So who's going to the British Chess Championships?

[E Michael White]

Do you think players and organisers should make any changes to attract sponsors ?

[Matthew Turner]

There are plenty of things about the British that are attractive
1. Coverage in the Times, Telegraph and other Nationals for two weeks
2. Association with a game perceived to be intellectual
3. Plenty of top juniors that you'd like to recruit

You do not need to change the British, you just need to sell it.

Yes, showing thirty minute games over lunch is an interesting format and I hope someone will try setting up an event like this too.

[E Michael White]

Matthew

I wouldn’t suggest changing the British or disagree with most of what you say but the British and chess doesn't attract seriously big sponsorship.

What I am suggesting is that players and organisers should see it as a wider event than just the event in Torquay. Cricket and football put out global viewing. I suspect future sponsors will similarly be looking at live chess games as global viewing and be less concerned about the prizes, speeches, analysis room and side events in Torquay which will remain popular for local chess players.

With this in mind organisers need to be looking at improving the viewing experience by posting short video interviews etc between rounds, game downloads, improving the online game reliability and later making this a subscription or sponsored service. Players could increase the appeal of the on line product by playing on a few moves after they would normally resign so that the result is clear to the majority of the wider future audience who might average about 80 ECF.

Or just carry on as we are and moan about the absence of the strongest players.

[Alex Holowczak]

The Scottish Championship had someone produce a "Game of the Day" video each day, and put it on YouTube. That's the sort of little thing the ECF can do to make the British Championship a bit better for those not in Torquay.

[E Michael White]

In my view that was techno stuff for more serious chess players what is needed is more of a personal interview as Sue Barker and Roger Federer after a tennis match.

[Ian Kingston]

In my view that was techno stuff for more serious chess players what is needed is more of a personal interview as Sue Barker and Roger Federer after a tennis match.

I don't think it's an either/or thing. A range of features at different levels is probably needed, although the balance should probably be tilted to the casual viewer.

Speaking for myself, I find the post-game press conferences at Corus, where one of the players demonstrates his game soon after it ends, absolutely riveting.

[JustinHorton]

A lot of events now have commentary and chat rooms on which difficult-to-understand resignations can be explained easily enough. I can't see top players ageeing to play until until mate and if they wee, you can be sure they'd manufacture a mate swiftly enough which wouldn't really be an edifying spectacle.

[Roger de Coverly]

Our presentation has changed little apart from internet coverage,

Since the 1993 London match, top events have
(a) abolished adjournments
(b) abandoned mechanical clocks

Many events have also introduced increment timing.

Even in domestic chess, I don't think there are any leagues left which require adjudications even if neither player wants it.

The main reason for opposing suggestions that players should be asked not to resign is the faction in FIDE who think it should be in the rules. For example this article
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5057 and some of the responses in
http://www.pocketfritz.com/newsprint.asp?newsid=5060
are somewhat alarming.

I've thought of yet another sporting example of resignation - golf. Is it not the case that if one player is on the green and the other is stuck in a bunker, that in some competitions the hole may be conceded?

[Alex Holowczak]

I've thought of yet another sporting example of resignation - golf. Is it not the case that if one player is on the green and the other is stuck in a bunker, that in some competitions the hole may be conceded?

In matchplay, you will concede the hole if it's obvious you're going to lose it. So if you hoik your tee-shot out of bounds, and end up in a green-side bunker in 4 shots, and your opponent has a 5-foot putt for a 3, it's obvious you're going to lose the hole even if you chip it in. You can even concede putts. Famously, in 1969, Jack Nicklaus conceded a tricky two-foot putt to Tony Jacklin to halve their Ryder Cup game, and so the match ended in a tie for the first time ever. USA retained the Cup though. In strokeplay though, if you walk off the course, i.e. don't finish the round when you physically can, you're slated for it. Colin Montgomerie and Sandy Lyle had a right go at each other in the press about it lately.

The Birmingham League still has adjournments, although if both players agree to not have an adjournment, the game can be adjudicated, I believe.

[JustinHorton]

Boxing, cited above, might be a poor example because you wouldn't normally concede just because you were miles behind on points.

[John Upham]

The live games are appearing via PlayChess....

[John Philpott]

Reverting to the original purpose of this thread, I can report that I am currently on the 8.35 a.m. train from Paddington to Torquay. While my presence is of no great significance from a chess-playing point of view, I mention it for two reasons.

