(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Chris Goodall]

Simon - why don't you see who has the longest name in the Grading List. That should keep you busy for a while.

=LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2," ","")
*sort*

Kiel********-P***********, Dominic, of Coulsdon.

[Paul Cooksey]

Nothing goes over Chris's head. His reflexes are too fast.

Just on some of the substantive points above. I think we have to accept that although chess is not more risky than some other activities supported by public policy, there is no public policy support for chess. So interpretations of rules not likely to be in our favour.

A junior chess club may indeed be no more risky than a school, a chess meeting probably less risky than a restaurant. But no overriding reason to take any risk running chess, in the view of those who will be enforcing the rules.

David Robertson has suggested a year before we can resume OTB in some posts. My feeling is winters are important, since I expect significant relaxation of special distancing will be linked to health service capacity. So either 2021 spring/summer - which seems optimistic but conceivable to me, or 2022 spring/summer which seems pessimistic, but not unrealistic.

[Roger de Coverly]

I think we have to accept that although chess is not more risky than some other activities supported by public policy, there is no public policy support for chess. So interpretations of rules not likely to be in our favour.

With an ECF AGM coming shortly will the ECF Directors be pressed to say what actions, if any, they might be able to take to lobby in favour of chess? Isn't it a member of a broad body called something like "Sport and Recreation Alliance" ? I believe Malcolm won an award from it for "Chess in Schools".

[Ian Thompson]

A junior chess club may indeed be no more risky than a school, a chess meeting probably less risky than a restaurant. But no overriding reason to take any risk running chess, in the view of those who will be enforcing the rules.

With an ECF AGM coming shortly will the ECF Directors be pressed to say what actions, if any, they might be able to take to lobby in favour of chess?

An obvious approach would be to make reference to reports such as this one to argue that low risk social interaction should be allowed sooner rather than later.

[Nick Grey]

Pub lunch may need to be Packed lunch.

[Nick Grey]

A junior chess club may indeed be no more risky than a school...wrong...another bubble with different adults and juniors and for money usually.

[J T Melsom]

I'm pretty confident that the ECF board will have been lobbying behind the scenes. There is also no reason why individual clubs and members should not do the same.

I agree that the issues of mental health and coping mechanisms are important in this regard, but whilst all chess players will have chess as part of a routine, I would suggest that those who have chess as an exclusive coping mechanism may not be in significant numbers, or rather not necessarily in numbers greater than might apply to other activities which are not allowed. As some articles about Bury football club going bust made clear, the routine of football match days is also vital for mental wellbeing. However, if you do know somebody for whom chess affords such a lifeline, you should perhaps be visiting them for a game. inviting them for a beer or coffee, not waiting for government.

[Andrew Zigmond]

As has been correctly pointed out there are workarounds with the current restrictions. Therefore clubs and other groups who want to organise are free to do so. Some players may want to participate, others may choose not to. Obviously the situation is dynamic and there are rumours of new restrictions tomorrow - it is easier for local groups to respond on the ground than it is for the ECF from afar.

[Paul Cooksey]

With an ECF AGM coming shortly will the ECF Directors be pressed to say what actions, if any, they might be able to take to lobby in favour of chess?

I suspect Jon is right that this is something the ECF are doing and I will be surprised if no reference to it in reports when they are published.

It isn't really possible to "press" ECF Directors at the AGM. This board takes a robust approach to rebutting any perceived criticism. But probably a thing they will be happy to discuss if questions asked. I think both wings of the board take the view that the ECF has more influence when collaborating with other recreational activities, notably the EBU.

The loss of a a regular schedule of games, of always having a next fixture to look forward to in a week or two, was a blow to me. I was able to replace it with other things, but I am sure some people feel the loss more keenly and would welcome support as Jon suggests. Some things are best done individually, some as small groups and some as a national federation.

Personally I find it difficult to assess organised competitive chess as a low risk activity relative to other activities. If one accepts covid19 measures are needed, which I know not everyone does, it seems to me chess is somewhere in the middle. It is an indoor activity, with many at risk participants, encouraging socialisation of groups that otherwise would not intersect. I suspect policy will always favour, say, rambling.

Which isn't to say there is nothing that the ECF can hope to achieve. Important to ensure some consideration of risks and benefits is made. By comparison, I know a tattooist who felt her industry was very unfairly restricted. It was in the last wave of businesses allowed to open with night clubs and nail bars. Although theoretically high risk, in fact it is an industry with a significant existing focus on preventing the transmission of disease. But frankly, no one in government cared about it, so it was ignored. Chess would not want to be in that position.

[Simon Rogers]

Simon - why don't you see who has the longest name in the Grading List. That should keep you busy for a while.

=LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2," ","")
*sort*

Kiel********-P***********, Dominic, of Coulsdon.

Thanks Chris, you saved my skin.
I've not found the shortest one yet, perhaps you could help.
The players with the shortest names on the fide list are all Chinese.
4 letters:
GM Li, Di 2561 Rating
GM Xu, Yi 2527
IM Li, Bo 2310
Xi, Qi 2270
5 letters:
GM Wei, Yi 2732
GM Ni, Hua 2667
GM Ma, Qun 2630
IM Lin, Yi 2408
Ma, Lin 2184
The non Chinese player with the shortest name is Dutch GM Hans Ree.
He writes articles for New in Chess and Chess Cafe.com
I think he shared the Canadian Open Championship with Boris Spassky in 1971.
I think he was also European Youth Champion in the 1960s and won the Dutch Championship a number of times.

[Ian Thompson]

The non Chinese player with the shortest name is Dutch GM Hans Ree.

Wrong - I played someone called Tirto a few years ago. He's still on the FIDE list.

There may be other players with mononymous names that are shorter than that.

[Chris Goodall]

Elite chess is undoubtedly safer than club chess. Elite chess is the domain of 20-to-50-year-olds. Club chess is 40% kids and 40% pensioners. The group most likely to be asymptomatic spreaders, and the group most likely not to recover.

[Chris Goodall]

Simon - why don't you see who has the longest name in the Grading List. That should keep you busy for a while.

=LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2," ","")
*sort*

Kiel********-P***********, Dominic, of Coulsdon.

Thanks Chris, you saved my skin.
I've not found the shortest one yet, perhaps you could help.
The players with the shortest names on the fide list are all Chinese.

Li Wu, Isle of Man.

[Matt Bridgeman]

The scientific press conference today was quite sobering. The doubling of infection rates each week heading in the direction of 50,000 cases a day by mid-October if unchecked. For chess I’d think over the board chess will remain quite limited until people receive a vaccine, and feel confident it’s making them safe. Perhaps by Autumn next year people will start to get a choice of some congresses to attend again, but who knows?

[Simon Rogers]

The scientific press conference today was quite sobering. The doubling of infection rates each week heading in the direction of 50,000 cases a day by mid-October if unchecked. For chess I’d think over the board chess will will remain quite limited until people receive a vaccine, and feel confident it’s making them safe. Perhaps by Autumn next year people will start to get a choice of some congresses to attend again, but who knows?

You're spot on Matt. I'm a bit more hopeful that we might see a few tournaments next summer, perhaps Thanet and Leyland. Early summer at best, like Heywood and South Lakes.
In the meantime, before Xmas, I've seen a number of tournaments on various websites that are still going ahead but with limited numbers.
There are a number of Chess Clubs in England and the Isle of Man that are open.
I'm praying that Blackpool and St.Albans will go ahead next year along with Scarborough and Preston.