e2e4 Amersham Congress : 18-20 May 2012

[Sean Hewitt]

Following a mix up at Sunningdale regarding our event booking (for which we apologise) we have moved the event to the great Latimer Place Hotel in Chesham (near Amersham) which is appropriately enough located in the beautiful Chess Valley.



The event will be a 5 round swiss with three sections, with all of them being FIDE rated:-

FIDE rated Open
FIDE rated Challengers [Under 2000 or U170 if unrated]
FIDE rated Major [Under 1750 or U140 if unrated]

Full details can be found here.

We have a limited number of bedrooms at our discounted rate so you are advised to enter as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

[David Sedgwick]

There is an unfortunate clash of dates on Saturday 19th May with the Quarter Finals of the ECF Counties Championships, potentially involving 784 players.

[Sean Hewitt]

There is an unfortunate clash of dates on Saturday 19th May with the Quarter Finals of the ECF Counties Championships, potentially involving 784 players.

If the Quarter Finals had been listed in the ECF Chess Calender when I scheduled the Sunningdale event 3 months ago (or even, if they were listed now) I may have avoided the clash, but alas...

[Mike Truran]

......a problem I am currently encountering when trying to organise next season's Junior 4NCL dates. It seems that I am expected to have clairvoyancy skills in avoiding dates that other organisers can't be bothered to post on the ECF calendar.

[Alex Holowczak]

There is an unfortunate clash of dates on Saturday 19th May with the Quarter Finals of the ECF Counties Championships, potentially involving 784 players.

If the Quarter Finals had been listed in the ECF Chess Calender when I scheduled the Sunningdale event 3 months ago (or even, if they were listed now) I may have avoided the clash, but alas...

I'm guessing this is my fault.

You are correct that it is not on the ECF calendar. I added the Final since it had a fixed date and venue, but didn't for the other rounds. If captains are bothered by the clash, they can simply arrange to play their game on another date. After all, it's a Quarter Final, so there's nothing to stop them being played on any date between early April and the cutoff, so long as you know your opponent!

If it's considered desirable, I may do this next year. It's probably horse-stable-bolted this year.

I am not unduly concerned by the impact of this clash.

[Mick Norris]

If your opponents insist on playing the quarter final on the nominated date, there is nothing you can do about it - there have been defaulted matches as a result of this

The dates are more important than you think

[J T Melsom]

It strikes me that we are in danger of making a mountain out of a mole-hill in this case. Clearly it is important that when the dates of events are known in advance they are publicised in advance as this helps players make informed decisions about events. But to argue as David Sedgewick does that 784 players are prevented from playing because of a clash with the county quarter finals is specious. The quarter-finalists are drawn from across the country, and cannot be obviously predicted. The event is actually being held in a county which does ot compete in a qualifying competition, and Sean's congresses are more than likely to attract people who actually prefer his events to county chess or in the case of foreign players are not actually eligible or have any affinity for a county team. We should try and avoid clashes but where do you draw the line? Personally I would suggest a more difficult clash will be for those adults involved in junior organisation who also like to support and participate in local events. I am sure there will be people controlling sections or looking after their children at the EPSCA finals or the Bucks Megafinal who might have liked to play.

[Sean Hewitt]

I am sure there will be people controlling sections or looking after their children at the EPSCA finals or the Bucks Megafinal who might have liked to play.

I think alot of adult players might be delighted to hear that there may be fewer juniors in attendance.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Oh dear. Sunningdale was ultra-convenient for me, and I was intending to go to this tournament (if it had been held at Sunningdale). Will have to try and work out whether that will still be possible. I see the e2e4 calendar has the 2013 event listed. Hope that booking will be OK, along with any other events at Sunningdale.

[Sean Hewitt]

I see the e2e4 calendar has the 2013 event listed. Hope that booking will be OK, along with any other events at Sunningdale.

It is. The problem was the member of staff with whom we booked May 2012, Aug 2012 and May 2013 left the company without completing the bookings at the hotel end. By the time all found out, the space and bedrooms for May 2012 and Aug 2012 had already been sold to another company. That wasn't the case for May 2013 so that has now been reserved. The hotel were very helpful in helping us arrnage to transfer May 2012 to Latimer place, and I hope to have news on the venue for Aug 2012 shortly. Not ideal, but these things happen.

[Trefor Owens]

I am hoping to play, work allowing
I notice the rating/grading limits that apply to the different sections; are these binding? Only some recent events have been confusing, to me anyway, or is this because of the more frequent grading lists?

Thanks
Trefor

[John Sargent]

I haven't been able to get to an e2e4 congress in way too long - looking forward to hopefully entering this one!

[Angus French]

There is an unfortunate clash of dates on Saturday 19th May with the Quarter Finals of the ECF Counties Championships, potentially involving 784 players.

If the Quarter Finals had been listed in the ECF Chess Calender when I scheduled the Sunningdale event 3 months ago (or even, if they were listed now) I may have avoided the clash, but alas...

I'm guessing this is my fault.

You are correct that it is not on the ECF calendar. I added the Final since it had a fixed date and venue, but didn't for the other rounds. If captains are bothered by the clash, they can simply arrange to play their game on another date. After all, it's a Quarter Final, so there's nothing to stop them being played on any date between early April and the cutoff, so long as you know your opponent!

If it's considered desirable, I may do this next year. It's probably horse-stable-bolted this year.

I am not unduly concerned by the impact of this clash.

Sorry, but I feel compelled to respond: The post above is, in my view, arrogant and insensitive.

[Alex Holowczak]

Sorry, but I feel compelled to respond: The post above is arrogant and insensitive.

In what way?

[Angus French]

Sorry, but I feel compelled to respond: The post above is arrogant and insensitive.

In what way?

Well... If you're culpable why not admit so and say sorry? Why not say this won't happen next year? And I think your last sentence should be omitted.