1. In my official capacity as Chairman of the Governance Committee I am available to be consulted by anybody who is thinking of standing for Office or placing a motion on the agenda for the ECF AGM. There are a couple of significant dates to be aware of. The deadline for nominations and motions, with the requisite degree of support, to reach the Office is 13.30 on Wednesday 9 September. Prior to that, and no later than Monday 17 August, the Board will need to publish on the website the posts that it is proposing to elect at the AGM with updated job responsibilities, and to indicate which incumbents are proposing to seek re-election. The best place to track me down in Torquay is likely to be the commentary room.

2. In the absence of Stewart Reuben I will be chairing the AGM of the Friends of Chess which will be taking place on Sunday 2 August in the Grace Murrell Suite Room C at 5.30. All are welcome at this meeting, whether they are members of the Friends or not. The Friends do a good deal of largely unsung work, providing financial assistance to individuals seeking norms who are no longer eligible for John Robinson funding, supporting tournaments providing norm opportunities (recently Big Slick and South Wales, upcoming Uxbridge and Jessie Gilbert), teams playing in the European Club Cup, the Braille and English Deaf Chess Associations, etc. It is important that the Committee receives as much feedback as possible from the chess community as to whether we are applying the funds at our disposal in the most appropriate way.

[Stewart Reuben]

<A lot of events now have commentary and chat rooms on which difficult-to-understand resignations can be explained easily enough. I can't see top players ageeing to play until until mate and if they wee, you can be sure they'd manufacture a mate swiftly enough which wouldn't really be an edifying spectacle.< Justine Horton

An exhibition match between Karpov and Ghaem recently had a rule that games were played on until mate or completely drawn. I saw no adverse comments.

Stewart Reuben

[Paul McKeown]

Even in domestic chess, I don't think there are any leagues left which require adjudications even if neither player wants it.

Sadly, Roger, I believe you are wrong there. If I'm not mistaken, the Hammersmith League enforces compulsory adjudication after 30 moves. Athenaeum CC entered the league last season to cater for its lesser lights, but I believe it will withdraw this season as compulsory adjudication was extremely unpopular with our players, many of whom refused to play under those conditions.

I have a sneaking suspicion that there may be more minor leagues in London with compulsory adjudications.

The London League also allows a blind player to enforce an adjudication - this is the only time I agree with this method as it compensates for the difficulties that a blind player will encounter with a quick play finish or with an adjournment. I don't know how often the rule is enforced.

[Paul McKeown]

The Ulster Chess Union can't really be the Northern Irish representative at FIDE, because Monaghan, Donegal and somewhere else that I forget is part of the Republic, rather than Northern Ireland. So you'd have counties from Eire being Northern Irish, which has far more potential to cause problems and confusion than a unified Ireland.

You mean the county of Cavan.

The status of Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal is clear: they have been administered by the Leinster Chess Union for several years, since the Ulster Chess Union's breakaway attempt.

I think people should say the Republic of Ireland ("Poblacht na hÉireann" if you prefer) when making clear boundaries between administration there and in Northern Ireland, otherwise it should simply be known as Ireland. It should not be called Eire, unless you wish to converse in Irish, rather than English. Eire was the constitutional name from 1937 to 1949 in the native language. However, for political reasons concerned with the then Article 4 of the Irish constitution, British administrations insisted on calling Ireland Eire in English as well as Irish. This practise has been discontinued officially for more than half a century, but, as with Stewart for instance, some British people of the older generation retain this name in their lexicon. It should be discouraged, particularly in this era of reconciliation.

I am originally from Northern Ireland, grew up there and played chess there (and often south of the border too) as a junior. I never knew any chess event to be interrupted by The Troubles.

I regard the suggestion that the British Championships should not be held these days in Northern Ireland because of some minor terrorist inconveniences as very uninformed as to the true levels of crime there (much lower than in London, I can reassure you). I would recommend beautiful Newcastle, County Down (where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea) or Portrush, near the Giants Causeway on the north coast.

Stewart, I would ask you to reconsider. Please contact me or the Ulster or Irish Chess Unions. I'm sure you would change your mind if you were provided with better information and had the opportunity to visit the place yourself.

Best Regards,
Paul McKeown.