Diary Plus

[James Pratt]

17 June – 1st July, 2010
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/
Twitter - http://twitter.com/adamraoof
Ceefax p 568

Yeovil, 18-20th June

Summer Congress, Westfield School, Stiby Rd, Yeovil, Somerset. 5 rd swisses. Three sections. Jack Rudd, The Red House, 25-26 Bridgeland St, Bideford, Devon EX39 2PZ. [email protected]. Incorporating Somerset Junior U-18,16,14,13,12 and Senior titles. http://www.chessdevon.co.uk/htnl/yef.pdf.

Richmond-on-Thames, Saturday 19th June

Junior U-18/U-14/U-11/U-9 5 rd Blitz, ETNA Community Centre, 13 Rosslyn Rd, Twickenham. www.rjcc.org.uk. [email protected]. 10.50am demo in use of chess clock. A pleasant intro …

Chester, 26-27th June

CC, The Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christelton CH3 7BA. 5 rd swisses. Open/ U-170/ U-146/ U-120. 7 grading prizes. Juniors may play for half entry fee and qualify for half prize monies; novel. D Dickson 01978 760058.
www.chesterchess.org. R Martin 5, Mossley Court, Hawarden, Flints CH5 3DQ.

Hendon, Thursday 1 July

Blitz, Golders Green Parish Church Hall NW11 7QG.
[email protected].
www.hendonchessclub.com. 32 played last time, you’ll surely join them?

Ilford, Sunday, 4 July

King & King Essex Blitz at Ilford CC, 188 Beehive La, Ilford IG4 5EE. – Teams of 4 (2pm start) and Individual (10am) in the morning. 10 minute games. School teams welcomed.
I Smith, 163 Lodge Rd, Writtle CM1 3JB
01245 421 193.

Canterbury – closing date for the British is 5 July – join Mickey Adams and the gang. Many sections: Afternoon commentary, 1 day, weekend, all week and full fortnight.
www.englishchess.org.uk. Enter now on line and miss the late fee!

British Winton Capital Management Solving Championship

Closing date for first stage – only one position - 31 July 2010. P Valois, 14 Newton Pk Drive, Leeds LS7 4HH. www.bstephen.me.uk/wcbcscstater. All entrants, not currently members, receive a free Problemist. Second stage – 8 positions – then final (in the flesh!) next February with top solvers like Nunn, Mestel and so on.

Weald, 10 – 11th July

Copthorne Prep School, Effingham La, Copthorne, Crawley (just off Junction 10 of A23). Open/ U-180/ U-150/ U-125. J Tuck. [email protected].

Wallace Chess, Six weekly training sessions for juniors in central London, in 3 day bursts. July 12-15th/ending 3rd September. 9pm-1am run by IM J-P Wallace, Teignmouth Ct, 35 Mapesbury Rd, London NW2 4HL. All staff CRB checked. www.wallacechess.com.
0787 965 5581. [email protected]. Refer-a-friend, early-bird & sibling discounts!

Organisers (that's you!). Please let us have some post event publicity – pics, results, games even – to publish to the ECF site.

If you would like to be kept informed of the chess action nationwide join our mailing list: send a blank email to [email protected] and follow the simple instructions you will be sent.

[Andrew Camp]

Will be at Chester. A lovely venue.

Hope to see some of you there.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Those of us that occasionally cross the border may also be interested in the South Wales Summer Congress at Chepstow, 16-18 July. There are three sections: u-176, u-132 and u-94. Here's the ECF tournament calendar entry:
"South Wales Summer Congress, Chepstow Leisure Centre MAP Contact: Ian Eustis Email: [email protected] Organisers address: Ty Ni, Tir Barch Farm Drive, Rhos, Pontardawe, Swansea SA8 3ET | 3 sections – U175; U131; U93 (sic)"

[Alex Holowczak]

Out of interest, do you know why the sections are as they are? 176, 132 and 94 seem quite random... 94 also seems very low.

[Alan Walton]

Maybe it is because the Welsh rating system hasn't applied the inflation like the British grading system has done, and therefore they are catering for their own players, unintentionally effecting the English players

[Andrew Camp]

Blimey. Under 94?

Even I might draw a few games in that!

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Out of interest, do you know why the sections are as they are? 176, 132 and 94 seem quite random... 94 also seems very low.

The actual Welsh rating limits are 2050, 1700 and 1400. To convert to ECF grades the organisers are using the latest ECF formula of subtracting 650 and dividing the result by 8. Although I'm not privy to the organisers' thinking, I'd guess they're trying to cater for their Welsh customer base whose ratings are still calculated as in years past and an English base where grades have risen hugely since last year thus pricing many players, such as me, out of the traditional rating limited sections in Wales. A difficult balance to strike and a messy problem left by the great English grading 'correction'.

[Steve Rooney]

Will be at Chester. A lovely venue.

Hope to see some of you there.

I agree with Andrew, Chester is a great venue and I'm hoping to do better than four draws this year.

Intriguingly there is a very heavy message on the entry form about ensuring courteous behaviour.

"Courteous behaviour to opponents and organisers must be maintained at all times. However we notice that this is not always the case. Arbiters’ decisions are final. Abuse and hostile dissent could result in instant
disqualification without refund. Details of any such occurrences are registered with the ECF as a matter of routine."

Can't imagine that Chester has been the scene of brawls at past chess events?

[Andrew Camp]

Will be at Chester. A lovely venue.

Hope to see some of you there.

I agree with Andrew, Chester is a great venue and I'm hoping to do better than four draws this year.

Intriguingly there is a very heavy message on the entry form about ensuring courteous behaviour.

"Courteous behaviour to opponents and organisers must be maintained at all times. However we notice that this is not always the case. Arbiters’ decisions are final. Abuse and hostile dissent could result in instant
disqualification without refund. Details of any such occurrences are registered with the ECF as a matter of routine."

Can't imagine that Chester has been the scene of brawls at past chess events?

That was on last year's too. Very odd statement.

On the plus side though, the catering at Cheshire View was excellent and a decent bar too. Games are a bit shorter due to having three games on the Saturday but I guess that cannot be helped.