FIDE senior events in 2023

Information and discussion on all matters relating to Seniors Chess.
Tim Harding
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Location: Dublin, Ireland

FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:12 pm

FIDE have yet to announce where the 2023 World Senior Team Championships will be held, and their calendar is still saying the individual championships have been awarded to Sochi, Russia (though without dates).
I had been hoping that a decision would be announced after the Chennai congress that the award to Russia would be revoked and bids for both events reopened, but at least so far there has been no announcement. The web pages for the FIDE Events Commission don't seem to have been updated since 2021.
So I have started a call on my website for senior players (50+ and 65+) to put pressure, through their national federations, on FIDE to cancel the award to Russia and find a new venue:
http://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Stop-S ... niors.html
Maybe the players at the British Seniors this week (50+) and next (65+) can show support for my initiative by talking to ECF officials in Torquay about this.
Also I note that (if the list on the FIDE site is up-to-date) English arbiter Lara Barnes is a member of the commission in question. So if anybody reading this knows her personally, maybe make a private approach to ask her is this situation under active consideration, and if not, why not?

Meanwhile the European Chess Union have announced venues and dates for their two senior championships in 2024 (in successive weeks, but at locations quite close to each other), although the venue and date for their 2023 individual championships (Poland) has yet to be clarified.

The only FIDE 2023 senior event to be definite is the European Individual Championships, but as that will be the fourth in nine years to be held in Acqui Terme, Italy (where this year''s world teams was held) I don't plan to go and I expect many players who have been there won't want to go again.

If the situation about 2023 FIDE senior tournaments is not resolved, we may end up having to play with ACO!
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

David Sedgwick
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by David Sedgwick » Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:08 pm

Tim Harding wrote:
Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:12 pm
FIDE have yet to announce where the 2023 World Senior Team Championships will be held, and their calendar is still saying the individual championships have been awarded to Sochi, Russia (though without dates).
I had been hoping that a decision would be announced after the Chennai congress that the award to Russia would be revoked and bids for both events reopened, but at least so far there has been no announcement. The web pages for the FIDE Events Commission don't seem to have been updated since 2021.
So I have started a call on my website for senior players (50+ and 65+) to put pressure, through their national federations, on FIDE to cancel the award to Russia and find a new venue:
http://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Stop-S ... niors.html
Maybe the players at the British Seniors this week (50+) and next (65+) can show support for my initiative by talking to ECF officials in Torquay about this.
Also I note that (if the list on the FIDE site is up-to-date) English arbiter Lara Barnes is a member of the commission in question. So if anybody reading this knows her personally, maybe make a private approach to ask her is this situation under active consideration, and if not, why not?

Meanwhile the European Chess Union have announced venues and dates for their two senior championships in 2024 (in successive weeks, but at locations quite close to each other), although the venue and date for their 2023 individual championships (Poland) has yet to be clarified.

The only FIDE 2023 senior event to be definite is the European Individual Championships, but as that will be the fourth in nine years to be held in Acqui Terme, Italy (where this year''s world teams was held) I don't plan to go and I expect many players who have been there won't want to go again.

If the situation about 2023 FIDE senior tournaments is not resolved, we may end up having to play with ACO!
Two points about this

1. Dvorkovich was asked about the tournament scheduled to be held in Sochi and he said that this would be reviewed in the coming months. I think he accepts that it cannot take place there unless the war comes to an end soon.

2. Lara Barnes was a member of the Events Commission for 2018 - 2022, but one of the first tasks of the new administration will be to appoint the members of the Commissions for 2022 - 2026. I don't know whether she wishes to seek reappointment.

I shall ask her about Sochi when I next speak to her.

Tim Harding
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Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:33 pm

Thanks. Two big senior tournaments are coming up this autumn: European Senior Teams in Dresden (Late Oct/Nov) followed two weeks later by the World Senior individuals in Assisi, Italy.
I think that decisions about the two world senior events for 2023 need to be made in advance of Assisi and players in Dresden will be looking for information.
The war is not likely to end by then unless the Putin regime is overthrown which seems unlikely if Putin himself is still alive.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Tim Harding
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Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Mon Jan 23, 2023 10:32 pm

The FIDE Events Commission website has closed bids to host the World Senior Team Championships this year.
Their website doesn't say anything about the individual seniors championships which were originally granted to Sochi but no longer stated on the FIDE calendar to be held there.

