English Chess Forum

Greetings from Singapore.

May I enquire whether anyone knows anything about the "English Chess Association"? Who are its officers and members, and what are its activities?

In his book on Tony Buzan published this year Raymond Keene describes himself as "the Chairman of the English Chess Association" but gives no particulars.

Thank you.

Olimpiu G. Urcan

LOL

O.G. Urcan wrote: May I enquire whether anyone knows anything about the "English Chess Association"? Who are its officers and members, and what are its activities?

The English Chess Association was last heard of around the year 2000, here's a reference

http://www.kingpinchess.net/wp-content/ ... 003-v1.jpg

The Private Eye report also mentions a legal firm by the name of "Atlantic Law". If you Google the name, you may find some more recent mentions of its activities in investment fields.

The English Chess Association was created by the Times Chess Correspondent after he resigned all offices and positions with the then British Chess Federation (BCF). I believe the parting with the BCF was under legal agreements to be kept secret for decades.

LOLOL & ROFL

LRON (Laughable Religion of Nonsense) - only to be used if anyone questions the sanctity of the Church of Scientology or the sanity of the British Supreme Court.

It could have been me!!. When I resigned from the ECF Ray took great trouble to call me the next day and, from what I could gather from a bizarre conversation, attempt to sell me the association. In the best journalist tradition, I made my excuses.

Thanks to Roger de Coverly and Martin Regan for their comments.

I was aware of some details about how the "English Chess Association" came about in 1987 from the final part of Edward Winter's article at http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/relief.html.

As to whether the Association intended to complement the then British Chess Federation, which was the claim in 1987, or to replace it, here's a page from Raymond Keene's "Pocket Book of Chess," published in 1988:
As I mentioned in my original posting, a 2013 book by Raymond Keene says that he is (present tense) "the Chairman of the English Chess Association," but nobody seems to have hard facts about the officers, members and activities. So what about a few years ago? What was Martin Regan given the opportunity to buy?

Roger de Coverly says that "the English Chess Association was last heard of around the year 2000." Is anything known about its officers, members and activities even back then? Has the Association ever had a website?

Thank you again.

Olimpiu G. Urcan

O.G. Urcan wrote:" Is anything known about its officers, members and activities even back then?

I don't believe it ever had more than two or perhaps three officers. After initial publicity, it vanished from view in around 1987. It was a surprise then, to read in Private Eye around eleven or twelve years ago, that it was to be part of a package of assets being sold by BrianGames.

Ray Keene was a prime mover in the 1993 Kasparov v Short match held in London. There was no mention, that I can recall anyway, of the English Chess Association in connection with that match.

If we wanted to be more formal about it, is it known whether it's an unincorporated organisation or a Company limited by Guarantee? If the latter, it would be required to file accounts or formalise its closure.

Roger de Coverly wrote:If we wanted to be more formal about it, is it known whether it's an unincorporated organisation or a Company limited by Guarantee? If the latter, it would be required to file accounts or formalise its closure.

There doesn't seem to be or to have been a UK limited company by the name of English Chess Association (so far as I can see at http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcfr ... ompanyInfo).

I recall seeing the ECA letterhead back in the 1980s, which named various worthies as supporters of some kind (possibly listed as Vice Presidents or some such). The only name that I can remember is James Callaghan.

Not the British Chess Magazine, a one-off satirical publication, parodied the ECA as the Antarctic Chess Association. My copy is in storage, but I could be persuaded to dig it out if no one else can lay their hands on a copy quickly.

Ian Kingston wrote:I recall seeing the ECA letterhead back in the 1980s, which named various worthies as supporters of some kind (possibly listed as Vice Presidents or some such). The only name that I can remember is James Callaghan.

Not the British Chess Magazine, a one-off satirical publication, parodied the ECA as the Antarctic Chess Association. My copy is in storage, but I could be persuaded to dig it out if no one else can lay their hands on a copy quickly.

I think you'll find this ad first appeared in Kingpin http://www.kingpinchess.net/2011/11/gen ... o-a-fault/

JonManley wrote:

Ian Kingston wrote:I recall seeing the ECA letterhead back in the 1980s, which named various worthies as supporters of some kind (possibly listed as Vice Presidents or some such). The only name that I can remember is James Callaghan.

Not the British Chess Magazine, a one-off satirical publication, parodied the ECA as the Antarctic Chess Association. My copy is in storage, but I could be persuaded to dig it out if no one else can lay their hands on a copy quickly.

I think you'll find this ad first appeared in Kingpin http://www.kingpinchess.net/2011/11/gen ... o-a-fault/

That's the one - I wasn't aware that it appeared in Kingpin first. You've saved me from having to sort through a large pile of boxes to find it.

Ian Kingston's two postings have been about "Not the British Chess Magazine," but that publication is not relevant to the discussion. It was dated 1984, three years before the "English Chess Association" was formed.

The (excellent) spoof advertisement for the "Antarctic Chess Association" first appeared on page 20 of the Winter 1990 "Kingpin."

If, as I hope, we can focus on the key issues, I'll be pleased to see any further facts about the "English Chess Association" which members of this forum can provide.

Many thanks.

Olimpiu G. Urcan

O.G. Urcan wrote:Ian Kingston's two postings have been about "Not the British Chess Magazine," but that publication is not relevant to the discussion. It was dated 1984, three years before the "English Chess Association" was formed.

The (excellent) spoof advertisement for the "Antarctic Chess Association" first appeared on page 20 of the Winter 1990 "Kingpin."

If, as I hope, we can focus on the key issues, I'll be pleased to see any further facts about the "English Chess Association" which members of this forum can provide.

Many thanks.

Olimpiu G. Urcan

Apologies all round: (a) for sidetracking the thread and (b) for being 100% wrong. I've just extracted my copy of Not the BCM from storage and there is no trace of the Antarctic Chess Association parody. Apologies to Jon Manley in particular for crediting the wrong publication.

Still, I think it's at least passingly relevant. The ECA was considered something of a joke at the time, and had little (if any) influence on English chess. Unless anyone knows differently, of course.

From the latest issue of New In Chess...

...presumably a typo, though, as the rest of the item refers to the recent ECF Presidential election.