Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.

Would you be willing to play in ECF-graded hybrid events?

Poll ended at Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:54 pm

a) Definitely. They would bring players together safely, encourage ECF membership renewals and reduce travelling costs.
7
18%
b) No. Hybrid games would not be normal, so I would wait until over-the-board chess is back.
27
68%
c) Maybe. I'd be willing to try hybrid events and see if they work.
6
15%
 
Total votes: 40

Paul Habershon
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Paul Habershon » Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:25 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:46 am

Personally, I think I might play tournament chess OTB before evening league chess. I'm not really expecting the ECF to organise either though.
An encouraging 14 members attended Bedford C.C's AGM last Thursday, its first gathering since mid-March. We meet in a large upstairs room at a social club which has recently reopened. Social distancing was observed at the meeting and by some of us in the downstairs bar afterwards.

We plan to start chess at the beginning of September depending of course on the regulations and advice at that time. If it's '1 metre plus' I think it will be feasible to play normal OTB with masks, using the wider tables and not leaning over the board. Sanitisers on hand, of course.

The 2019-20 club championship is a 9-player all-play-all with 17 of the 36 games still to play. The second division is a 14-player a-p-a with 33 of the 91 games to play. With league chess unlikely to resume punctually - some club venues still problematic and doubts over car-sharing by away teams - I am hopeful that our club competitions can be completed by the end of November. Then we can probably fit in the 2020-21 season by July.

Optimistic maybe, but certainly not out of the question.

Tim Spanton
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Tim Spanton » Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:24 pm

Paul Habershon wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:25 pm
Paul Cooksey wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:46 am

Personally, I think I might play tournament chess OTB before evening league chess. I'm not really expecting the ECF to organise either though.
An encouraging 14 members attended Bedford C.C's AGM last Thursday, its first gathering since mid-March. We meet in a large upstairs room at a social club which has recently reopened. Social distancing was observed at the meeting and by some of us in the downstairs bar afterwards.

We plan to start chess at the beginning of September depending of course on the regulations and advice at that time. If it's '1 metre plus' I think it will be feasible to play normal OTB with masks, using the wider tables and not leaning over the board. Sanitisers on hand, of course.

The 2019-20 club championship is a 9-player all-play-all with 17 of the 36 games still to play. The second division is a 14-player a-p-a with 33 of the 91 games to play. With league chess unlikely to resume punctually - some club venues still problematic and doubts over car-sharing by away teams - I am hopeful that our club competitions can be completed by the end of November. Then we can probably fit in the 2020-21 season by July.

Optimistic maybe, but certainly not out of the question.
Do you really need to make masks mandatory? Take a look at Biel https://www.bielchessfestival.ch/Homepage.html tonight when pix are added of today's first round in the Special Corona Amateur Tournament: 1.5m tables and optional masks. My point being that 1.5m would surely count as 1m-plus?

J T Melsom
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:57 pm

The rules/guidance/law for chess in England are not set by the Swiss authorities. Moreover, although the English guidance is in some respects muddled and consists of a number of compromises, many chess players will want to be satisfied that the rules are properly observed and risk adequately managed. The key compromise in this case being that where social distancing is reduced, the wearing of a mask becomes an added factor in managing the risk of infection. The further away you are under social distancing the less need for masks. Its more scientific than that but I'm not pretending to be a scientific authority.

I've been trying to get to the bottom of the multiple households engaging in an activity question. The guidance advises against social interaction with those from more than your household and one other. And within your social group there are also the recommendations about sharing equipment to consider. I am slightly curious as to how the Bedford AGM was compliant. Less than two weeks ago one friend declined to join me and another friend for a walk because he didn't think we could sit at the same table in a pub if we had to go indoors. What has changed?

Angus French
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Angus French » Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:26 pm

Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:24 pm
Do you really need to make masks mandatory? Take a look at Biel https://www.bielchessfestival.ch/Homepage.html tonight when pix are added of today's first round in the Special Corona Amateur Tournament: 1.5m tables and optional masks. My point being that 1.5m would surely count as 1m-plus?
You may also like to read this recent piece - from Nature magazine - on virus transmission by aerosol: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02058-1.

