ECF membership levels for non-ENG players

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I was trying to explain ECF membership levels to a non-ENG local player (registered for FRA) and realised it was a bit confusing and might have changed since I last checked. From what I can gather, it is only *GOLD* membership that is not required for FIDE-rated events for non-ENG players, but if non-ENG players want to have their games freely graded in evening league chess or non-FIDE rated congresses, then they still need Bronze or Silver membership respectively (or someone is billed for Game Fee). Is that correct?

Currently, the London Chess Classic weekender details have this:

http://www.londonchessclassic.com/festi ... tm#weekend

"In the FIDE rated sections English players must be Gold ECF members. Non English players must provide their FIDE Identification Number (FIN) at the time of entry. If you do not have a FIN, you must apply to your own federation for a FIN. In the U120 (non-FIDE rated) section, all players regardless of nationality, must be Silver ECF members or pay an additional £6 ECF Pay-to-Play fee."

What confuses me is that some tournaments appear to FIDE rate lower sections (e.g. Hampstead Congress) and hence this means that non-ENG players don't need to be ECF members:

http://hampsteadchess.blogspot.co.uk/p/entry-fees.html

"Players who belong to a FIDE nation other than ENG (e.g. SCO or USA) don't need to belong to the ECF. HOWEVER you do need to quote your FIN (FIDE Identification Number) with your entry. Non-English players will have to obtain a FIN from their national federation..."

Am I right that Hampstead make a trade-off in their lower sections with *not* requiring non-ENG players to be ECF Gold members, but requiring ENG players to be ECF Gold members, but the London Chess Classic requires both non-ENG and ENG players in its lower (non-FIDE rated) sections to be ECF Silver members. Do I have that right as well?

Couldn't it all be a bit simpler?

[Roger de Coverly]

Am I right that Hampstead make a trade-off in their lower sections with *not* requiring non-ENG players to be ECF Gold members, but requiring ENG players to be ECF Gold members, but the London Chess Classic requires both non-ENG and ENG players in its lower (non-FIDE rated) sections to be ECF Silver members. Do I have that right as well?

Couldn't it all be a bit simpler?

Of course it could, just allow anyone to play. There's a problem with FIDE rated events, that all entrants must have a FIN, unless they are prepared to be classified as ENG. That's FIDE doing its bit to discourage participation as it can be expensive to change Federation.

The rule as applied by the ECF is
long play FIDE rated - if not ENG, no membership necessary. If ENG, Gold
rapid play FIDE rated - if not a Silver or Gold member, then an extra fee is charged by the ECF to the organisers. This fee may be recouped or avoided by the organiser either by insisting every player is Silver, or by charging it to the individual's entry fee.
long play and rapid play non FIDE rated - as for rapid play FIDE rated.

I don't think Hampstead and the London Chess Classic are doing anything particularly different.

You've also got the complication that the extra fee charged to the organisers also serves to update a Bronze membership to Silver. Organisers, or their entry forms at least, have been slow to catch up with the widening of the gap between Bronze and Silver membership, with the effect that there can be a modest financial incentive to leave the collection of the fee to update from one to the other to the tournament organiser.

As regards foreign players, which includes Welsh, Irish and Scottish, they don't need any membership at all if they only play in long play FIDE rated events, including the 4NCL. If they play in non-FIDE rated events, such as Congresses, they will need Silver membership or pay a higher entry fee so that the organiser recoups their additional costs. FIDE rated rapid-play is treated the same way. If they play in leagues or county matches, excluding the 4NCL, they need Bronze, or they cause their league to be charged £2.50 per appearance.

[NickFaulks]

There's a problem with FIDE rated events, that all entrants must have a FIN, unless they are prepared to be classified as ENG. That's FIDE doing its bit to discourage participation as it can be expensive to change Federation.

No, all entrants must have a FIN full stop. I believe that anyone genuinely from another federation who is erroneously registered as ENG can still get this changed at no cost provided that their own federation makes a timely request. However, if they have not arranged an overseas FIN in advance they may have been forced to pay to join the ECF. That is nothing to do with FIDE and they gain no advantage from it.

The rule as applied by the ECF is
long play FIDE rated - if not ENG, no membership necessary. If ENG, Gold
rapid play FIDE rated - if not a Silver or Gold member, then an extra fee is charged by the ECF to the organisers.

Assuming this to be correct, does anyone know why the ECF treats long play and rapid play differently?

[Roger de Coverly]

No, all entrants must have a FIN full stop.

As I understood it, the latest a FIN can be allocated is just before the national IRO sends in the rating report. As a national IRO can only issue FINs for his or her own Federation, a player without FIN would be allowed to participate, but would be ENG in consequence. What the ECF charges for this, is up to the ECF, and not FIDE.

#Assuming this to be correct, does anyone know why the ECF treats long play and rapid play differently?

Given that compulsory membership acts to discourage entries to tournaments, it enables rapid play tournaments to be both Internationally rated and offered to English club and county players at a lower cost, or even at all.

[Nick Grey]

Chris - your clubs are being charged when no ECF £2 per game last season it has gone up this season. Nick