Future e2e4 events
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Re: Future e2e4 events
I hope the e2e4 type format events do continue in some form, but if Sean feels he needs a break, thats perfectly uinderstandable.
Making these things pay is a tricky business, and maybe they held too many of these in recent times. Chess overload can happen. In these times of economic difficulties, many folk are watching those pennies carefully.
However, its for Sean or others to assess things and determine what they can offer.
One observarsion I`d make about chess ventures in general....quite a lot seem to be almost `one man bands`, run on a shoe string. Its true of clubs and leagues and also various Congresses, where certain personalities hold things together, then one day decide to call time....and things can just vanish.
Strong support and backup is important...
Making these things pay is a tricky business, and maybe they held too many of these in recent times. Chess overload can happen. In these times of economic difficulties, many folk are watching those pennies carefully.
However, its for Sean or others to assess things and determine what they can offer.
One observarsion I`d make about chess ventures in general....quite a lot seem to be almost `one man bands`, run on a shoe string. Its true of clubs and leagues and also various Congresses, where certain personalities hold things together, then one day decide to call time....and things can just vanish.
Strong support and backup is important...
BRING BACK THE BCF
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Re: Future e2e4 events
I believe he alluded very strongly to packing in the e2e4 venture last year after the Gatwick disaster when he had to cancel the event 24 hours before it was due to take place.Peter D Williams wrote:It would not take Sean very long at all to update the e2 e4 website and explain why he appears not to want to run any more events.This would be the best way to tell many people what was going on future plans etcBarry Sandercock wrote:It would be nice if the e2e4 website could be updated. It doesn't seem very sensible to still be inviting people to enter for the Whitsun Congress.
Well its time to listen to Radio 4
If he has decided to pack it in, I would advise that he seeks offers from other organisers to buy the e2e4 venture and website etc...it must have a nominal cash value?....could be £50... could be £500?
like anything once interest wanes the value will decrease and regretably it will soon be forgotton about.
The main advantage that I saw was that the entry costs were lower for players. (Then again that may have been its downfall as the business model hardly seemed viable to me) A loss to uk chess for sure.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
If anything entry fees were a bit higher than a normal Open. What was cheap usually was the accommodation deal. As I understand it, if you told a hotel that you could offer a decent number of paying bookings usually over a weekend, they could let you have not just the bookings at a cut price, but might also throw in the odd additional bedroom and the playing area at little or no extra cost. So provided there were sufficient entries to cover the prize funds and the costs of the invited GMs everything would balance out. From the hotel's viewpoint they would be satisfied if they got the expected number of bookings and turnover in the bar and restaurant.Martin Crichton wrote: The main advantage that I saw was that the entry costs were lower for players.
With the accommodation low cost for the standard and the ease of booking, you got a road show of regular participants. I think also it attracted some tourists, players not from the UK who wanted to enter a British tournament but didn't quite know how and who appreciated the convenience of having their accommodation sorted as part of the entry.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
Your be lucky to get strong support and backup in the chess world.David Pardoe wrote:
One observarsion I`d make about chess ventures in general....quite a lot seem to be almost `one man bands`, run on a shoe string. Its true of clubs and leagues and also various Congresses, where certain personalities hold things together, then one day decide to call time....and things can just vanish.
Strong support and backup is important...
when you are successful many losers bark at you.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
vanish as mysteriously as they started? looks like Sean only recently ventured into the chess scene in 2003? no history before that.David Pardoe wrote:quite a lot seem to be almost `one man bands`, run on a shoe string. Its true of clubs and leagues and also various Congresses, where certain personalities hold things together, then one day decide to call time....and things can just vanish.
Strong support and backup is important...
10 years in chess ... maybe he has decided on a new hobby / interest?...
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Member of "the strongest amateur chess club in London" (Cavendish)
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Re: Future e2e4 events
You also need to note that Sean was heavily involved with his e2e4 teams in 4NCL..Added to that, he got stuck i nto politics with ECF, etc...then you also have the FIDE angle...more politics...and all sorts of crackpot rules to turn normal chess into zombie type shananagans that detract from the enjoyment for many players who probably feel red tape overload....
All this can do untold damage to ones sense of karma....
All this can do untold damage to ones sense of karma....
