English Chess Forum

Hi everyone,
Today I posted the following on the Northumbria Masters website:

https://northumbriamasters.com/2021-nor ... orms-soon/

'Final preparations are underway for the announcement that the 2021 Northumbria Masters will be going ahead on Thursday 26th to Monday 30 August at a brand new venue, the Marriott MetroCentre in Gateshead.

Final details are still being worked out with the hotel, which is currently gearing up for the next stage in the easing of lockdown restrictions on May 17. As soon as these arrangements are finalised, the entry form will be published and downloadable via this website, and on the ECF and FIDE Calendars.

This announcement should be made by May 17 at the latest.

All tournaments will be 9 rounds over four and a half days, played at the time control of 90 minutes for all moves, plus 30 seconds per move.

There will be 4 tournaments open for the public to enter: Masters (Open); Challengers (Under 2000); Major (Under 1750) and Minor (under 1500).

Please note: Covid-19 safety measures as prescribed by UK law for indoor public events at the time of the 2021 Northumbria Masters will be applied. Entrants and visitors will be expected to observe the social distancing rules specified by Marriott MetroCentre.

[THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH HAS BEEN UPDATED IN THE INTERESTS OF CLARITY.]

Those wishing to enter the tournaments, or to make a hotel room booking at the Marriott MetroCentre at the special rate negotiated through the Northumbria Masters, are kindly asked to wait until this formal announcement is made. All room bookings should be made via this website to secure the special rate.

Thank you for your patience. Hopefully, we will all see each other over the board very soon!

Tim Wall

Tournament Director

Northumbria Masters

[email protected]'

Thats really good news - well done Tim Wall.

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 10:35 am

Under Covid-19 safety precautions, all players and visitors may be asked to provide evidence of vaccinations and/or a recent negative PCR Covid-19 test.

Speaking personally, I would have no problem with "or", but "and/or" concerns me.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 11:17 am

Speaking personally, I would have no problem with "or", but "and/or" concerns me.

I rather think the legality of demanding production of vaccination records or test results as a condition of entry to hotels etc, has yet to be clarified.

Well done getting this back up and running Tim. I hope to be able to support it this year

Great news, but hope that requirement will be eased: Juniors are not eligible for vaccination, and a PCR test is a non negligible cost.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 11:17 am

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 10:35 am

Under Covid-19 safety precautions, all players and visitors may be asked to provide evidence of vaccinations and/or a recent negative PCR Covid-19 test.

Speaking personally, I would have no problem with "or", but "and/or" concerns me.

Hi David, that was just a typo by me. Meant to say 'or.' Thanks for pointing that out.

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 2:09 pm

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 11:17 am

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 10:35 am

Under Covid-19 safety precautions, all players and visitors may be asked to provide evidence of vaccinations and/or a recent negative PCR Covid-19 test.

Speaking personally, I would have no problem with "or", but "and/or" concerns me.

Hi David, that was just a typo by me. Meant to say 'or.' Thanks for pointing that out.

Is that a set in stone condition - Juniors will have to show a recent negative PCR Covid-19 test? Had a quick Google. Boots seem to have PCR tests at £99. Don’t think that’s happening! Lol

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 2:37 pm

Is that a set in stone condition

The wording is "may be asked....", which I hope means that nearer the date it may be decided not to do so.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 3:06 pm

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 2:37 pm

Is that a set in stone condition

The wording is "may be asked....", which I hope means that nearer the date it may be decided not to do so.

Or it could be read as - you may or may not be asked, depending on if you are a junior or not.

I was still under the impression that the law hasn’t been changed yet to demand vaccination status as a means of entry, and by doing so can be construed as discriminatory

You may ask to prove your not infected, but again generally speaking these are via lateral flow test and not the expensive PCR test

Thanks very much to everyone for chipping in on this thorny subject (Covid safety measures at OTB events). I don't mean this ironically - I genuinely believe it's useful to know what the 'chessplayer on the Clapham omnibus' thinks about this, so that I can offer the best possible guidance and help people to make up their minds about whether they want to play.
Therefore I have simplified the guidance that I intend to put on the entry form. It will now read:
"Please note: Covid-19 safety measures as prescribed by UK law for indoor public events at the time of the 2021 Northumbria Masters will be applied. Entrants and visitors will be expected to observe the social distancing rules specified by Marriott MetroCentre."

Good luck Tim. I'm lucky enough to be aware how much effort this has cost you already and any success will be well deserved.

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 5:11 pm

Therefore I have simplified the guidance that I intend to put on the entry form. It will now read:
"Please note: Covid-19 safety measures as prescribed by UK law for indoor public events at the time of the 2021 Northumbria Masters will be applied. Entrants and visitors will be expected to observe the social distancing rules specified by Marriott MetroCentre."

That's non-committal wording. The more general problem comes if there are no restrictions prescribed by UK law, but the hotel decide to apply some, possibly abetted by "guidance".

TimWall wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 5:11 pm

Therefore I have simplified the guidance that I intend to put on the entry form. It will now read:
"Please note: Covid-19 safety measures as prescribed by UK law for indoor public events at the time of the 2021 Northumbria Masters will be applied. Entrants and visitors will be expected to observe the social distancing rules specified by Marriott MetroCentre."

Similar to Roger's comment, I suspect an obvious question potential entrants might have is about the wearing of masks.

Suppose there is no legal requirement to wear a mask, but official guidance is that people should. Do you require them to or not?