English Chess Forum

Good news, I have enough participants now to start the event. I expect to send confirmation emails this week-end.

The field has a few players which I estimate at 1900+ (old grades in the 1800s), going down to starters I estimate at around 1400-1600.
I still have room for 15 players.

I also expect to have an IM on site on Sunday (maybe even on Saturday) to analyse the games with the juniors.

Adam Raoof wrote: ↑

Sat May 08, 2021 10:40 pm

and if you ever need help transferring the event to Swiss Manager in order to generate the rating files, let me know!

I am trying the Vega software, looks nice, rather intuitive and loads of options, and seems to produce an ECF file too. Quick question about rating submissions: do you need to give the grading code or membership code? All my participants have a membership code and all bar one have a grading code.

Excellent! All players need a grading code OR date of birth for the grader. Ironically the membership number is ... surplus to requirements.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sat May 08, 2021 8:18 pm

It does if they get themselves a licence by paying a small fee. I agree that is an irritant.

7 days.

The ECF handle that efficiently, you just have to ask.

Don't know, but isn't this the same question as making sure they are Silver if it is only ECF rated?

Not at all, games are individually rated.

Nick,

Just to say a belated thank you for these - I wasn't ignoring it, but more regarding it as a to-do list. I hope to make the top section of the next junior rapidplay I run FIDE rated.

Do you know how much the rating fee is if players are Silver members? I'm not sure I would want to try and force players with (possibly) free Silver membership into getting one month's world of Gold and would rather absorb the cost across the whole event unless if it were prohibitive.

Joe

Joseph Conlon wrote: ↑

Fri May 14, 2021 7:04 am

Do you know how much the rating fee is if players are Silver members?

I think it would be best to get that answer from the ECF.

Joseph Conlon wrote: ↑

Fri May 14, 2021 7:04 am

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sat May 08, 2021 8:18 pm

It does if they get themselves a licence by paying a small fee. I agree that is an irritant.

7 days.

The ECF handle that efficiently, you just have to ask.

Don't know, but isn't this the same question as making sure they are Silver if it is only ECF rated?

Not at all, games are individually rated.

Nick,

Just to say a belated thank you for these - I wasn't ignoring it, but more regarding it as a to-do list. I hope to make the top section of the next junior rapidplay I run FIDE rated.

Do you know how much the rating fee is if players are Silver members? I'm not sure I would want to try and force players with (possibly) free Silver membership into getting one month's world of Gold and would rather absorb the cost across the whole event unless if it were prohibitive.

Joe

£10 a head, as if they were non members.

If they join the ECF soon, the memberships will cover them until next year, rather than a month so it is worth upgrading.

The process of actually FIDE rating events is straightforward. I predict that we will see more events like yours over the next few years.

Adam

Entrants page now up.
The event will be ran as 2 Swiss sections.

Entries as at today:

Section A: https://www.vegaresult.com/vega-trn/index.php?id=574
Section B: https://www.vegaresult.com/vega-trn/index.php?id=576

I am using the Vega pairing and publishing software, so it's going to be interesting what the feedback is.
It seems it is much used in Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

The tournament has ended and I feel relieved. I'd like to think it was a success, as most of the children and parents were delighted.

Alongside experienced juniors (some Britsh winners, Terrafinal winners and finalists, LJCC winners, etc..) I had some newcomers to OtB chess, both young and late teens. Participant age ranged from 6 to 17, and levels from 600 to 1900 (probably real level 600-2000+). The older teens really enjoyed the experience compared to online, even when humbled by small kids, so hopefully other tournaments will keep them hooked to OtB chess.

On the downside, as I suspected (and warned parents), standard play is not ideal for the true beginners and 3-4 dropped along the way. Playing 5 minutes to wait 3 hours isn't very attractive for that skill group. I may put a minimum rating if organise another one.

You can see all results on the following 2 links (on mobile, click on the menu icon for more rankings and crosstables. Note that the crosstable is not ranked for some reason):

• Section A: https://www.vegaresult.com/vega-trn/index.php?id=574
• Section B: https://www.vegaresult.com/vega-trn/index.php?id=576

I was really satisfied with the Vega software, and I had the results up online in nearly real time, and instant pairings. Some minor display bugs, but overall happy with Vega and vegaresults. The cost is also quite favourable compared to UTU and swiss-manager.

Many expressed interest for another tournament, so I may be tempted in organising one towards end of June.
In hindsight, the most stressful part of organising is the bit where you don't know if you have enough participants to cover the venue costs.

Well done Wadih - the OTB momentum continues. I don't know whether they will last beyond the pandemic but feel there is a definite value to these packed strong junior events - it is good for junior development to play stronger adults, but also good to play events against more-or-less equal contemporaries where there is perhaps slightly more pressure (against a stronger adult there is always an easy way to rationalise a defeat), especially if one thinks it would be good to return to the times when England players were regularly at the pointy end of World/European junior events.

"On the downside, as I suspected (and warned parents), standard play is not ideal for the true beginners and 3-4 dropped along the way. Playing 5 minutes to wait 3 hours isn't very attractive for that skill group. I may put a minimum rating if organise another one."

Depending on the venue, (don't want different sessions in same room), you could have quicker time limits and more rounds for "beginners". Admittedly, they could also learn to play more slowly. I did eventually.

Wadih Khoury wrote: ↑

Sun May 30, 2021 8:00 pm

Many expressed interest for another tournament, so I may be tempted in organising one towards end of June.

Only thought there, Wadih, is that 26-27 June, which I'm guessing is the weekend you're considering, clashes [assuming the ECF calendar is reliable here] with UKCC megafinals which would probably deplete your entries somewhat.

True, but most weekends have clashes. And I'd rather clash with a mega final than a giga final.