English Chess Forum

It does seem a long time since the ECF reported on its directors deliberations.

According to https://www.englishchess.org.uk/about/minutes/ the last reported meeting was 30th July 2021, nearly six months ago.

There aren't even draft minutes of the October Council meeting, although that was widely reported by attendees.

Past experience can be that lack of reporting indicates an internal row. Perhaps the Pein Truran agreement wasn't peace for our time.

Regular Congress players will be looking for details on the English Championships and associated qualifiers, the English Seniors, the carried forward Major Open and for that matter the detail scheduling of the supporting events in the British Championship Congress.

Could simply be funding issues? Do we know if the ECF finances are in a healthy state?

I am expecting an announcement any time soon welcoming Malcolm to The Chess Trust from the Trustees.

Followed by the balance of the Pein-Truran compromise agreements.

Fingers crossed!

I don't have precise data on this but I understand there have been fewer board meetings than usual in recent months. There will be a knock-on effect on the production of minutes as minutes are (or were in the time I was on the board) signed off at subsequent meetings. (In principle they could also be signed off by email, of course).

From an answer given by the Finance Director to a question at the AGM I would conclude that the finances are in a healthy state.

One document which became effective from 31 December 2021 and which has been published recently by the Board, is Regulation No. 2:

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... ations.pdf

A comparison with the previous version would be helpful and illuminating.

The Truran-Pein agreement does seem to be reflected in this document. For example:

"Director of International Chess and External Relations
.......

• Responsible for engaging with HM Government to secure recognition of the
game as well as funding to enable further development of the game in
England

......"

Omissions are also very noteworthy. One of the previous responsibilities of the Director of Junior Chess and Education was the organisation of the National Schools Chess Championship (which began life in 1957/8 as The Sunday Times National Schools Chess Championship) but I see that this has been quietly dropped.

John Swain wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:50 pm

Omissions are also very noteworthy. One of the previous responsibilities of the Director of Junior Chess and Education was the organisation of the National Schools Chess Championship (which began life in 1957/8 as The Sunday Times National Schools Chess Championship) but I see that this has been quietly dropped.

Sue Gray is investigating having "moved on" from her most recent piece of work.

John Swain wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:50 pm

Omissions are also very noteworthy. One of the previous responsibilities of the Director of Junior Chess and Education was the organisation of the National Schools Chess Championship (which began life in 1957/8 as The Sunday Times National Schools Chess Championship) but I see that this has been quietly dropped.

There is the new post of
Director of Events
Shohreh Bayat

Perhaps the National Schools has been moved sideways. It's still running.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:55 pm

John Swain wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:50 pm

Omissions are also very noteworthy. One of the previous responsibilities of the Director of Junior Chess and Education was the organisation of the National Schools Chess Championship (which began life in 1957/8 as The Sunday Times National Schools Chess Championship) but I see that this has been quietly dropped.

There is the new post of
Director of Events
Shohreh Bayat

Perhaps the National Schools has been moved sideways. It's still running.

Neill Cooper is running the Under 19 National Schools Chess Championship qualifying and regional stages 2021-22 and I understand that Alex Holowczak and Shohreh Bayat will be organising the Final.

I find it strange that this prestigious event does not seem to be listed as a specific responsibility of a director, as it was in the past.

It may have been prestigious in the past; I'm not sure it really is any more.

IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:26 pm

It may have been prestigious in the past; I'm not sure it really is any more.

Interesting. When did that change? I remember leading schools like St Paul's and RGS Guildford winning it. Maybe a Manchester school now and again as well... City of London? Can't remember any more.

Ah, there is a Wikipedia article!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_S ... ampionship

Hmm. Seems RGS Guildford never won it in its heyday! Ditto City of London.

St Paul's have indeed won it 11 times. Manchester Grammar School eight times.

Was the tipping point the ending of the age-handicap system?

(You could measure prestige in terms of how many future master-level players competed in a final? Or in some cases, players already approaching master strength or even already titled - I think a similar analysis has been done in some way for the Varsity matches over the years, with some years sagging under the weight of titles in the lineup, others years not so much.)

"Regulation No. 2:" is interesting...

The President will represent ECF to "politicians and other distinguished persons". I fail to understand the use of the word "other" here.

As mentioned above, the "Director of International Chess and External Relations" is, "Responsible for engaging with HM Government to secure recognition of the game as well as funding to enable further development of the game in England"

That is a bit harsh - it is not going to happen, so it would be fairer to repace "secure" with "seek". But maybe that is the idea.

IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:26 pm

It may have been prestigious in the past; I'm not sure it really is any more.

It is still active, has significantly grown this year and is keeping me very busy at present.

The minutes of the ECF Board meeting on 28 January 2022 have been published:

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... of-ECF.pdf

This relatively rapid appearance of the Board's minutes is to be commended.

Another set of Board minutes, from the meeting on Friday 18 March, has appeared commendably quickly:

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... h-2022.pdf

The minutes provide useful background reading for the forthcoming meeting on 23 April.

For those who like to devour ECF Board minutes, No. 148 (Friday 27 May 2022) may be scrutinised at:

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... ECF-v4.pdf