Question on my Mind...

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Actually it is not an upfront fee as such as there is a grace period of circa three games individuals can play.

Previously, even with the YCA grading system, players still needed ECF for the county championship and it was advantageous for those in congresses. I was a strong supporter of rejoining as we need to be one family within England.

Organisers have to watch out on ECF membership. As a captain I will not select non ECF members due to the charges the league and club can accrue. As someone who looks after the league, I will not input results from any who refuse to pay.

There are further fees to consider in OTB chess, such as club fees most people pay to develop clubs, play for premises and league fees. Some clubs can charge £100+ per year for example or £25-35 per month. This is not bad considering what you get with hockey, rugby, cricket and football. There are considerable overheads.

In terms of your other posts on Clubs liking you, it is usually down to the Captain's discretion who to pick. There are appeal processes in clubs and a structure outside that, depending on the club size. Fortunately during my many years of running teams and clubs, there are only two instances where I have had to facilitate the exit of players.

As you like to say, it is quite 'surreal', when you get into the detail.

[Mark Howitt]

Nope it's not a grace period.

They're charged like 2 pounds a game which is same thing as upfront fee.

After 3 games they have to pay 18 pounds at regular price for any more games played.

[Mark Howitt]

Club fees are OK if justified notice I didn't say anything about that. There are some good organizers out there- John Newsome was v good and actually got a local council grant for Netherton.

Thankfully chess is relatively cheap. Def there should be funding for it.

My dad personally ferried players around for matches (was a taxi service for James Lawson which hindered my preperation) and even I have taken a few players on occassion!

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Nope it's not a grace period.

They're charged like 2 pounds a game which is same thing as upfront fee.

After 3 games they have to pay 18 pounds at regular price for any more games played.

Not at club level. I presume that is the extra charge on tournaments?

Last post. I am also a human taxi service.

[Mark Howitt]

I have a feeling personally that there will people being selected for clubs teams if they are 'liked' or 'known' in the club...

But honestly times when this has happened to me... (it has a few times)... I don't mind because I just play online or play for another club. Personally I know I would be good enough to play in any team in Yorks division 2 or 3 and any team in the Huddersfield local league. Would help with the defaults.

[Mark Howitt]

I rang up the ECF and they said it was at local level.

[Roger de Coverly]

I rang up the ECF and they said it was at local level.

The accurate point is that the charge by the ECF is made to the organising body which would be the local league. They may pass that onto the clubs who may pass it down to the players.

[Mark Howitt]

Thanks- so it's still an upfront charge

[Mark Howitt]

I want to make this clear though...

IF... and it is an IF as I don't want my whole life to be chess... if I do play an OTB game I will pay either for that fee or for Bronze ECF if I'm going to be playing a lot of games.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Nope it's not a grace period.

They're charged like 2 pounds a game which is same thing as upfront fee.

After 3 games they have to pay 18 pounds at regular price for any more games played.

That is out of date.

When the ECF membership scheme was first introduced it was on the basis of a flat charge of £2 per player per game but free to ECF members. However the ECF have now revised it to a charge equivalent to a bronze membership for any non ECF member playing four or more games in any club championship or league. A critical difference is that the first three games are effectively free - this is actually a better system as it allows clubs to blood new players and use ad-hoc reserves without incurring a charge.

[Mark Howitt]

Ok thanks- when I phoned they implied that the games might not be graded if free. So do people get 3 games graded free?

[Stephen Westmoreland]

As per Andrew's answer. But if you exceed then each league gets charged. Which can be expensive.

[Mark Howitt]

I won't be costing the league any extra money

[Andrew Zigmond]

Ok thanks- when I phoned they implied that the games might not be graded if free. So do people get 3 games graded free?

It's actually events that get rated rather than individual games; whether it's a league or a congress - the organisers submit the event to the ECF for rating and the ECF bill them accordingly for any non members who participate. In the case of leagues and internal club competitions players are allowed three games free of charge. It's then up to the event organisers as to whether they chase the offending player(s) for the money; logically they should but there might be circumstances where they do not - that's up to them.

[Mark Howitt]

Cool thanks.

If I play I will not be costing my club or the league any money.

Nice to see you're still around!