No Andrew

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
James Pratt
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No Andrew

Post by James Pratt » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:25 pm

I gather Andrew Martin is not doing the commentary at the British in Hull. Who is?

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Adam Raoof
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Adam Raoof » Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:48 am

let it be the Ginger GM, please...
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Reg Clucas
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Reg Clucas » Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:52 am

Adam Raoof wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:48 am
let it be the Ginger GM, please...
Isn't he likely to be playing?

John Reyes
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Re: No Andrew

Post by John Reyes » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:08 pm

what about the Welsh GM
Nigel Davies?
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James Pratt
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Re: No Andrew

Post by James Pratt » Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:13 pm

Can't the ECF answer any sense? Sorry Guys, but I begin to wonder.

J T Melsom
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Re: No Andrew

Post by J T Melsom » Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:31 pm

The British is some distance away and probably not the immediate priority of those busy volunteers charged with the arrangements for it, some of which are likely to be more pressing than the choice of commentator. Besides which this forum may be used by ECF officers, but isn't a formal route of communication. Have you contacted the ECF directly?

David Sedgwick
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Re: No Andrew

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:35 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:31 pm
The British is some distance away and probably not the immediate priority of those busy volunteers charged with the arrangements for it, some of which are likely to be more pressing than the choice of commentator. Besides which this forum may be used by ECF officers, but isn't a formal route of communication. Have you contacted the ECF directly?
Well said, Jonathan.

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Adam Raoof
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Adam Raoof » Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:52 pm

Reg Clucas wrote:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:52 am
Adam Raoof wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:48 am
let it be the Ginger GM, please...
Isn't he likely to be playing?
I think he would commentate if the price were right. He has offered to do it in the past and been rebuffed.
Adam Raoof IA, IO
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:59 pm

There's usually an invite to tender for the bookstall, coaching and commentary. Here's the 2017 version.

https://www.britishchesschampionships.c ... r-letters/

No similar invite for 2018 has appeared.

Angus French
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Angus French » Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:23 pm

Hasn't the onsite commentary been phased out in favour of chess24 commentary? (Last year there was both.) The ECF's budget details spreadsheet for 2017/18 has a note which says "It is proposed to provide an online commentary service which [will] also be made available a[t] the venue. The whole membership will benefit from this service. Andrew Martin says he will not be continuing the commentary after 2017."

Andrew Martin
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Andrew Martin » Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:39 pm

If the last post is true, I can’t help but feel regret about that development. What with the condensing of the tournament to nine rounds, the lack of evening events, the discontinuation of the cricket match and now the seeming abolition of the on-site commentary, the British has suddenly become a whole lot less social.

The organisers will say that numbers were up in Llandudno-it’s hard to argue against that.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Mar 28, 2018 4:24 pm

Andrew Martin wrote:
Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:39 pm
the seeming abolition of the on-site commentary
I read it as a proposal that the chess24 team would be based on site in Hull, doing their commentary in front of a live audience. But perhaps not, it might just be a video screening of the chess24 coverage.

There are hints that the venue may be pushed for space.

From the entry form
Owing to the likelihood of increased entries this year, the British Chess Championships has enlisted the aid of nearby hotels so that entrants in certain events may enjoy additional space and amenities during their chess games. We will endeavour to email all players involved in good time, to let them know of any changes of venue
More local players perhaps, but Hull is unlikely to be a greater draw than Llandudno or Bournemouth. With the purge of many of the lower rated players from the British Championship, the ECF are gambling that they would enter something else, rather than just not enter.

James Pratt
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Re: No Andrew

Post by James Pratt » Wed Mar 28, 2018 4:36 pm

If the chess24 team are offering a live commentary then that's good news.

Stephen Greep
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Stephen Greep » Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:15 am

I'm not a frequent visitor to this forum, but I am involved in helping to organise the British in Hull. I see in one post the lack of a social programme is mentioned. Locally we (the local Chess Association) have accepted responsibility for this and I'm pleased to tell you there will be a lot going on - mostly free. We are struggling a bit with events for the children which is why it hasn't been advertised - but the events programme (outside the main programme) includes the following (at the moment):

Wednesday 25th - Thursday 26th Junior training with Charlie Storey (small number of free places); Friday 27th - Sunday 29th FIDE Arbiters course; Saturday 28th - The British Championships Chess Problem Solving Tournament ; Sunday 29th : Ghost Walk (free) and cinema evening (free, but you have to buy your own popcorn) showing of the 2015 Fischer film Pawn Sacrifice; Monday 30th : Chess night at Napoleons Casino (free entrance, free beer and subsidised food; boards and sets available, apart from casino tables); Tuesday 31st Historic Pub walk and buffet (free); Wednesday 1st August: outdoor chess evening (free) with cheap beer and the specially brewed Grandmaster Ale; Thursday 2nd August: Historic pub walk (different route to Tuesday) (free) and a pub quiz (free); Friday 2nd August: Congress meal—3 course and wine for £20. There is a lot of detail behind this, but this should give you a flavour. We have some family events - including make your own pizza, cheap tickets for The Deep, family history walk and other things. There's a raffle and problem solving competition on a cake (proceeds to the Chess Trust).

We are sponsoring the prizes for the over 50's event (and one or two other prizes) and buying a rather smart new trophy for the winner. There's lots more - a specially published History of Chess in Hull, an afternoon chess festival (hopefully) and the local newspaper (Hull Daily Mail) should be publishing a 4 page wrap around just on local chess (30,000 copies). For the first time ever (I think) there is a congress dedicated accommodation web site (provided by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire).

How can we do all this? A very generous grant from Hull City Leisure (who are very supportive of chess and want the British to be a success), funding from the ECF and our own funds (we want you all to have a good time in Hull and have budgeted for up to £2,500 of our local money for this).

The above is only an outline - there is a lot more detail behind this. More information can be obtained from me ([email protected]). Stephen Greep: Hon General Secretary, Hull and District Chess Association. Events will be pre congress bookable (many are numbers limited). A lot of local players are contributing significant time to this - please support our efforts by coming to the events.

Apologies for the length of this post.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: No Andrew

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:44 am

Stephen Greep wrote:
Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:15 am
Apologies for the length of this post.
No need to apologise, Congress regulars would have been unaware of this, which is far more comprehensive than previous years.