(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[JustinHorton]

Oh, all that's fair enough I think. But I do think the quantity of particles emitted by players breathing over the course of a game might be quite significant. Much less so with masks, of course, but that would be true of talking too.

I think there's some fair comparisons to be made with other activities, but we're always going to run into the problem that a chess tournament, or even a club match or club night, involves a number of people, in a confined space, over a prolonged period, and infections are likely to increase if such activities are common and decrease if they are rare.

[Roger de Coverly]

and infections are likely to increase if such activities are common and decrease if they are rare.

That's only true if there is anyone infected to start with. The problem is not knowing, making any interaction with other people potentially Russian roulette. Are not all the supposed COVID secure measures mitigation? The point being that they attempt to reduce spread assuming there is someone there spreading it in the first place.

Isn't the current spread down to 18-30s going on holiday and having a good time with lots of interaction? Forty years ago, that would have intersected with the demographic at British chess clubs and Congresses, but no longer today.

[JustinHorton]

and infections are likely to increase if such activities are common and decrease if they are rare.

The point being that they attempt to reduce spread assuming there is someone there spreading it in the first place.

Well, more like not being prepared to assume that there isn't, which is a sensible public health precaution in a pandemic involving a virus of this nature (i.e. people are often infectious while asymptomatic, etc).

Isn't the current spread down to 18-30s going on holiday and having a good time with lots of interaction?

Maybe, maybe also schools repening, maybe also workplaces reopening etc. I think pointing fingers at younger people is an unhelpful characterisation.

Forty years ago, that would have intersected with the demographic at British chess clubs and Congresses, but no longer today.

Right but what does any of this mean though? We don't have children in one place and younger adults in another and older people in a third. I'm in my fifties. My work involves selling books in infant and primary schools, where apart from the children (obviously) there are lot of adults, mostly younger adults but not exclusively. I live in a village mostly populated by older people. At the weekend their children and grandchildren come to visit. If I go into town.... etc etc.

[Roger de Coverly]

I think pointing fingers at younger people is an unhelpful characterisation.

It is however consistent with observations that hospital admissions have not increased and neither have deaths from all causes let alone with COVID-19 as a cause. If there were similar tests for the common cold and they showed the headcount doubling, would there be shutdowns?

[Matt Bridgeman]

It’s interesting watching the Covid prediction modelling, for example North Tyneside where the next over the board chess event (25th Sept) is, on the model the area was holding off going over the 50 cases per 100,000 threshold until around 20th September. But now the model gives a 75% chance of that total being reached tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how accurate this stuff is.
https://imperialcollegelondon.github.io ... local/#map

There always seems to be a 2-3 week delay in the effect of any changes, so I’d guess the effect of schools going back and the new government guidelines won’t be felt for a while. Or whether the recent increase in infections in the younger generation will be passed to older people who may need hospital treatment. That seemed to be the start of a trend in Birmingham. And in 2-3 weeks we are into Autumn, which will probably be a negative factor in itself.

As an add on, there was an article yesterday (11/9) on how the past 7 day trend has seen a surge in infection for the over 50’s, where the potential must be for increased hospital admissions; https://uk.news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-i ... 54337.html

[Roger de Coverly]

But now the model gives a 75% chance of that total being reached tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how accurate this stuff is.
https://imperialcollegelondon.github.io ... local/#map

Aren't Imperial College models noted for their doom and gloom? It was an Imperial model that provoked the initial lockdown.

[Matt Bridgeman]

It’s seemed pretty nailed on in relation to Scotland, accurately predicting the situation in Lanarkshire days before numbers jumped and lockdown conditions were imposed. Maybe the trend over the next 3 weeks isn’t as hard to predict as the weather.

[Simon Rogers]

The number of entries for the City of Dublin Chess Championships 25th to 27th September, have increased to 90.
It's looking a strong field already:
2 IMs, 4 FMs 1 WIM and 1 CM have entered.

[Roger de Coverly]

The number of entries for the City of Dublin Chess Championships 25th to 27th September, have increased to 90.

The link is
https://www.icu.ie/events/1349

There don't appear to be any English, Welsh or Scottish entrants.

[David Blower]

The English Bridge Union say the new measures remove any doubt that face to face bridge competitions can return and say it’s not possible at this time. European Bridge Union competitions will also be cancelled. They await suitable changes being made in the future before any clubs should reopen;
https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3901

So glad that the English Bridge Union have issued guidance for bridge clubs.

I am now sure that the English Chess Federation will follow soon with guidance for chess clubs.

In the meantime rightly or wrongly I have made my own decision that we can only have six players at the chess club, and those currently attending will have to attend on a rota basis.

[Peter Harrington]

The English Bridge Union say the new measures remove any doubt that face to face bridge competitions can return and say it’s not possible at this time. European Bridge Union competitions will also be cancelled. They await suitable changes being made in the future before any clubs should reopen;
https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3901

So glad that the English Bridge Union have issued guidance for bridge clubs.

I am now sure that the English Chess Federation will follow soon with guidance for chess clubs.

In the meantime rightly or wrongly I have made my own decision that we can only have six players at the chess club, and those currently attending will have to attend on a rota basis.

Let's hope the ECF do the same as the English Bridge Union, who advise that clubs should not reopen until December and they will make a decision re a December reopening at the end of September.

[Roger de Coverly]

In the meantime rightly or wrongly I have made my own decision that we can only have six players at the chess club, and those currently attending will have to attend on a rota basis.

There seems to be an interpretation that you can have multiple groups of six in a community facility.

There's apparently a government guidance paper for "Multi-purpose Community Facilities" .

I'm not sure whether that's helpful as even a pre paired club tournament could be argued to be a social gathering for all the participants.

[Matt Mackenzie]

The English Bridge Union say the new measures remove any doubt that face to face bridge competitions can return and say it’s not possible at this time. European Bridge Union competitions will also be cancelled. They await suitable changes being made in the future before any clubs should reopen;
https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3901

So glad that the English Bridge Union have issued guidance for bridge clubs.

I am now sure that the English Chess Federation will follow soon with guidance for chess clubs.

In the meantime rightly or wrongly I have made my own decision that we can only have six players at the chess club, and those currently attending will have to attend on a rota basis.

Let's hope the ECF do the same as the English Bridge Union, who advise that clubs should not reopen until December and they will make a decision re a December reopening at the end of September.

Why do you "hope" for this? Some on here do seem rather keen to shut down all OTB chess willy nilly.

[Peter Harrington]

So glad that the English Bridge Union have issued guidance for bridge clubs.

I am now sure that the English Chess Federation will follow soon with guidance for chess clubs.

In the meantime rightly or wrongly I have made my own decision that we can only have six players at the chess club, and those currently attending will have to attend on a rota basis.

Let's hope the ECF do the same as the English Bridge Union, who advise that clubs should not reopen until December and they will make a decision re a December reopening at the end of September.

Why do you "hope" for this? Some on here do seem rather keen to shut down all OTB chess willy nilly.

I believe the ECF should not sit on the fence regarding this critical issue and there are several reasons, the main ones being health and safety and insurance considerations. Most of us, myself included, want OTB chess to resume as soon as possible. Good luck to the forthcoming ground-breaking congresses in Northumberland and Dublin. I hope they go ahead.

[Matt Bridgeman]

The ECF have published their opinion on the new guidelines now;
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/new-hm- ... uidelines/