(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
Jacob Ward
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Jacob Ward » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:04 am

Bruce Baer wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:30 am
Anyone hearing anything about OTB chess starting in UK ?
Adam Raoof has posted here about starting up again in Autumn, but I suspect a big issue is player numbers. With talk of a second wave I suspect a lot of people will stay away for a while yet (especially since older players might feel more at risk and juniors might not be able to attend if parents can't come in - that's two major demographics).

Roger de Coverly
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:15 am

Bruce Baer wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:30 am
Anyone hearing anything about OTB chess starting in UK ?
It's still a bid muddy as to the legality. I don't think you can invite half a dozen people to your house for a Blitz tournament if they are from separate households, but you may legally be able to do so in a Community Centre, Social Club or room in a pub. At a larger scale, conference centres remain closed. That's before you even consider how far apart you are from an opponent or other players and whether it matters.

Bruce Baer
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Bruce Baer » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:16 am

I was thinking more about league chess

LawrenceCooper
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by LawrenceCooper » Wed Jul 29, 2020 11:40 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:15 am
Bruce Baer wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:30 am
Anyone hearing anything about OTB chess starting in UK ?
It's still a bid muddy as to the legality. I don't think you can invite half a dozen people to your house for a Blitz tournament if they are from separate households, but you may legally be able to do so in a Community Centre, Social Club or room in a pub. At a larger scale, conference centres remain closed. That's before you even consider how far apart you are from an opponent or other players and whether it matters.
I had hoped to do just that in July but had to accept that it just wasn't viable, even outside. It remains to be seen if it's possible next summer. At least I have no complications with booking venues, paying a deposit, needing a minimum number of entries to break even etc These factors must be real concerns for organisers.

Ian Thompson
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Ian Thompson » Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:02 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:15 am

It's still a bid muddy as to the legality. I don't think you can invite half a dozen people to your house for a Blitz tournament if they are from separate households, but you may legally be able to do so in a Community Centre, Social Club or room in a pub.
The Law is certainly muddy because of the continuous Government misinformation on what the law is, with the guidance being presented as if it was the law. It says "You should only socialise indoors with members of up to 2 households" and "You should not hold or attend celebrations (such as parties) where it is difficult to maintain social distancing and avoid close social interaction – even if they are organised by businesses and venues that are taking steps to follow COVID-19 secure guidelines."

The Police Guidance may be more reliable on what is and is not legal. It says "Gatherings of more than 30 people are banned."

I think you probably could organise a tournament with a total of up to 30 players and officials legally.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:14 pm

Something from the Guardian notionally about rugby.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... rap-scrums
All sports governing bodies have had to submit plans for a safe return to the DCMS as well as Public Health England for approval and Huddleston said he had been impressed by the level of responsibility and awareness across the industry.
Is the ECF a "sports governing body" in that context? Has it "submitted plans"? What, if anything, have the WCU and Chess Scotland done or required to be done?

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:15 pm

I suspect that at least some OTB club chess will be resuming soon, I certainly expect it to get re-started before congresses do.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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Ihor Lewyk
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Ihor Lewyk » Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:59 pm

To start OTB chess, venues will need to be following the latest guidance and complete a Covid Secure Risk Assessment. I think it is optimistic to think we will have leagues running by Autumn. I fear it will be more likely that some form of OTB chess will resume after the new year.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-saf ... s-covid-19

Neil Graham
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Neil Graham » Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:13 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:14 pm
Something from the Guardian notionally about rugby.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... rap-scrums
All sports governing bodies have had to submit plans for a safe return to the DCMS as well as Public Health England for approval and Huddleston said he had been impressed by the level of responsibility and awareness across the industry.
Is the ECF a "sports governing body" in that context? Has it "submitted plans"? What, if anything, have the WCU and Chess Scotland done or required to be done?
No because chess isn't recognised as a sport. If and when we (ie never) we will have to adhere to government guidelines.

Eric Gardiner
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Eric Gardiner » Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:22 pm


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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:33 pm

Yes the order is almost certainly going to be club chess first, then league matches and finally congresses.

(and yes, there is a high probability the last named won't get going until at least the turn of the year)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

J T Melsom
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by J T Melsom » Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:45 pm

That will cause some interesting side effects and challenges. Those clubs that have players who only turn up for league fixtures will obviously struggle, but even those that have well established internal events will contain members who really prefer league opposition. I'm assuming that the playing on a double board solution will be valid for grading purposes. Of course in some clubs space is at a premium, and if the capacity drops, membership fees will have to adapt. Our club event usually has around a dozen entries - I think we'd manage to fit them in, but not so sure about other local clubs.

MartinCarpenter
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by MartinCarpenter » Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:07 pm

Ihor Lewyk wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:59 pm
To start OTB chess, venues will need to be following the latest guidance and complete a Covid Secure Risk Assessment. I think it is optimistic to think we will have leagues running by Autumn. I fear it will be more likely that some form of OTB chess will resume after the new year.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-saf ... s-covid-19
Very optimistic even. It is very natural for people to think that this is going to be a continuous story of improvement towards normal from here on. It absolutely isn't :(

The infection rate stopped falling a while back, very stable/maybe gently creeping up. The likely modelling in that Government report that got published is that by Autumn it'll be starting to pick up momentum as everyone moves inside more with a potentially very nasty peak in Jan/Feb.

The vaccine work is going nicely at least, and if we're really lucky might (partially) intercept that. Early Spring next year seems a best guess timescale for a fairly normal restart, by Summer it'll quite likely seem like a memory along with measles etc.

Mick Norris
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Mick Norris » Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:13 pm

The NHS have told GPs to gear up for a second wave in roughly 3 months time

The infection rates here in Bolton, a mile up the road in Blackburn with Darwen, not far away in Oldham, and in Salford, are all too high
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Jacques Parry
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Jacques Parry » Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:14 pm

Ian Thompson wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:02 pm
The Law is certainly muddy because of the continuous Government misinformation on what the law is, with the guidance being presented as if it was the law.
Indeed. Right from the start the Government has been trying to make us believe that the restrictions are stricter than they are.
I think you probably could organise a tournament with a total of up to 30 players and officials legally.
As I understand it, the current regulations prohibit gatherings of more than 30 persons only in certain kinds of place, such as private dwellings. I don't see anything prohibiting a typical congress in a school, university or whatever, with any number of players.

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