English Chess Forum

After trawling miles uphill and then round and round the sprawling campus of Canterbury University, I finally found my way to the board meeting via the playing hall. Very spacious!

Present: Chris Majer, Adam Raoof, John Wickham, Gareth Caller, Stewart Reuben, Andrew Martin (for the first hour), John Paines (who arrived after AM had departed), Mark Rivlin (Create Services, there for the first hour), David Welch (alternate for Peter Purland).

The first part of the meeting was taken up with a confidential item about an exciting new development for the CoM, nudged the board’s way by AM. Subject to a few careful checks it could be announced in the next few weeks. Either way, it doesn’t cost the ECF any money, and may in fact make some. We also heard from SR, the Director responsible for CoM, that we were gearing up for more publicity in time for the start of the new school term.

Then Mark Rivlin (whose company Create Services did the excellent design on CoM 2+3) gave us a presentation with some ideas for rebranding the ECF at low cost. The board agreed that they were unhappy with the current ECF logo, and tasked Mark with coming up with some more ideas that could be considered before a final decision was made.

We impressively pushed through the boring but necessary items.

Gareth gave us a summary of the progress on the accounts, and we considered the impact on the ECF of the reduction in the DCMS grant, to zero eventually. Taking all things into consideration I know that we will be spending our money more wisely in the future, but not necessarily having to make drastic cuts in key areas of junior and international spending. Various cost savings have and will be made which would balance the loss in government grant thus far, but any further cut would mean some difficult decisions.

We made a decision which will save the ECF a further substantial amount. It was also agreed that we should look for more contributors for ChessMoves and make more of an effort to assist the Editor, Andrew Walker, in obtaining annotated games, articles and features for the magazine. I suggested that we could have the occasional guest editor.

Important decisions were taken regarding FIDE rating and grading. On my request the board tasked Alex Holowczak with conducting research into the implications of FIDE rating the counties championships with a view to presenting this to Council in October for a decision.

Chess for Schools. The Memorandum of Understanding expired that day. A further announcement would be made.

We discussed the future venue possibilities of the British Championships. We had some money from Bingo Lotto (a small amount) and we still need to decide how to spend it. The meeting finished about 6pm.

Adam Raoof wrote: Important decisions were taken regarding FIDE rating and grading.

Do tell!

Adam Raoof wrote:
It was also agreed that we should look for more contributors for ChessMoves and make more of an effort to assist the Editor, Andrew Walker, in obtaining annotated games, articles and features for the magazine.

Does anyone feel strongly that the editor of an English chess magazine / newsletter / bulletin / blog should have strong knowledge of the chess world, an interest in the English chess scene and, as a bonus, be able to play the game?

Not sure that FIDE rating the counties Championships really does much... I presume you mean just the National Finals stages....? And presumably just the `Open` & maybe U180 sections.....maybe.
It might pull in one or two more top guns...
At the counties stages, Im doubtful...even the playing conditions can be so variable. Getting suitable venues can be a struggle. Many county matches played at Pubs can have Sky Football & some cheering going on in the background.

On a slightly different tac... I`d like to see the subject of Mobile Phones given some time at the ECF AGM.
In this respect....
Many leagues and counties are debating the rules on this and coming up with varying flavours of options.
I`d like to see a standardised two-tier system.
Level 1...for all National and Tournament + Congress events, where prize money and Titles are at stake, and playing conditions are more rigourus/strictly controlled... whereby the current FIDE rule applied.
I`ve seen it suggested that where a player has insufficient mating material, the game be declared drawn. Maybe also, if a player has a demonstratable mate, or draw.
Level 2...for all other events, including League and County events.
Here, I feel it appropriate to have a more relaxed regime. Playing conditions are variable, and its a more `friendly` level of chess. For this, I`d like to see a warning given for first offence, followed by automatic loss on any subsequent occurance. But with the allowance of mobiles in silent mode.
My alternative `Level 2` penalty would be a standard 5-mins clock penalty for any such offence.
The maxim I`m applying here is that the punishment should fit the crime...and for normal league matches, where a player simply forgets to switch off a mobile (the majority of cases), an automatic loss seems very severe. Also, players left hanging around for hours waiting for matches to finish, just because of a minor infringement.
Yes, if some sinister abuse is suspected, I`d be all in favour of a ban, if found proven.

David Pardoe wrote: I`ve seen it suggested that where a player has insufficient mating material, the game be declared drawn.

Law 12.3b of the FIDE Laws of Chess states:

"Without the permission of the arbiter a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone or other electronic means of communication in the playing venue, unless they are completely switched off. If any such device produces a sound, the player shall lose the game. The opponent shall win. However, if the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal moves, his score shall be a draw."

So the suggestion of adding it to the rules in force in a league is pointless, because that's the rule already.

Alex Holowczak wrote:

David Pardoe wrote: I`ve seen it suggested that where a player has insufficient mating material, the game be declared drawn.

Law 12.3b of the FIDE Laws of Chess states:

"Without the permission of the arbiter a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone or other electronic means of communication in the playing venue, unless they are completely switched off. If any such device produces a sound, the player shall lose the game. The opponent shall win. However, if the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal moves, his score shall be a draw."

So the suggestion of adding it to the rules in force in a league is pointless, because that's the rule already.

The game is not drawn in such circumstances. The score is ½-0 or 0-½ as appropriate, not ½-½.

With 3-1-0 scoring, it would be 1-0 or 0-1 as appropriate, not 1-1. This is the reason for the seemingly strange phrase "his score shall be a draw".

David Sedgwick wrote: The game is not drawn in such circumstances. The score is ½-0 or 0-½ as appropriate, not ½-½.

Thanks, you're correct. I think that ½-0 or 0-½ is fairer than ½-½, personally.

David Pardoe wrote:Not sure that FIDE rating the counties Championships really does much... I presume you mean just the National Finals stages....? And presumably just the `Open` & maybe U180 sections.....maybe.
It might pull in one or two more top guns...

The other side of this coin is that it adds the requirement that players be members of the ECF or another federation. This on the face of it reduces the pool of available players. The likely result of this is more defaulted games or conceded matches. Counties desperate to win the Championship might pay ECF memberships for late substitutes, less ambitious ones just concede on cost grounds. Unrated players wouldn't gain much because you need 3 games for a part rating.

At Union stage where it actually makes more sense because there may be enough matches to get a part rating, the Unions presumably would decide.

David Pardoe wrote:Not sure that FIDE rating the counties Championships really does much... I presume you mean just the National Finals stages....? And presumably just the `Open` & maybe U180 sections.....maybe.
It might pull in one or two more top guns...

Why?

There is a specific thread about FIDE Rating of the Counties Championships at http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1904.

Could I suggest that those who wish to discuss that topic do so in that thread?