English Chess Forum

John Upham wrote:

Neil Graham wrote: If I were involved with this, my first action would be to thank Mike Basman for his work in the past make whatever gesture was appropriate in terms of a payment and dispense with his services.

Meetings took place this weekend with the new owners, Mike and Pat.

The new owners very much (correctly IMHO) wish them to be on board (as do I).

Thank you for this update. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the identity of "Mike and Pat"? May we wish them every success.

Neil Graham wrote:
Thank you for this update. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the identity of "Mike and Pat"? May we wish them every success.

Mike Basman and Pat Armstrong (Wey Valley Chess).

I've updated my previous post to clarify my ambiguous wording.

John Upham wrote:

Neil Graham wrote:
Thank you for this update. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the identity of "Mike and Pat"? May we wish them every success.

Mike Basman and Pat Armstrong (Wey Valley Chess).

I've updated my previous post to clarify my ambiguous wording.

Ah that comma changes things. Is this a done deal or still subject to an embargo on names?

Neil Graham wrote: Ah that comma changes things. Is this a done deal or still subject to an embargo on names?

That mover of goalposts aka The Trustee of Bankruptcy is the decision maker.

Assuming that the largest submitted bid is, in fact, the winning bid, then we have a winner.

However, until the fat lady sings I'd rather defer to a final decision from the Trustee.

Over the summer I was saddened to hear that the future of the UK Schools Chess Challenge, the world's largest chess competition, was in doubt. The UK Schools Chess Challenge is very close to my heart . Indeed, way back in 1996 it was the first major tournament that I won. This opened some incredible doors, playing chess on Blue Peter and meeting the world champion, Garry Kasparov. I subsequently went on to win the UK Schools chess challenge eight times. My early involvement in schools chess was certainly the catalyst to going on and winning the British Ladies title 2013 and representing the English ladies team at the world chess Olympiads. Today I am a lawyer. However, since last year I have been 'full time' on chess teaching and playing in various competitions home and abroad.

I am delighted that my bid to take over the UK Schools Chess Challenge has been accepted. I am supported by my husband Alex Longson, a strong chess player and also a chartered accountant. We hope our professional backgrounds will add credence as the competition enters a new phase. I hope the UK Schools Chess Challenge continues to inspire and opens up new horizons. I also hope it continues to vaunt the belief that 'mental challenge and competition' is the 'equal of the sports field'. We met with Mike Basman and Pat Armstrong last weekend to discuss plans and they are happy to work with us to make this tournament a success.

Best of luck! I'm sure the tournament will go from
strength to strength with the new team.

Can only echo Andrew's sentiments above.

Let us wish the new owners every success.

Perhaps now that the UK Chess Challenge has been "saved" the petition, described in the opening post some 37 pages ago, can be kicked into the long grass taking with it press releases issued by Mike Basman.

I was always worried that we were lacking new blood coming into chess administration, as opposed to chess playing.
My target of what we need for the future described a lady, who had participated in events like the UKCC junior. (This was written when I was the BCF board).
It is the same old faces. When playing county matches, you look down the row and think, all of us (bar Dr Jon Rogers, in one case) were children and students of the Fischer- Spasski boom.

It is one of the points about why we administer, coach and teach chess, a point often missed. Not for that player themselves, but the grounding for their offspring, and or, those who competed as a junior. Who then made a comeback and then heavily put something back into chess, like a Jim Slater. In the future, it would likely not to be a male figure as the main force.
The other often missing point is to create a mass groundswell, a huge pool of players, that makes chess more socially acceptable and by the laws of probability, will yield more chances of elite players. (Something appreciated by Leonard Barden). A take-off momentum, an explosion. Based and tested on what works and what does not work.
Additionally, It is also about giving a chance that we did not have and still sorely miss to this day. What if, many of us were given that chance when we were young.

Sarah's CV completely exceeds my original chess specification, by a mile. Also, no comeback into chess after years away, also a CV as a multi-winner. Plus highly linked to the same event. (Alex of course was also a top Lancashire junior).

The way ahead, as per I have discussed in the past with the likes of Mike Basman and others is by more independent commercially viable organisations. (But, please don't take on "The Knock", their rules are still Georgian for dealing with smugglers etc).

[My specification said a lady CFO or CEO in a listed company- I was thinking of a future budding Sir Jeremy Morse]. Young Chartered Accountant and a Lawyer, at the helm is very useful though. Money is always a problem in chess. Sometimes, it is even abused, un-ringed-fenced, mis-allocated and somehow disappears.

Chess politics is never easy.There will be mornings you wake up and say why I am doing this? There will be days of reading the press and saying why do I have to work with such people? etc
The caveat phrase I used in the concluding section, was purely lifted from Malcolm Pein, during a the Chess as a Sport Campaign, circa 1999. It involved the word "basket-case" (he, in turn was directly quoting from a lady MP).

But, best of luck, I wish all those involved the greatest success, regards (FM) Gary Kenworthy, Bletchley

Mike Basman says "Adieu" to the UKCC: http://delanceyukschoolschesschallenge. ... lancey.pdf

I wish Mike well in his future ventures and thank him for running the UKCC, which thousands of children have enjoyed for the past two decades.
I also wish the new UKCC team of Sarah and Alex Longson all the best.

So I'm confused. Is he going or is he staying?

Even those of us who were critical of Mike Basman's handling of the VAT issue and its fallout have to admire his achievements in setting up the UK Chess Challenge in the first place, almost single handedly keeping it going for so many years and for being so magnanimous at what must be a very difficult moment for him. His place at the first table of English chess is very much deserved.

Andrew Zigmond wrote:Even those of us who were critical of Mike Basman's handling of the VAT issue

That's a very classy euphemism

JustinHorton wrote:So I'm confused. Is he going or is he staying?

What would you prefer?

John Upham wrote:

JustinHorton wrote:So I'm confused. Is he going or is he staying?

What would you prefer?

Clarity in a world of too many ambiguities, John.