English Chess Forum

Dear All,

Finally at Richmond Juniors we have managed to resolve all the road blocks to re-starting the Richmond Rapidplays.

We will re-start on Sunday, 12th June at Orleans Park School.

Our entry form is attached to this post, complete with all requisite information and instructions. Entries are being accepted from today. All prizes are guaranteed.

Apologies for all the delays, we have had an enormous work-load last term (see our Newsletter for an overview of just a few of our activities), causing us to prioritise.

Looking forward to seeing many of you there - we have a great venue!

Yours,
Paul McKeown
Manager - Richmond Junior Chess Club

EDIT:- Attached entry form updated a) corrected date for Feb. 2017 event and b) corrected round times.

There seems to be a problem with the round times on the entry form. (Round 2 is shown as lasting just 40 minutes.)

ENTRY FEES
All players must be members of the English Chess Federation, at Silver level or better.

It's the first time that I've seen this on an entry form, are there any other events that do the same ?

Mike Gunn wrote:There seems to be a problem with the round times on the entry form. (Round 2 is shown as lasting just 40 minutes.)

Thank you, Mike, now corrected.

Gareth T Ellis wrote:

ENTRY FEES
All players must be members of the English Chess Federation, at Silver level or better.

It's the first time that I've seen this on an entry form, are there any other events that do the same ?

I have no idea, but it's an elementary step for a player to register with the ECF, rather than require the organiser to surcharge the player and then send the correct fee to the ECF. I have helped many people find the right page on the ECF web-site. If someone really, really, really wanted to play in the RR, without having ECF membership, then, ceteris paribus, I would accept them. Unless they had a surprisingly good reason, though, I think I would have to surcharge them £10 for the administrative inconvenience.

Paul McKeown wrote: If someone really, really, really wanted to play in the RR, without having ECF membership,

You don't want entries from tourists then, or from those for whom this would be their sole competitive outing in England.

Don't be silly, Roger. Of course we are happy to accept non-resident players registered with another chess federation, that is a rather valid reason not to have an ECF Membership.

As for others for whom this would be their sole competitive outing in England, who apart from foreigners are they? No, actually, don't bother. They are fictitious characters, well portrayed ad nauseum elsewhere on this forum. Please don't use this as an opportunity to ride your favourite hobby horse, "ECF Membership", it isn't the Grand National.

Paul McKeown wrote: They are fictitious characters

I don't know why you don't believe there are players who would confine themselves to one event a year given that there are millions who play no events at all. Still if as a Congress organiser, you want to discourage them from taking part at Richmond that's your problem. It is however a problem for the game in England that it is doing no better than replacement in attracting new players.

Paul McKeown wrote:Of course we are happy to accept non-resident players registered with another chess federation, that is a rather valid reason not to have an ECF Membership.

Just to warn you that you will be billed £7 a head or £5 for juniors for every player who is not Silver or above, regardless of nationality.

You will get a lot of non-members wanting to take part, especially juniors. If you can bear the admin, just charge them the pay to play extra fee on top of their entry fee.

In that case, we will probably just refuse entries, suggesting that anyone who wants to take part should register with the ECF at Silver or better. Silver membership is currently free for juniors anyway (or was a month or two ago, anyway).

Adam Raoof wrote: Just to warn you that you will be billed £7 a head or £5 for juniors for every player who is not Silver or above, regardless of nationality.

If the entry form is taken at face value, it isn't allowing anyone who isn't a Silver member to play.

Paul McKeown wrote:In that case, we will probably just refuse entries

Which is the point I was making, you don't want non-members to enter. It's only "new" juniors who qualify for free Silver membership.

Roger, I'm not interested in the slightest in your polemics. This is not the place to discuss your obsessions, but a sub-forum specifically dedicated to advertising chess events. If you persist in wibbling on, I will simply ask the mods to excise your piffle.