With reference to The Junior Selection Policy for the World European and Glorney Faber competitions I ask to be allowed to put the case for Selection Tournaments.
I am moved to mention that I have recently sent in my vote for chess to be treated as a sport. I really cannot see how anyone who supports the paper sifting method of selection can send in this vote.
I refer to the section titled-‘Why not selection tournaments’ where it refers to a competitor who might be ill or unable to participate because of family commitments – I would suggest that that’s all part of sport!! These circumstances could equally apply to the main event, for which the player is being selected.
Lucky tournament draw - the whole point of a Swiss draw is that you play against players doing as well as you are. In any case chess is 100% skill - no luck involved.
Playing above their grade on the day, this is a ‘must have’ quality for a champion; I would call that rising to the occasion. A big match player.
Not experienced enough or ready for the stresses and pressures of international tournament. How does the paper sifting show that up? Try telling that to a tournament winner and in any case this is surely a decision for the player and in the case of a very young player his or her parents.
With regard to very young players surely its better to discover whether or not they suffer from the severe pressures of a single selection tournament at a home based event - not after they have travelled to the main event probably somewhere else in the world.
Parents serving on the selection committee quite rightly have no part in the selection process but what about the rest of the committee I’m not questioning their integrity but surely they should be clarifying their professional and personal involvement with the selections?
As the English Chess Federation we have retained our role as organisers of the British Chess Championships. An anonymous donation has provided for the provision of a prize for the highest finishing English player in the ‘Open’ who will be England Champion. This is terrific – a real step forward - but not entirely satisfactory.
For juniors however and as the newly formed ECF, we require a properly orchestrated England Chess Championships. The winners of which assisted by the proceeds, would represent us on the World and European stage. A genuine eight year old protégé would have the opportunity to gravitate from the u10 selection tournament right through to the u20 selection tournament. What a marvellous home based experience and imagine the publicity this would generate for our game.
Alan Ruffle
English Championship/Selection Tournaments
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Alan Ruffle
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:52 am
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Alan Ruffle
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:52 am
With reference to my letter in the British Championship section-
The English Junior Championships should be played over a one-year period, at regular intervals, at a rising age qualification, and rates of play i.e. u7 (blitz) u8 (rapid) u10 (rapid) u12, u14, u16, (standard) u18 and u20 are selected by the adult selection committee.
Qualification to play should come via qualification from other junior tournaments and coach recommendation
I have received a number of questions-
Q- what is your view with regard to accompanying coaches?
A-Players should arrive at World and European tournaments fed, watered and relaxed, serious coaching should have taken place before the event, and I refer you to the film ‘Innocent moves’.
Q-What supervision should be in place?
A man and woman possibly a married couple whose entire responsibility is the welfare of our travelling young players should accompany the team, they need not be chess players.
Q-Selection tournaments would result in the same players regularly playing each other.
A-This is true and applies to all of the very best players and teams in all sports, however for the player who is usually second best this is an opportunity to not only know himself and his game but to prepare for the opponent and his game.
The English Junior Championships should be played over a one-year period, at regular intervals, at a rising age qualification, and rates of play i.e. u7 (blitz) u8 (rapid) u10 (rapid) u12, u14, u16, (standard) u18 and u20 are selected by the adult selection committee.
Qualification to play should come via qualification from other junior tournaments and coach recommendation
I have received a number of questions-
Q- what is your view with regard to accompanying coaches?
A-Players should arrive at World and European tournaments fed, watered and relaxed, serious coaching should have taken place before the event, and I refer you to the film ‘Innocent moves’.
Q-What supervision should be in place?
A man and woman possibly a married couple whose entire responsibility is the welfare of our travelling young players should accompany the team, they need not be chess players.
Q-Selection tournaments would result in the same players regularly playing each other.
A-This is true and applies to all of the very best players and teams in all sports, however for the player who is usually second best this is an opportunity to not only know himself and his game but to prepare for the opponent and his game.