European Youth Chess Championship Batumi 2010

[Michael Jones]

And on top of that, there's also a debate to be had over whether Georgia is in Europe anyway.

Hmm, it is for most political and sporting purposes - so the "debate" seems a bit of an academic one

Sporcle quizzes always count it as Asia. It plays in the European Football Championships, but then again so does Israel so maybe that's not the best criterion. Oh, and it's a member of the Council of Europe.

[Alex Holowczak]

And on top of that, there's also a debate to be had over whether Georgia is in Europe anyway.

Hmm, it is for most political and sporting purposes - so the "debate" seems a bit of an academic one

Sporcle quizzes always count it as Asia. It plays in the European Football Championships, but then again so does Israel so maybe that's not the best criterion. Oh, and it's a member of the Council of Europe.

I think there's history to this.

Back in 1910, Russia spread well into Europe. The German Empire spread east through the Kingdom of Prussia, including much of modern Poland. Russia extended as far west as the German border, so was clearly part of Europe. Then it changed to become the Soviet Union, and then split up. Most of the former Soviet states have ended up as Europe, apart from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Even Kazakhstan is affiliated to UEFA. Perhaps the fact that they sprang from an entity that was originally clearly European has something to do with the modern thinking that places like Georgia are part of Europe.

[Michael Jones]

I think for most of its course (between the Caspian Sea and the Arctic Ocean), the boundary between Europe and Asia is generally agreed upon: it's the Ural river, which puts Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan entirely in Asia; the vast majority of Kazakhstan in Asia, but with a small area to the west of the Ural which would therefore be counted as Europe; and the majority of the land area of Russia in Asia, but the majority of its population in Europe since that's where its two largest cities are. The boundary is not universally agreed between the Black and Caspian Seas; various different sources draw the line in different places which could put Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan entirely in Europe, entirely in Asia or straddling both.

[andrew martin]

In Rd 7 wins were earned by James, Lateefah and Chantelle. Matthew, Roy and Conor drew whereas Abi lost.

The weather has turned hot and very humid. Just moving normally around one ends up bathed in sweat. Europe this may be, but it is sub-tropical here and not quite as we Western Europeans know it.

[andrew martin]

In Rd 8 wins for James ( who has now won three in a row) and Chamtelle. Draw for Lateefah and losses for Matthew, Conor, Abi and Roy.

The last round begins at 11am this morning. I think its safe to say we all want to go home. The hotel we have been staying in is most unsatisfactory. There are cockroaches in some of the rooms and we are experiencing stomach problems. The food is monotonous and maybe not especially clean. So we are rather tired and face anothe marathon overnight journey this evening commecing at midnight and ending 18 hrs later at Heathrow.

I will report the last round scores later today.

[andrew martin]

Final report on scores from Batumi

U10 boys Matthew Wadsworth drew final game. Final total 5.5 points / 9. 12th place / 78 players (and top placed Western European)

U12 boys Conor Murphy lost final game. 3/9 & 79th / 87

U14 boys Roy Zhang drew final game. 4/9 & 52nd / 81

U16 boys James Holland drew final game. 5/9 & 23rd/ 60

U14 girls Chantelle Foster lost final game. 4/9 & 31st / 44

U16 G Abi Pritchard drew final game. 2/9 & 47/48

U18 girls Lateefah Messam-Sparks won final game 4/9 & 24th / 32


My thanks to Jim Wadsworth, whose blog has been excellent and to the kids who have represented England with honour.


We are at Istanbul currently and can't wait to get home.

[Matthew Turner]

I really think it is time for the ECF to think again about these major championships. It is quite ridiculous that one of the English players played 6 Georgians. I hope everybody involved in junior chess (particularly the Junior Director!) will read Jim Wadworth's final report.

[Michael Jones]

Congratulations to all the players, and many thanks to Andrew for overseeing the team.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I really think it is time for the ECF to think again about these major championships. It is quite ridiculous that one of the English players played 6 Georgians. I hope everybody involved in junior chess (particularly the Junior Director!) will read Jim Wadworth's final report.

I read it. I had to go and look it up (was there a reason not to link it from the post?). The picture of the cockroach brought back bad memories of a cockroach I found in a hotel room in Gibraltar (not at the chess tournament, this was a holiday!). Anyway, the link is here: http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?p=6710

[Michael Jones]

Batumi looks like the sort of place I might well go to, but then I like my holidays with a bit of an edge to them and often choose "off the beaten track" places rather than major tourist destinations; I certainly wouldn't take kids there. I've stayed in some pretty awful hotel/hostel/B&B rooms too, but never had any cockroaches.

Oh, and anyone who thinks entering Turkey via the Georgian border is bad should try doing so from Bulgaria, where the border formalities usually take 2-3 hours.

[Matthew Turner]

Andy,
You said you might have further comments after the tournament. It would be interesting to have your thoughts.
I think it is regrettable that the ECF website relegates news of the event to below the stunning revelation that the 2011 diaries are sold out and an advert for a random Romanian tournament.

[andrew martin]

Hi Matthew,

I have submitted my thoughts in confidence to Peter Purland; I think that is the right way to do it. I also have no control about how the ECF website is organised; it seems odd as you say.

Andrew

[Matthew Turner]

Andy,
Of course, it is absolutely right that you should submit a report to Peter Purland and some (or even most) of this should be confidential, but I would have thought that there were other things that it was perfectly appropriate for you to comment on publicly, how the tournament went from the coach's perspective if you like.