David Sedgwick
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by David Sedgwick » Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:55 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:57 pm
I've been trying to get to the bottom of the multiple households engaging in an activity question. The guidance advises against social interaction with those from more than your household and one other. ... I am slightly curious as to how the Bedford AGM was compliant.
I think that it depends on the nature of the interaction.

With immaculate timing, I became a member of Surrey County Cricket Club for the first time this season. The AGM took place on Tuesday 7th July, with 100 or so (including me) attending over Zoom, but about 50 present in person at the KIA Oval. We had been told that those wishing to attend in person must apply in advance and that the number would be limited to about 50.

I don't think that SCCC would have proceeded with a meeting which did not accord with Government guidelines. If they were compliant with 50, I don't see why Bedford Chess Club would not have been with 14.

As for the group of three going to the pub, surely two of you could have sat at one table and the third at another, one metre away?

Mick Norris
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Mick Norris » Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:57 pm

Interesting isn't it?

I was at a funeral this afternoon; 4 of us chess players were wearing masks, 2 brought them but weren't wearing them, 3 didn't bring any; I declined to go inside the crematorium as part of the 30 allowed in (up from 12 on Friday, no idea why, when part of east Lancs is the fastest growing Covid area in the UK at present)

Given my mask is primarily to protect others, not me, I think this confirms no OTB chess for me in 2020
Any postings on here represent my personal views

J T Melsom
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:06 pm

'As for the group of three going to the pub, surely two of you could have sat at one table and the third at another, one metre away?'

That was my view, but some people are stricter in their interpretation of the rules than others, and reluctant to be seen as circumventing the requirements. Well worth remembering there are people like this because they will exist in the chess community and are probably suffering more than most as a result of lock-down.

Tim Spanton
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Tim Spanton » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm

Does this from the American Psychological Association remind anyone of forum members?

Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.

J T Melsom
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:34 pm

Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm
Does this from the American Psychological Association remind anyone of forum members?

Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.
No it doesn't. No forum members are displaying irrational behaviour. They are trying to make the right decisions for themselves and those around them based on their understanding of risk. You may not agree with their conclusions, but you have no right to dismiss them. Then again I'm not an award winning writer on mental health issues.

Tim Spanton
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Tim Spanton » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:40 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:34 pm
Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm
Does this from the American Psychological Association remind anyone of forum members?

Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.
No it doesn't. No forum members are displaying irrational behaviour. They are trying to make the right decisions for themselves and those around them based on their understanding of risk. You may not agree with their conclusions, but you have no right to dismiss them. Then again I'm not an award winning writer on mental health issues.
So it would be wrong to suggest the reason you use initials rather than a first name is because you thought it would make it harder for viruses to trace you?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:44 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:55 pm
I don't think that SCCC would have proceeded with a meeting which did not accord with Government guidelines. If they were compliant with 50, I don't see why Bedford Chess Club would not have been with 14.
Trying to remember some old probability theory. If you have 1 in n of a population with a particular characteristic, what are the chances that a randomly chosen group of r contains at least 1 with the characteristic? Assuming an infinite population, I think it's (1-1/n)^r. So the chance increases with r and reduces as n increases. Today's n is likely higher than when we abandoned the chess season back in March.

Whilst the lockdown measures no doubt are and were effective, they are just theatre if no one or nothing is infected. The problem is that it's that you might run into one of the n who don't know they are one. .

J T Melsom
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:47 pm

My use of initials in this way is a long established habit, which pre-dates the forum. Signing myself Jonathan T Melsom has lead to unfounded speculation that the middle name is Tiberius :). Now if you could run along and spend your Swiss francs without bothering us further than would be much appreciated.

NickFaulks
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:23 pm

Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm
Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.
Then he died.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Tim Spanton
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by Tim Spanton » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:29 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:23 pm
Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm
Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.
Then he died.
Hmm - maybe he was right all along

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JustinHorton
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Re: Could Hybrid events save English chess?

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:34 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:34 pm
Tim Spanton wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:25 pm
Does this from the American Psychological Association remind anyone of forum members?

Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.
No it doesn't. No forum members are displaying irrational behaviour. They are trying to make the right decisions for themselves and those around them based on their understanding of risk. You may not agree with their conclusions, but you have no right to dismiss them. Then again I'm not an award winning writer on mental health issues.
Quite so.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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