Publicity Officer: job description

[Andrew Camp]

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4538

Is a previous discussion on this subject. I think there is a huge scope for making a positive difference to English chess in the Publicity Office role, and its a real shame that no-one has taken on the role since I stood down.

I should mention regarding Andrew's post above, that I did apologise at the time on the forum, and in person at the ECF meeting shortly afterwards, at which I stood down as PO.

Indeed. I look at the above simply with my very dry sense of humour rather than from a critical standpoint.

[John Foley]

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

Really? Do the Irish know about this?

[Richard Bates]

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

Really? Do the Irish know about this?

Well since it's been going for over a hundred years, I reckon they probably do

[John Philpott]

John Foley wrote

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

Really? Do the Irish know about this?

Both the Irish Chess Union and the Ulster Chess Union were signatories of the 2007 BICC agreement and both have the right to make nominations for the Championship (Irish three, Ulster two). "Citizenship of Ireland" is one of the seven alternative criteria conferring entitlement to play in a Championship event.

[Sean Hewitt ECF DoMM]

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

Really? Do the Irish know about this?

Yes. Really.

In fact, not only do they know about it, but both the Irish Chess Union and the Ulster Chess Union are signatories to the agreement which sets out the responsibilities for the event and allocates the number of nominations each federation may make.

The ICU gets 3 nominations, and the UCU gets 2.

[Roger de Coverly]

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

It was Stewart Reuben who branded it thus. In earlier years it had been the annual Congress organised by the British Chess Federation which included British Championship events. In some years before 1939 where the Congress clashed with a major international event, the open Championship itself wasn't contested.

[John Foley]

The winner of the inaugural British Isles championship in 2007 was from Denmark.
Was the British champion the highest placed British person?

[Roger de Coverly]

The winner of the inaugural British Isles championship in 2007 was from Denmark.
Was the British champion the highest placed British person?

By 2007, the previous eligibility for the British Championships of Commonwealth citizens had been revoked. So eligibility was restricted to British or Irish citizens and residents. The Dane was, and I think still is, a resident of Scotland. There's been a separate English champion for a few years. This is shared when scores are equal and so the list of winners isn't the same as the list of British champions.

[Sean Hewitt]

There's been a separate English champion for a few years. This is shared when scores are equal and so the list of winners isn't the same as the list of British champions.

The list wouldn't be the same regardless of different tie breaks. Non English players do win the British occasionally you know.

[Roger de Coverly]

. Non English players do win the British occasionally you know.

I believe the title of English champion has been awarded since 2008. The last non-English British Champion had been in 2007.

[John Foley]

Non English players do win the British occasionally you know.

Are you saying that the person who wins the British Isles championship is by convention styled as having won the British championship? i.e. the British championship has been subsumed within the British Isles championship.

The Irish appear to have retained their own championship, irrespective that they are also entitled to send players to the British Isles championship.

This is straying from the role of publicity officer, but it is essential to know what exactly people are playing for.

[Richard Bates]

Everyone knows exactly what they are playing for. The winner of the tournament is the British Champion. The tournament is not defined by political boundaries. It used to be open to everyone in the Commonwealth until the eligibility rules were changed. The Irish have their own separate Championship, as do the Scots, and the Welsh. The English Championship forms part of the British Championship.

[Sean Hewitt]

Are you saying that the person who wins the British Isles championship is by convention styled as having won the British championship? i.e. the British championship has been subsumed within the British Isles championship.

I'm not quite saying that, because it is not by convention. It is by agreement.

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:
1. CS, WCU, ICU, UCU, JCF, GCF and IOMCA shall recognise as British Champions the winners of the respective British Championships held at the annual congresses organised by ECF (“the Annual Congresses”)

The Irish appear to have retained their own championship, irrespective that they are also entitled to send players to the British Isles championship.

Quite so. I've run it. The Welsh and Scots also have their own Championships too for that matter. I've not run those.

[Alistair Campbell]

Sean Hewitt posted a banner: "100th Championships of the British Isles"

Really? Do the Irish know about this?

Is the issue not more the juxtaposition of the allegedly geographical term "British Isles" and the use of the Union Flag? These seem to clash...

[JustinHorton]

Out of interest, has anybody considered compiling a list of chess-friendly writers and editors on the nationals? People you cold send material to and they might be interested in using it or passing it on. (I can think of, say, Ben Clissit, Sean Ingle, Dominic Lawson, Stephen Moss.)

Plus people like Malcolm and the Penguin, obviously.