English Chess Forum

I've just this evening received an email, in my capacity as the EPSCA Association Secretary for Oxfordshire, mentioning the setting up of a junior chess events calendar. Maybe everyone else here already knows, but it seems that the ECF are significantly downgrading the usefulness of their events calendar by only including graded events. This, of course, has a particularly negative effect on junior events designed to attract newcomers and beginners, where the events are, more often than not, not graded. Until now, I'd point parents to the site to suggest events that their children might want to enter.

There is a thread on this in the "ECF Matters" section of this forum which I'd not read until this evening. I thought I'd bring it to the attention of those who, like me, frequent the "junior" section of this site, but since I'm not usually interested in the politics, avoid the "ECF Matters" part.

I do hope that the ECF will reconsider their ill-thought-out decision which, if one thinks a few moves ahead rather than making blitz-like decisions, seems outrageously contrary to the spirit of promoting chess in this country. However, if not, I'll have to start pointing to other calendar(s) once they are set up.

It's a really great idea and I applaud setting up such a calendar.

It is also wise to avoid the politics of it - that argument has been done to death here and there just seems to be an unbridgeable gap between those wanting to encourage junior chess by not adding extra costs to it and those wishing to generate revenue/cover costs for the ECF. I see both sides, by the way.

I will be interested in the results!


(Edited for spelling).

Andrew Varney wrote: I do hope that the ECF will reconsider their ill-thought-out decision

I think it unlikely. The attitude of the chief proponent of the measure seemed to be one of "We're the Directors and what we say is what we get. You lot out there don't get a voice particularly if you aren't ECF members."

Andrew Varney wrote:This, of course, has a particularly negative effect on junior events designed to attract newcomers and beginners, where the events are, more often than not, not graded.

The ECF directors either dispute this, or just don't care about attracting new players.

I believe that at least one Director has seen sense since the original vote, at which I believe only one side of the arguement was presented.

Hopefully next week's Board Meeting will reverse the (stupid) decision.

If possible, why not lobby a Board member. Their email addresses are on the ECF website.