English Seniors 2024

[Roger de Coverly]

Entries are building up for the English Seniors at the end of May.

The Over 50s has Keith Arkell, Mark Hebden, Nigel Davies, Peter Wells and Andrew Ledger as the top seeds.

In the Over 65s, past winners Paul Littlewood and Chris Baker have again entered and are joined by Terry Chapman.

[Ian Thompson]

The Over 50s has Keith Arkell, Mark Hebden, Nigel Davies, Peter Wells and Andrew Ledger as the top seeds.

On the current entry it's a bit top-heavy when compared to the prize distribution:

• Players only eligible for the three main place prizes - 20
• Players eligible for the U2000 rating prize - 5
• Players eligible for the U1800 rating prize - 2

[Tim Harding]

This event starts on Friday. Entries picked up a bit since the the postings above. Will there be live boards?

[Roger de Coverly]

Will there be live boards?

The existence of links at the chess-results site suggests so
Over 50
https://lichess.org/broadcast/ecf-engli ... 1/3XKSYcFY
Over 65
https://lichess.org/broadcast/ecf-engli ... 1/jHT3xtSA

Top seeds in the Over 50 are
GM Hebden, Mark L 400084 ENG 2438 Syston
2 GM Davies, Nigel R 404420 ENG 2431 Tiger Chess
3 GM Wells, Peter K 400327 ENG 2382 Witney
4 IM Ledger, Andrew J 400610 ENG 2374 Woodseats


In the Over 65
1 IM Large, Peter G 400866 ENG 2394 Epsom
2 IM Littlewood, Paul E 400190 ENG 2317 Wood Green
3 FM Chapman, Terry Pd 413399 ENG 2290 Cavendish
4 IM Baker, Chris W 401676 ENG 2267 4ncl The Ads

[Graham Borrowdale]

This event is well underway, with the leaders after 3 rounds being Hebden and Wells in the Over 50, and Large, Littlewood and Chapman in the Over 65, all with 3/3, and a few other titled players in contention, so no great surprises so far. Play goes on until Tuesday at the relatively relaxed rate of 7 rounds over 3 days.

Results at
https://chess-results.com/tnr944443.aspx?lan=1&art=0

Live coverage at
https://lichess.org/broadcast/ecf-engli ... 3/5dl5V1dF

[Tim Spanton]

This event is well underway, with the leaders after 3 rounds being Hebden and Wells in the Over 50, and Large, Littlewood and Chapman in the Over 65, all with 3/3, and a few other titled players in contention, so no great surprises so far. Play goes on until Tuesday at the relatively relaxed rate of 7 rounds over 3 days.

Results at
https://chess-results.com/tnr944443.aspx?lan=1&art=0

Live coverage at
https://lichess.org/broadcast/ecf-engli ... 3/5dl5V1dF

It's actually seven rounds over five days, but that is not "relatively relaxed" for a national championship!

[Graham Borrowdale]

Sorry, typo on my part. I meant relatively relaxed for average players. I agree, in the context of a national event more than one round a day is not relaxed. I guess the compressed schedule, compared to 7 rounds over 7 days, keeps costs lower and ensures enough ‘amateurs’ enter to make the event viable. Some good games so far nonetheless.

[Ian Thompson]

Hopefully, we won't get any more protests taking place outside the hotel. Yesterday morning we had someone with a megaphone protesting about the Israeli invasion of Gaza and reading out a list of Palestinian children who've been killed.

[Tim Spanton]

Sorry, typo on my part. I meant relatively relaxed for average players. I agree, in the context of a national event more than one round a day is not relaxed. I guess the compressed schedule, compared to 7 rounds over 7 days, keeps costs lower and ensures enough ‘amateurs’ enter to make the event viable. Some good games so far nonetheless.

Maybe - I always suspect the reason for such a 'shortened' schedule is that the venue-hotel does not want to lose two weekends, which is often when hotels get bookings for wedding receptions, etc.

[Ian Thompson]

I guess the compressed schedule, compared to 7 rounds over 7 days, keeps costs lower and ensures enough ‘amateurs’ enter to make the event viable.

It would be interesting to survey the players who are taking part to see what they'd prefer. In the over 65s at least, I assume most players are retired so they don't have to think about whether or not they want to take the time off work.

Another consideration is the availability of venues. I expect it's easier to find an affordable venue over a holiday weekend than it is during a working week when hotels might expect their bedrooms and conference rooms to be hired by businesses for their events.

[LawrenceCooper]

I guess the compressed schedule, compared to 7 rounds over 7 days, keeps costs lower and ensures enough ‘amateurs’ enter to make the event viable.

It would be interesting to survey the players who are taking part to see what they'd prefer. In the over 65s at least, I assume most players are retired so they don't have to think about whether or not they want to take the time off work.

Another consideration is the availability of venues. I expect it's easier to find an affordable venue over a holiday weekend than it is during a working week when hotels might expect their bedrooms and conference rooms to be hired by businesses for their events.

One question could be would they prefer seven games in five days or five games in five days? If players have the option of a half point bye on the double round days that is helpful, albeit not necessarily for those competing for the top places.

[Tim Spanton]

I guess the compressed schedule, compared to 7 rounds over 7 days, keeps costs lower and ensures enough ‘amateurs’ enter to make the event viable.

It would be interesting to survey the players who are taking part to see what they'd prefer. In the over 65s at least, I assume most players are retired so they don't have to think about whether or not they want to take the time off work.

Another consideration is the availability of venues. I expect it's easier to find an affordable venue over a holiday weekend than it is during a working week when hotels might expect their bedrooms and conference rooms to be hired by businesses for their events.

One question could be would they prefer seven games in five days or five games in five days? If players have the option of a half point bye on the double round days that is helpful, albeit not necessarily for those competing for the top places.

If there is to be a survey, I would like one option to be nine rounds over nine days (or 10 over 10).

[Kevin Thurlow]

The "compressed schedule" is why I immediately decided not to play. A normal local weekend tournament is ok, and I don't care about ratings, but a serious event should have a more relaxed time-limit.

(I may not have played anyway, and of course there are other factors.)

[Roger de Coverly]

The "compressed schedule" is why I immediately decided not to play. A normal local weekend tournament is ok, and I don't care about ratings, but a serious event should have a more relaxed time-limit.

The notional five hour session of 90 moves in 40 minutes with an extra 30 minutes to finish alongside 30 second increments can work for tournaments with two rounds a day. The squeeze points are a potentially earlier start, shorter time between rounds and later finish.The last orders for food at the local pubs seem to be 9pm. That's comfortable with a four hour game starting at 4 pm but potentially less so with a five hour game.

One aspect that some players are unhappy about is that the pairings are not being published until one hour before the round. Some tournaments including the British Campionships seem willing to do this immediately on completion on the previous round.

[Ian Thompson]

The notional five hour session of 90 moves in 40 minutes with an extra 30 minutes to finish alongside 30 second increments can work for tournaments with two rounds a day. The squeeze points are a potentially earlier start, shorter time between rounds and later finish.

... and the willingness of players, particularly as this is a seniors event, to take part in an event where they might have to play for more than 10 hours in a day.