(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[NickFaulks]

That's not to denigrate mathematical modelling, which has a sound theoretical basis in statistics, but to say that it doesn't always get the right answer.

My entire career has been based on mathematical modelling. However, it is important that it is used to get the most accurate answer, with understood estimates of potential error - not just the answer you happen to need for political reasons.

[Stewart Reuben]

And here I was, thinking this is a chess forum.

[NickFaulks]

And here I was, thinking this is a chess forum.

You are in the "general chat" section, Stewart. Speculating on when we may be permitted to play chess again does not seem out of place.

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick,
Most of the more recent posts on this particular thread have had nothing whatsoever to do with chess.
Your post on Monday has nothing to do with chess.
My entire career has been based on mathematical modelling. However, it is important that it is used to get the most accurate answer, with understood estimates of potential error - not just the answer you happen to need for political reasons.

[Chris Goodall]

And here I was, thinking this is a chess forum.

Stewart, you wrote the book (literally; I read it) on organising competitive chess.

0) 8/3: 2 outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
1) 29/3 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
2) 12/4 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors ("No household mixing indoors") and indoor hospitality still closed, but indoor leisure open
3) 17/5 or later: 30 outdoors, 6 / 2⌂ indoors, indoor hospitality open
4) 21/6 or later: no restrictions
5) end of July: every adult except Nick vaccinated

If you were a chess club secretary, and you didn't have access to professional medical or legal advice on demand, would you schedule your summer tournament to start in May (step 3), or would you wait for step 4, or even 5 (with or without proof of vaccinations)?

[Adam Raoof]

And here I was, thinking this is a chess forum.

Stewart, you wrote the book (literally; I read it) on organising competitive chess.

0) 8/3: 2 outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
1) 29/3 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
2) 12/4 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors ("No household mixing indoors") and indoor hospitality still closed, but indoor leisure open
3) 17/5 or later: 30 outdoors, 6 / 2⌂ indoors, indoor hospitality open
4) 21/6 or later: no restrictions
5) end of July: every adult except Nick vaccinated

If you were a chess club secretary, and you didn't have access to professional medical or legal advice on demand, would you schedule your summer tournament to start in May (step 3), or would you wait for step 4, or even 5 (with or without proof of vaccinations)?

3) outdoors in a pub garden perhaps
4) for indoor events of any kind, as long as the roadmap is not torn up!

the problem with 3) is that any pub with a garden is likely to be totally full for the whole of the summer with breakfast, lunch and dinner bookings - and with no outdoor space for a chess tournament.

[Paul Bloom]

And here I was, thinking this is a chess forum.

Stewart, you wrote the book (literally; I read it) on organising competitive chess.

0) 8/3: 2 outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
1) 29/3 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors
2) 12/4 or later: 6 / 2⌂ outdoors, 1⌂ indoors ("No household mixing indoors") and indoor hospitality still closed, but indoor leisure open
3) 17/5 or later: 30 outdoors, 6 / 2⌂ indoors, indoor hospitality open
4) 21/6 or later: no restrictions
5) end of July: every adult except Nick vaccinated

If you were a chess club secretary, and you didn't have access to professional medical or legal advice on demand, would you schedule your summer tournament to start in May (step 3), or would you wait for step 4, or even 5 (with or without proof of vaccinations)?

so as we would clearly be at stage 5 why no British championship this year loads of us have our accommodation held over from last year

[NickFaulks]

Nick,
Most of the more recent posts on this particular thread have had nothing whatsoever to do with chess.

Stewart,
It has been made quite clear that the timing of our being permitted to play chess again will be based on a mathematical model. You may be happy with that, I am not, but it is a fact.

[Matthew Turner]

A big event requires a lot of organisation in advance. You cannot just put it on at short notice.
Let me give a quick example that you wouldn't have thought of.
Where do you think the congress gets the tables from?
What do you think the price will be given pent up demand from weddings?
If you agreed to rent tables what would happen if regulations didn't allow the British to go ahead?

[Simon Rogers]

On a different note, this appeared on the North Staffs & District Chess Association website dated Tuesday 2nd March:
"Chess in the Park to Restart on March 10th"
"Fenton Chess Club will be resuming their Chess in the Park on Wednesday 10th March. As before the venue is in Brampton Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme. As the cafe is now closed, the games will be on the benches in the garden outside the cafe. Covid-19 restrictions will be observed with only one game per bench permitted. "

The Kidlington Congress was cancelled for the beginning of February 2021.
Provisional dates have been announced for next year now :
Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th February 2022.

[John Upham]

Nick,
Most of the more recent posts on this particular thread have had nothing whatsoever to do with chess.
Your post on Monday has nothing to do with chess.
My entire career has been based on mathematical modelling. However, it is important that it is used to get the most accurate answer, with understood estimates of potential error - not just the answer you happen to need for political reasons.

Stewart,

Your most recent post has nothing to do with chess.

and here I am imaging that this is chess forum.

[Mick Norris]

A big event requires a lot of organisation in advance. You cannot just put it on at short notice.
Let me give a quick example that you wouldn't have thought of.
Where do you think the congress gets the tables from?
What do you think the price will be given pent up demand from weddings?
If you agreed to rent tables what would happen if regulations didn't allow the British to go ahead?

Indeed, those of us who have run events can see all the pitfalls, as is shown by Adam's comments

The roadmap isn't certain; there's always the potential for flare ups after scenes like we saw yesterday in Glasgow

[Roger de Coverly]

If you agreed to rent tables what would happen if regulations didn't allow the British to go ahead?

One might suppose that hire of a venue also suitable for conferences and weddings such as the Riviera Centre would include the use of tables and chairs supplied in house. The bigger problem is that the government have demonstrated a willingness to impose restrictive regulations at very short notice. Even a relatively mild restriction such as limiting indoor gatherings to one hundred people would cancel the Congress in its usual form.

[Chris Goodall]

Even a relatively mild restriction such as limiting indoor gatherings to one hundred people would cancel the Congress in its usual form.

Indoor gatherings were limited to 6 last summer, but it seemed there was scope for local governments to define "gathering" in such a way that you can fit more than one gathering of 6 into a playing hall. If it's 100, you'd only need to divide the hall into two or three partitioned areas.

[Matthew Turner]

Even a relatively mild restriction such as limiting indoor gatherings to one hundred people would cancel the Congress in its usual form.

Indoor gatherings were limited to 6 last summer, but it seemed there was scope for local governments to define "gathering" in such a way that you can fit more than one gathering of 6 into a playing hall. If it's 100, you'd only need to divide the hall into two or three partitioned areas.

Then of course you'd only need to hire in the additional toilet facilities to keep the various groups separate.