English Chess Forum

3. From recollection, we have never received an email from anyone even saying they watch it, let alone thanking us for providing the service. Thank you very much for providing the service. And genuine thanks for the reminder that nobody should take anything for granted. One factor you might not hav...

http://www.schachbund.de/prinzen.html

They don't seem to believe in mediocrity.

An alternative to this rather authoritarian approach might be just to sign the entry forms to FIDE tournaments for qualified juniors, and let the parents organise the transport and coaching independently. As the ECF does not subsidise representative players it seems less than justifiable to set cond...

Currently we are considering fairly costly ways to help Gawain Jones and David Howell make progress as players. What if one or both of them were to change federations subsequently? An agreement requiring the costs to be refunded, along with some compensation for the opportunity lost in not supporti...

As it happens, the other day I compiled some figures on precisely this for a possible future blog post. In the UK there are 31 players born between 1995 and 2001 with a FIDE rating of 2000 or higher. Some figures from other Western European countries: Germany 147, Spain 122, France 86, Italy 51, Ne...

The strong and very pleasant Cannes Open in February is part of an amazing festival of games:

http://www.festivaldesjeux-cannes.com/3.aspx

Or perhaps dispense with the need for a President altogether. Why not run it like a normal commercial enterprise and just have a CEO which hopefully would be clearer and lead to a lot less disputes. A normal commercial enterprise has a Chairman of a board of directors who more or less represent the...

Chess as prison rehabilitation in Uruguay:

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/vie ... 41313.html

An escape from the reality of prison, a way to stay out once released, and a strong desire to share the benefits. Heartwarming story.

What I actually think they should do is to decide the proper proportions of the budget in principle. What the ECF should be supporting as a matter of fairness and strategic priorities. And this can be done in an open, transparent way without needing to talk about Nigel's fee, etc. Adding in Junior ...

The advice I was given by someone much wiser than I a few years ago, when I was struggling to manage a complex and ungovernable situation, was: "Do less, and do it better." As a parent of a chess player who is ambitious and very hard working I have to look wistfully at how much real and practical su...

Big feature with photo in the FT today also, focusing on the future of chess as well as Carlsen's position in it.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4a7bf76-77be ... abdc0.html

I don't know how valid it is, but here is a point of comparison:

http://www.rank.com/our_businesses/mecca_bingo.jsp

You can already donate towards juniors chess via the ECF web site at the junior page under contact and support then click on financial donations i wonder how much has been raised over the last year does any one know? I hope nobody would see putting a button on a website as equivalent to asking peop...

Only a few adults might contribute, but surely there is no harm in making it easy for them, by for instance having a voluntary option when they renew their memberships, and starting an official ECF Junior Support fund, ring-fenced of course. If you ask and everybody says no you end up learning somet...

If there are kids like this for whom removing the burden of these costs means that they can attend (having qualified by the rules) then the policy needs to be reviewed to help them to attend. A better alternative than withdrawing the mentoring and support would be to add "raise money to support jun...