(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Ian Thompson]

More pertainantly, are there any examples where the virus transmission can be attributed to contaminated chess pieces, boards, pens, scoresheets or clocks?

Yes

[NickFaulks]

More pertainantly, are there any examples where the virus transmission can be attributed to contaminated chess pieces, boards, pens, scoresheets or clocks?

Yes

I think that one needs further documentation.

[Michael Farthing]

I think that one needs further documentation.

further documentation?

[Paul Robert Jackson]

More pertainantly, are there any examples where the virus transmission can be attributed to contaminated chess pieces, boards, pens, scoresheets or clocks?

Yes

An interesting article:

Het coronavirus heeft nu ook zijn intrede gedaan in de schaaksport. Tijdens een toernooi in het Italiaanse Alfie heeft een pion positief getest op corona. De Europese schaakbond heeft het toernooi direct stilgelegd.
Uit de eerste berichten blijkt dat het positieve stuk een zwarte pion is die op positie f7 stond. Alle stukken die op minder dan vijf vakjes afstand stonden zijn direct in quarantaine geplaatst. Voor de overige stukken geldt dat ze alleen in quarantaine moeten als ze direct contact hebben gehad met de besmette pion. Uitzondering op de quarantaine-regels zijn paarden en torens. Zij worden wel extra in de gaten gehouden, maar omdat er nog geen gevallen bekend zijn van besmetting van paard of toren op mens, lopen zij waarschijnlijk geen gevaar.

The corona virus has now also made its appearance in chess. During a tournament in Alfie, Italy, a pawn tested positive for corona. The European Chess Federation immediately halted the tournament.
His first reports show that the positive piece is a black pawn that was on position f7. All items that were less than five squares away were immediately placed in quarantine. For the other pieces, they should only be quarantined if they have had direct contact with the infected piece. Exceptions to the quarantine rules are horses and rooks. They are closely monitored, but because there are no known cases of contamination from horse or rook to humans, they are probably not at risk.

[Michael Farthing]

Thanks Paul for the 'further documentation'. I now see just how serious a problem this was.

[Paul Robert Jackson]

Thanks Paul for the 'further documentation'. I now see just how serious a problem this was.

A Dutch Satirical Magazine.
Bit like Private Eye.

[Wadih Khoury]

I wrote some feedback on Heidelberg in the international section.
Short of it was that it was ok, chess itself was the normal experience, and they had an idea or two on how to do things which may be of interest to UK organisers.

[David Blower]

What is the general consensus about what chess clubs should do if their local area is in tier 1, tier 2, or tier 3.

Edited to add - I had already looked on the ECF website and can not find any guidance anywhere.

The latest stories on the ECF website are

October online ratings are out
HM Government COVID-19 Guidelines for Junior Activities (as updated on 15th October.)

(I'll just point out that this article does not cover the situation at our club. I did read the article.)

Covid-19 HM Government 12th October Guidelines for Supervised Activities Provided for Children

(Yet again this does not cover the situation at our club. I did read the article.)

Change to ECF office hours
Calling all disabled players
Clubs & Congress Insurance 2020/21
Northumberland Weekend Congress - a superb effort in moving chess from zoom to room
ECF Membership - Your federation Needs You!
RIP John Calvert
RIP Don Smedley 1933-2020
North East Online League kicks off
Nations Cup Qualification - 23/09

Those are all the stories on the front page of the ECF website.

And a quick search in my email address, shows that the last newsletter I got from the ECF was in August.

[NickFaulks]

And a quick search in my email address, shows that the last newsletter I got from the ECF was in August.

I received one on 9th October.

[Roger de Coverly]

What is the general consensus about what chess clubs should do if their local area is in tier 1, tier 2, or tier 3.

For the next month, that's obsolete following the announcement of the second English lockdown. Does that also mean the ECF Office is closed?

[Paul Robert Jackson]

I will expect like last time, most things will be be closed.
....& more & more will not reopen.

[Tim Spanton]

Political-party-opposes-lockdown shock:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54777346

[Simon Rogers]

It's not looking great on the Fylde Coast. Although the cases are lower than the other parts of Lancashire. It was reported on regional TV and our local paper, that there are currently a third more cases of Covid-19 in Fylde coast hospitals than at the peak of the first wave.
Excess deaths have been terrible this year. You can tell by the Deaths and Obituaries reported.
I'm afraid I have another two Deaths to report.

[NickFaulks]

You can tell by the Deaths and Obituaries reported.

No you can't. It just happens that you have ( commendably ) been very diligent in reporting them.

[Simon Rogers]

Yeah. That's true. A number are from earlier this year. I get to know a lot of people on the Congress scene and speak to anyone and everyone. The social side is great.
Most of the people I have reported on Deaths and Obituaries I have met.
Sorry Nick for reporting so many.