45 to Owens Park Hall of Residence (about 2.5 miles). Allen Hall is 200 yds before the stop.
BOOKSTALL BY CHESS DIRECT, Andrew Butterworth P.O. Box 18 Mexborough South Yorkshire S64 9AR Tel 01709 890565 Web Site http://www.chessdirect.co.uk Supplier of chess books, equipment, DVDs, stationery and all your chess needs.
CONGRESS DIRECTOR Harry Lamb 134 Junction Road Bolton BL3 4NQ . Tel 01204 63374. email [email protected]

Just as a follow-up.....the congress went pretty well this year, in spite of some `inevitable` clashes with other events. The 20% rise in entry levels was very pleasing, for which many thanks/appreciation must go to supporters and organisors. Harry Lamb and his team have been running this event now for many years.....
It was good that the venue has benefitted from some refurbishment last year......and the accomodation package helps many of those who travel from further afield.
On a personal note, my games went somewhat bizzarly........I won some games that looked fairly `doubtful` at times...and the one loss, I had hopes of winning, although my opponents counter-play was pretty forbidding....a roll-a-coaster.
A `thumbs-up` also to those who helped with promotions.....emails, website notices, circulars, etc....all help to make things tic.
The details of results, pictures, etc can be seen on the MCF website.... http://manchesterchessfederation.co.uk/38.html

Publicity in chess is important, on all levels. On that note.....with the start of the new season nearing, its time for club organisors/secretaries to contact local newspaper sports editors, asking for a mention for there clubs, and welcoming players of all ages and standards. Many local papers will put such notices in there `forthcoming events` sections FREE of charge...hopefully bringing some new faces to our clubs. Some notices during the season, with league tables, comments on local chess events, etc would also be useful in reminding joe-public that we have a thriving chess community out there....don`t forget to include league/club contacts. Maybe a note to the web-chessers, asking them to come and try the otb format might not go amiss.