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ECF Online Chess
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:48 pm
by Roger de Coverly
From the latest newsletter
ECF Online Service ready for launch
Nigel Towers writes - the ECF Online Service will be going live within the next few weeks. The service is currently in beta test and once live, will allow members and supporters to take part in regular ECF organised internet tournaments and events, and to receive an ECF online rating. The internet service is based on ECF clubs which have been set up on different provider platforms and which are open to all ECF members and supporters. Club tournaments are being held for the beta test group on a weekly basis with rapid and blitz time controls and will continue once we go live. The ECF internet service will also suport participation in Federation endorsed international team events against other Federations and/ or national clubs. Once the service is live, the club online tournaments will be ECF rated with a monthly Elo rating published for club members, based on results from rated ECF club events, and a Grand Prix competition for games played in the ECF events. Please email the ECF Office at
[email protected] if you are interested in joining the beta test group to take part in some of the remaining beta test events. Otherwise we look forward to seeing you at the online tournaments once the system is live.
At least two questions then.
What are the anti-cheating protocols?
Are the ratings to be kept totally apart from OTB ones?
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:43 pm
by Brian Towers
Add a third, obvious, question:
What makes you think it will be any better than (or even as good as) FIDE's Online Arena?
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:50 pm
by Alex Holowczak
Brian Towers wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:43 pm
Add a third, obvious, question:
What makes you think it will be any better than (or even as good as) FIDE's Online Arena?
Which has an obvious answer to anyone who read the announcement.
The post wrote:The internet service is based on ECF clubs which have been set up on different provider platforms and which are open to all ECF members and supporters.
There's no single server maintained by the ECF, it's just being held on the existing provider platforms.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:55 pm
by Roger Lancaster
The internet service is based on ECF clubs
And which clubs might these be?
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:48 pm
by Carl Hibbard
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:50 pm
There's no single server maintained by the ECF, it's just being held on the existing provider platforms.
Who is providing the service can I ask?
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:16 pm
by Alex Holowczak
Carl Hibbard wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:48 pm
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:50 pm
There's no single server maintained by the ECF, it's just being held on the existing provider platforms.
Who is providing the service can I ask?
All the main ones you've heard of, e.g. Lichess. Chess.com.
Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:55 pm
The internet service is based on ECF clubs
And which clubs might these be?
These servers have the opportunity to set up a "club", and play intra-club games. There'll just be a club on each site called "ECF" or similar for intra-ECF Club tournaments.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:23 pm
by Roger Lancaster
Appreciate the clarification, thanks.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:33 am
by Mick Norris
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:16 pm
Carl Hibbard wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:48 pm
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:50 pm
There's no single server maintained by the ECF, it's just being held on the existing provider platforms.
Who is providing the service can I ask?
All the main ones you've heard of, e.g. Lichess. Chess.com.
You mean the ones that ban players without justification; is that a good look for the ECF?
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:50 pm
by Alex Holowczak
Mick Norris wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:33 am
You mean the ones that ban players without justification; is that a good look for the ECF?
They argue that they do have justification, otherwise they wouldn't have done it. If you're referring to Justin's case, he was playing correspondence chess, whereas the ECF is only doing rapid, blitz and bullet.
I think it is a good look for the ECF that we are embracing Internet chess and doing something to hopefully encourage the huge numbers of chessplayers online in England who do not play over-the-board, and perhaps encourage them to play over-the-board. The ECF's strategy of achieving this is much better than FIDE's, where FIDE created its own server with all the problems that entailed.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:54 pm
by JustinHorton
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:50 pm
Mick Norris wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:33 am
You mean the ones that ban players without justification; is that a good look for the ECF?
They argue that they do have justification, otherwise they wouldn't have done it.
Without wishing to enter into the question of whether they should be partners with the ECF, I can't help but observe that they don't "argue" at all.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:34 pm
by Roger de Coverly
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:50 pm
whereas the ECF is only doing rapid, blitz and bullet.
On-line servers will still ban players because they feel like it, without the player concerned having any comeback. What will the ECF do if someone is banned from playing in one of its events?
Against that , unlike OTB chess, you have no idea what your opponent is up to during play, so not a suitable environment for games with anything riding on the result.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2019 9:36 am
by Eric Gardiner
I hope this initiative is successful as I like the idea of playing people online I already know or know of from OTB play to try out new openings with etc. and who I trust won't cheat or be abusive. I'd see it as training for "proper" OTB chess. However I can't see a solution to the problem of a damaged reputation arising from a server banning a player without justification.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:14 am
by dejan_lekic
I really enjoyed the yesterday's online ECF 3+2 blitz tournament. It was good fun. I wish next time there are even more players... Next lichess ECF tournament is rapid I think (10m games).
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 2:24 pm
by John Foley
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:34 pm
On-line servers will still ban players because they feel like it, without the player concerned having any comeback.
As apparently happened to Ironaut who protested via
YouTube.
Re: ECF Online Chess
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 5:35 pm
by JustinHorton
Those emails that Chess.com send are very disgusting.