ECF National Club Rapidplay

[Ian Thompson]

... with the others competing to win the handicap event. I would have thought this is how it should be, but since Syston were quite a bit weaker than any of the other teams their adjustment did seem too generous and they looked certain to win the handicap competition from very early on.

It looks like the organiser does not share this view as his report on the ECF website (http://www.englishchess.org.uk/index.ph ... &Itemid=50) says "So after handicap, Syston scored 10 points, Snodland 7½. Except for Syston, all the teams were within 2 points of each other, so the handicap seemed to have worked."

I am left wondering why there is any need for a handicap at all. Would it not be a lot simpler to have a main prize for the overall winner and a grading prize for the best score by a team with an average grade under some limit (or, if preferred, the best performance by a team with an average grade under some limit, where best performance is actual score - expected score, based on grades). That might encourage former participants, such as Crowthorne (my club) and Mushrooms to enter again.

[Neill Cooper]

"The organisers are grateful to the Syston Chess Club for the loan of their equipment and arbiter, Cyril Johnson. This meant a drastic reduction in the costs of the event which were limited to the room hire only. Cyril reported that if he is re-elected, then this will become a biannual event with the next scheduled for mid-April at the same venue. " http://www.englishchess.org.uk/index.ph ... &Itemid=50

Does this mean that previously there was a significant cost for equipment and arbiter? I would have thought that for an event with less than 50 players hire costs for chess equipment could be avoided. The SCCU Jamborees, which had about 100 players last year, had no costs for equipment, arbiter or room hire charges.

[Paul McKeown]

The key shortcoming of this approach, to my mind, is that it takes no account of the quality of opposition faced. Had Syston scored 0 points they would still have won the handicap event: their score would have fallen to 8 and Snodland's increased to 8, but Syston would have taken the title on the tie break of lower average grade. To his credit the controller recognises that this situation needs to be addressed, and he proposes to revisit the lower gradings, and to require at least ½ game point to be scored before the benefit of a positive handicap adjustment can be obtained.

Score at least half a point? Pathetic. I think I might enter a team next year, "The Moonhowlers", average grade 26. Reckon they can probably pick up half a point somewhere. Does English chess really deserve this idiocy? Strewth.

I doubt the incumbent DoHC would hold the post if its tenure had been anything but voluntary.

Mushrooms Chess Club would like to wish Adam Raoof success in the forthcoming election for ECF Director of Home Chess.

Hear, hear.

Regards,
Paul McKeown.