(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Mick Norris]

I think the summer part of that depends where you are; here in Manchester, there's an entirely separate Summer League, which didn't run this year, but will be hoping to do so in 2021; there are also players who don't play in the summer

[David Sedgwick]

I think the summer part of that depends where you are; here in Manchester, there's an entirely separate Summer League, which didn't run this year, but will be hoping to do so in 2021; there are also players who don't play in the summer

Players who "don't play in the summer" may well do so in the summer of 2021, if that is feasible. By then nearly all of us will not have played a competitive OTB game for at least 15 months.

Where there are Summer Leagues, they may well see more teams entering than usual. Where there are not, finishing off the 2019 - 2020 season may be an attractive option.

[MartinCarpenter]

Are people really going to want to play the winter 2018/19 remanent in Summer 2021 and then immediately into a winter season?

Especially since the restrictions on a variety of types of holiday are likely to be in place through Spring then gradually lift as we go further into the year.

I'd definitely be somewhat wary of 'distorting' the winter league by finishing off several matches of it in summer.

[Paul Robert Jackson]

If things are not moving by Summer 2021 we will return to the discussion
....the Renewal of ECF Membership's
............but for the 2021-2022 Season!!

[J T Melsom]

I share Martin Carpenter's view about distortion. Its not just deaths that will distort playing squads, exams, moving away to university, summer sports are a few others. And then some leagues will need adapted eligibility rules so that any new members are able to play. Much better to canvas support for summer competition and plan anew, than try and resurrect the remnants of the old.

[Mike Gunn]

I'm captain of two Surrey teams. One is odds on favourite to win its division and the other has an outside chance of winning a cup. For me this is unfinished business and I would like to see it concluded!

[J T Melsom]

That is fair enough but in addition to new players for whom special rules may need to be written, there will be players with little team chess where league divisions are practically finished or the remaining fixtures are away from home. I think when we resume we will want to offer something for everybody, not tell them to come back in the autumn.

[Wadih Khoury]

Leagues will also need a way to accomodate juniors who did not have a chance to get their grade updated (for deciding in which team and which board they are allowed to play).

[Matt Mackenzie]

Are people really going to want to play the winter 2018/19 remanent in Summer 2021 and then immediately into a winter season?

I think a lot of people would be fine with that in the circumstances, yes.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"For me this is unfinished business and I would like to see it concluded!"

I agree - the Somerset Cup Final was due to be played about 2 days into Lockdown I and it would be nice to play that. The League might be abandoned - there is no promotion/relegation, so fitting several matches into a short space of time may be pointless. It's more difficult if someone is fighting for promotion.

[J T Melsom]

I doubt I could field a side in summer 2021 that looks remotely similar to that which was playing in March 2020. I suspect some clubs won't have the player numbers or team captains. Its very much a case of deciding what is best locally and probably being a bit more flexible about the rules. But trying to finish off the old season has the potential to be an energy draining process with the scope for disputes, and it may be wiser to focus on an autumn resumption, or new events in the summer which are inclusive of old and new members.

[Roger de Coverly]

and it may be wiser to focus on an autumn resumption, or new events in the summer which are inclusive of old and new members.

There's also the continuation or otherwise of the 2019-20 4NCL. Earlier this year, the plan seemingly was to utilise the August bank holiday weekend.

I suppose there's additionally the possibility of selective bans on larger gatherings continuing. Thus 24 people in a room for a couple of league matches might be legal, but not 100 or more for a Congress or 4NCL.

[J T Melsom]

There might be an alien invasion of Bourne End [ It might have already happened ] - I think posters were trying to reflect a degree of cautious optimism. We might want to consider friendlies to honour those we have lost. I'm sure a friendly match to commemorate Kevin Hawkins might be fun - possibly with a requirement to play his pet openings. And I think we should try and get together a team to contest the Fleming Trophy in honour of Andrew Hill. And of course unless we play a lot, chess will be free for non members of the ECF so theories about membership being a barrier to participation can be tested. Lots to look forward to.

[Wadih Khoury]

In case lockdown does get removed as initially planned (one can hope), is there a list of confirmed events in Europe? Let's say from Dec 12th onwards?

I noticed a few events in France, but they are unconfirmed. There is Sitges in Spain. I noticed some cancelled ones in Switzerland. Any good ideas or plans?

[Tim Spanton]

CzechTour has Dec 5-12 and Dec 12-19 (assuming Czechia's emergency measures have been rescinded by then):

http://www.czechtour.net/news/