BRING BACK THE BCF
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Re: Future e2e4 events
I disagreed with Sean Hewitt on a few things but I always admired the work he put into chess and the fact that he was one of relatively few organisers who could put on the professional front that chess so badly needs. Obviously there's a lot of speculation on the thread, much of it unhelpful. It may, as somebody suggested, be other commitments. If e2-e4 has ceased (and that's an IF pending further informations) then it's a sad day for English chess. From a personal point of view playing an e2-e4 event was on the `bucket list`. However mainly it should serve as reminder that there is too much negativity in English chess and this is what drives capable people away.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
David Pardoe wrote:
I hope the e2e4 type format events do continue in some form,but if Sean feels he needs a break, thats perfectly understandable.
I quite agree, but it would have been nice if we had been told months ago before the last three Sunningdale Congresses were taken off his calendar.
I hope the e2e4 type format events do continue in some form,but if Sean feels he needs a break, thats perfectly understandable.
I quite agree, but it would have been nice if we had been told months ago before the last three Sunningdale Congresses were taken off his calendar.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
Sean please continue your 4NCL team!!! we need the win.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
In fairness, I seem to recall that the e2e4 event was already on their provisional calendar before Surrey chose the same weekend.Roger de Coverly wrote:Indeed it does, but if there is to be a hiatus for the next season at least, in e2e4 events, how about making a public announcement? Then at least local organisers can plan for an event without looking over their shoulders that e2e4 won't turn up in the same area on the same or adjacent weekends. Surrey Congresses (which is an organisation) got hit by that this year. They avoided their traditional Easter slot because of potential competition from the Sunningdale Open and parallel English Seniors and went for the end May Bank Holiday weekend instead, only to find another e2e4 Sunningdale event on their doorstep for that weekend as well.Paul Robson wrote:running events takes a considerable amount of time and effort .
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Re: Future e2e4 events
As one of the non-UK tourists, I have to agree. I played the Brighton 9-rounders (around February/March) from 2011-2013 and enjoyed them immensely. The fact that everything was booked through the website was a huge advantage. Also the fact that the accommodation and the playing venue were in the same place was brilliant! You could have a late breakfast (or skip breakfast if you'd been out the night before!) wander back up the room for a quick shower and then be in the playing hall five minutes later. No faffing around spending hours looking for cheap accommodation near the venue, finding something not too far away and spending ages walking back and forth from the tournament.Roger de Coverly wrote: With the accommodation low cost for the standard and the ease of booking, you got a road show of regular participants. I think also it attracted some tourists, players not from the UK who wanted to enter a British tournament but didn't quite know how and who appreciated the convenience of having their accommodation sorted as part of the entry.
I think the problem is that organising events is a bit of a lose-lose situation. As an organiser, if everything goes well and there aren't any problems, people take that for granted and you get little to no thanks for the work put in. If on the other hand anything goes wrong, people generally aren't shy about complaining, to put it politely. I think unfortunately that's human nature, as as a fairly low-level organiser here in France (local events for local people!), I've noticed little in the way of thanks, but lots of moaning.
Now that I appreciate the work that goes into these events, I always make a point of thanking the organisers at the end of any tournament I participate in. It only takes a minute and means a lot to the people who give up a lot of their free time so that chess tournaments continue to live.
Whatever Sean's up to now, thanks very much for the e2e4 events, I enjoyed them and if you've decided to call it a day, best of luck with whatever it is you're doing now.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
I have to admit shamefacedly that I don't think I have ever done this.Niall Doran wrote:I always make a point of thanking the organisers at the end of any tournament I participate in. It only takes a minute and means a lot to the people who give up a lot of their free time so that chess tournaments continue to live.
I shall in future.
Thanks Niall
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Re: Future e2e4 events
Good comment Nial on thanking organisers. I try to do this as much as possible, am guilty of withdrawing though or not being in a great mood if have a bad last round. But always try and thanks Oranisers. Takes a second and is appreciated I am sure.Michael Farthing wrote:I have to admit shamefacedly that I don't think I have ever done this.Niall Doran wrote:I always make a point of thanking the organisers at the end of any tournament I participate in. It only takes a minute and means a lot to the people who give up a lot of their free time so that chess tournaments continue to live.
I shall in future.
Thanks Niall
I too loved all the e2e4 events. And thank Sean if this really is the end of them. Hope someone can take it on.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
It is nice if people thank the organizers. It sometimes makes the difference between thinking you have wasted an entire weekend dealing with a bunch of morons and thinking "at least my efforts are appreciated". Even a cheery wave as the player disappears out of the door counts as a thank-you.
I don't care if people withdraw as long as they let me know before I have done the draw for the next round.
I don't care if people withdraw as long as they let me know before I have done the draw for the next round.
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Re: Future e2e4 events
Surely it's high time the invitation for the Sunningdale Whitsun Congress came off the website !?