what do you consider as biggest threat to organized chess?

[Ian Jamieson]

Prizes irrelevant to me when choosing a tournament, as I said in my first post on this forum. But certainly not for some people.

I think English weekenders and their prize structures are unique to England and an invention of the Fischer generation. So possible demographic change will end them. Perhaps to be replaced by something more European or American. But perhaps not.

You may mean the UK not England. There are similar tournaments in Scotland and Wales. I don’t know about Northern Ireland.

[Roger de Coverly]

I think English weekenders and their prize structures are unique to England and an invention of the Fischer generation.

Stewart Reuben claims to have imported the idea from America, his first I think being 1967. The format was Friday evening, three rounds Saturday, two Sunday. Move rate was 48 in two hours, then adjudication. They rapidly caught on helped by the explosion of interest after the 1972 match. Introduction of quickplay finishes helped their geographic expansion because a "name" or two were no longer needed as adjudicator. The ability of the large numbers to generate a decent prize fund helped some of the then younger players to play full time as professionals.

There are still comparable events in America and I think the Dutch run them as well.

[NickFaulks]

I think English weekenders and their prize structures are unique to England

Certainly normal also in North America. This one, next weekend, looks fairly typical.

https://new.uschess.org/9th-annual-cent ... -york-open

[Paul Cooksey]

I stand corrected on various points. I nearly mentioned Stewart by name, but did not know he got the idea from America.

But still, on my point, that format very successful in the past for the Fischer generation. Still moderately successful now in their shadow. Some things - like quickplay finishes - I see as improvements which we will have in the future. But other things post-Fischer generation might look more like they did pre-Fischer generation.

[Roger de Coverly]

. But other things post-Fischer generation might look more like they did pre-Fischer generation.

I cannot really see Congresses being confined to Bank Holiday weekends and school holidays with weekends dominated by county matches, particularly 75 board ones.

[Paul Cooksey]

I don't know. Fewer congress entrants, would mean fewer congresses, and those would be at the times people most likely to enter.

If you imagine there is less evening league chess because the numbers are insufficient, that pushes chess to a wider geography and then it is more likely to be at the weekend. Perhaps it does look more like 4NCL than county chess.

[Roger Lancaster]

To answer the original question, the negative image that chess has acquired among the general public and in the mainstream media. With only the occasional exception it hasn't caught on as a spectator sport, it has a reputation for being played exclusively by eggheads and very often in surroundings (back rooms of pubs etc) at which other sports wouldn't be seen dead. That translates into, among much else, few sponsorship opportunities.

[Ian Jamieson]

To answer the original question, the negative image that chess has acquired among the general public and in the mainstream media. With only the occasional exception it hasn't caught on as a spectator sport, it has a reputation for being played exclusively by eggheads and very often in surroundings (back rooms of pubs etc) at which other sports wouldn't be seen dead. That translates into, among much else, few sponsorship opportunities.

But there are some very well off eggheads.

Also darts is played in pubs but has a lot more sponsorship although that’s probably because it gets more tv coverage - more people can follow darts

[Roger Lancaster]

To answer the original question, the negative image that chess has acquired among the general public and in the mainstream media. With only the occasional exception it hasn't caught on as a spectator sport, it has a reputation for being played exclusively by eggheads and very often in surroundings (back rooms of pubs etc) at which other sports wouldn't be seen dead. That translates into, among much else, few sponsorship opportunities.

But there are some very well off eggheads.

Also darts is played in pubs but has a lot more sponsorship although that’s probably because it gets more tv coverage - more people can follow darts

Both undeniably true but not so obviously relevant. Darts, as you point out, is more of a spectator sport.

[Martin Benjamin]

As others have mentioned above, the diminishing number of volunteers is (in my opinion) the biggest threat to organized chess, certainly at amateur level. To add to the points already made about why this is so, I find myself more reluctant to take on voluntary roles, not only in chess, but in other walks of life, because of the increasing amount of work required and responsibility undertaken with regard to "governance" (safeguarding, inclusivity, finance, health and safety etc.) rather than doing what I joined to do. I know most of this is well intentioned, and there is a discussion to be had about how much is legally required, how much is desirable rather than essential, how much can be expected of volunteers etc. I don't want to kick off that discussion here; it is far too big a subject. I mention it only as a reason why I am less inclined to volunteer unpaid for chess, and maybe others feel the same way.

[NickFaulks]

I know most of this is well intentioned

Your generosity of spirit does you credit, Martin.