2018 British Championship

[John Garnett]

Is there any news yet on where this will take place?

[LawrenceCooper]

Is there any news yet on where this will take place?

Not that I know of but once there is I would expect it to appear on the federation website.

[Carl Hibbard]

Episode 50 of the Full English Breakfast podcast is worth a listen on the Championship.

[Roger de Coverly]

Episode 50 of the Full English Breakfast podcast is worth a listen on the Championship.

They mention the lack of video coverage, but the ECF got its fingers burnt badly at Warwick a couple of years ago. A consensus view may have been that it was better not to attempt live video commentary from the venue, rather than do it at a poor quality level.

[Brian Towers]

Episode 50 of the Full English Breakfast podcast is worth a listen on the Championship.

They mention the lack of video coverage, but the ECF got its fingers burnt badly at Warwick a couple of years ago. A consensus view may have been that it was better not to attempt live video commentary from the venue, rather than do it at a poor quality level.

A rather more significant criticism (given that chess24.com did an excellent job of online commentary) was the lack of space on the tables for IMs to put their elbows whilst holding their heads and losing to Charlie Storey . Well, that and the unfortunate willingness of bars to sell alcohol to players who would have had much better results if they had had an early night instead.

[Roger de Coverly]

the lack of space on the tables for IMs to put their elbows whilst holding their heads

I thought the tables were of a normal size for the boards. But that's in the plebs sections with the usual plastic sets and boards.

Example image

http://www.britishchesschampionships.co ... 016202.jpg

In the Championship, they were mostly playing with DGT boards which have a wider border and you can see in the picture how close it was to the edge of the table.

http://www.britishchesschampionships.co ... 016214.jpg

Images from
http://www.britishchesschampionships.co ... aphy-2017/ which mostly concentrates on the Championship.

[Paul Dargan]

Playing in the weekend open (atkins?) we moved around quite a bit. When on the school dinner tables, using DGT boards it was tight. They were also the tables with the raised aluminium edges - so actually quite painful to rest elbows and put any weight onto. Maybe I've been spoiled by conditions in the middle east - but it felt like a regular weekender rather than the 'British'.

Very pleasant location generally but more space would have been welcome. Other issues like the water refills, lack of analysis area have been spoken about already. Felt like it could have been a really good venue if we had thrown a bit more money at it.

[Andrew Zigmond]

I didn't have half an hour to listen to the whole Full English Breakfast podcast so I'm going to assume that it wasn't an attack on volunteers working unpaid twelve hour days from people who would run a mile if challenged to do better.

I agree there were things at Llandudno that could have been done better. One of the best things about the British is how it migrates around the country (as opposed to being stuck in London as a 12 round apa with a few side events). However the disadvantage is that the organisers have to start at square one with the exact layout and logistics, possibly not helped this year by the different structure that was new to everybody.

[Bob Kane]

Volunteers or not certain minimum professional standards are required. Its either poor management or a
total lack of respect for the the paying competitors.
Take your pick..

[Andrew Zigmond]

Personally I thought that the professional standards were largely met and paying competitors certainly don't seem to be complaining in droves.

With the British certain things will always be dictated by the layout of the venue. If the refreshment stall happens to be in the wrong place (a complaint this year) there is little the organisers can do about it. It's not as if Venue Cymru was purpose built for the 2017 British.

A rather snotty post was published on Chess Heaven having been copied off the facebook wall of a well known GM (I don't believe the GM was the author). Some of the issues raised were subsequently rectified (more seats were provided for spectators, a section was moved upstairs to create more space in the main hall). Others were outside of the organisers' control; they did their best to stamp down on people talking in the corridor outside the playing hall but some blame has to lie with players and parents who did so in defiance of signs asking for silence.

[Roger de Coverly]

Others were outside of the organisers' control

Well yes and no. It made the point that combining the refreshment kiosk, analysis area and bookstall in the same room, although commonplace, is against strict application of the FIDE rules. The London Chess Classic FIDE Open breaks this as well. On the other hand 4NCL venues usually manage to isolate the analysis area and bookstall in a separate room which is deemed out of bounds whilst you are playing. Also it's a valid point that DGT boards are a little bigger than the standard club or tournament size, so tables of slightly restricted width might not be desirable.

To the extent that the ECF has choice in its venues, suitability of smaller details may be a tie break.

There's still no confirmation of the city or venue for 2018 apart from the Hull rumour. It may be a record for late announcement, matched possibly by the 1991 choice of a return to Eastbourne. In 1990 the Times appeared prepared to sponsor the Championship but that was conditional on a permanent move to holding it in London. The BCF consulted the participants at the 1990 Eastbourne, who said "no".

[Andrew Zigmond]

To the extent that the ECF has choice in its venues, suitability of smaller details may be a tie break.

Well yes and no. Those with a bit more knowledge are aware that free venues, common in the 1970s, are becoming increasingly hard to find. Add to that the return from participants at the British aren't that great it becomes that bit harder to negotiate a deal each year.

Which takes me back to my original point. I challenge complainers to volunteer and do better!

[JustinHorton]

I didn't have half an hour to listen to the whole Full English Breakfast podcast so I'm going to assume that it wasn't an attack on volunteers working unpaid twelve hour days from people who would run a mile if challenged to do better.

"...although I will write this posting in such a way as to make it clear that I am not discounting this."

[Michael Flatt]

Which takes me back to my original point. I challenge complainers to volunteer and do better!

That seems unduly dismissive of what some might consider legitimate comments or suggestions.

Many organisers solicit comments from participants and spectators with a view to confirming whether they have performed acceptably or whether there is room for improvement.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Which takes me back to my original point. I challenge complainers to volunteer and do better!

That seems unduly dismissive of what some might consider legitimate comments or suggestions.

Many organisers solicit comments from participants and spectators with a view to confirming whether they have performed acceptably or whether there is room for improvement.

Of course constructive feedback should be sought and welcomed. The provision of extra chairs for spectators at Llandudno after comments were raised is an example of that. My comments were directed at a small number of serial complainers who either don't know that the team at the British work a fortnight's worth of unpaid twelve hour days or simply don't care.