The Events Commission website says it received four bids for the team event: from the federations of Italy, Malta, North Macedonia and Thailand.
They don't say which Italian organiser would be involved but it's quite likely to be Arcoworldchess/Scaccomatismo (which organised last year's European Senior Teams and the World Individuals). They are already due to host this year's European Senior individual championships.

So I have written today to the Events Commission giving cogent reasons why they should not be awarded the World Senior Teams because of the problems at the events they ran last year. (But if it's the Sardinians offering I would have no objection.)

I also said that Thailand is likely to be a poor choice for the team event (no track record of Thai players in world senior events and likely to be a very small entry from Europe). I suggested that Thailand would be more suitable for the individual championship, so the choice for the team event should be between Malta and North Macedonia.

I fear that they will look at the money first and foremost, player's interests last. But it's a new Commission including Gunnar Bjornsson (of Reykjavik) and Jan Mazuch (of the Czech tour) as advisers so maybe there is hope.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Tim Harding
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Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:33 am

The official invitation for the European Senor Team Championships at Swidnica, Poland, is now published.
The PDF document can be found on the European Chess Union website or downloaded from my site:

http://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Seniors-calendar.html

Arrival date 11 July; 9 rounds with afternoon play 12-20 July, departure 21 July, which is a few days before the British Seniors.
The closing date for entries is 11 June but lower fees for player registration apply up to 11 April, with a smaller discount for entries received between then and 11 May.

England are the reigning champions in the 50+ age group, having won in Dresden last November.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Keith Arkell
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Keith Arkell » Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:29 pm

Thanks for this, Tim. It looks just about possible to play in both the Euro Senior Team Ch and the British Championship, with one day in between the two for travel.

Tim Harding
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:31 pm

Keith Arkell wrote:
Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:29 pm
Thanks for this, Tim. It looks just about possible to play in both the Euro Senior Team Ch and the British Championship, with one day in between the two for travel.
It certainly would be a pity if there isn't the usual strong English participation in Poland because of the proximity of dates.

My guess is that the World Teams will be in September or early October because there are not many other gaps in the calendar but the FIDE Events Commission say they are assessing four bids and don't say what dates the prospective organisers might be offering.

Another possibility is that they might have the World Teams in the usual November slot and play the individuals in September, but as yet they haven't reopened bidding for the latter. (I suspect they will offer it to an unsuccessful bidder for the team event.)
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Keith Arkell
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Keith Arkell » Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:15 pm

Tim Harding wrote:
Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:31 pm

It certainly would be a pity if there isn't the usual strong English participation in Poland because of the proximity of dates.
I managed to represent England in the first World 50+ team Champs, in Lithuania in 2014, and play in the British Ch that same year, despite that there was some overlap between the two. I played round 1 of the British a month or two in advance, and was forced to take a zero point bye for round 2! I was a bit unlucky that the British was moved back two days so that our players could get to the Olympiad afterwards.
Last edited by Keith Arkell on Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Keith Arkell
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Keith Arkell » Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:15 pm

Tim Harding wrote:
Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:31 pm

Another possibility is that they might have the World Teams in the usual November slot and play the individuals in September, but as yet they haven't reopened bidding for the latter. (I suspect they will offer it to an unsuccessful bidder for the team event.)
Ah yes, that makes a lot of sense. I've been promised the return of the Paignton Congress at the start of September, so I've got my fingers firmly crossed that there won't be any senior stuff around that time...

Ronnie Burton
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Ronnie Burton » Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:42 pm

I do hope Paignton Congress 2023 goes ahead. Played my first one in 1972. Sadly the venue of Oldway Mansion not available sadly.

Ken Norman
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Ken Norman » Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:28 pm

If Paignton does reappear it would be a good idea for a Seniors section to be included.

This would go someway to compensate for the lose of the Beacon Seniors.

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Sun Feb 05, 2023 6:10 pm

Ken Norman wrote:
Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:28 pm
If Paignton does reappear it would be a good idea for a Seniors section to be included.
As opposed to what? We barely get any entries from players aged under 50 as it is.

Tim Harding
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Tim Harding » Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:06 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:
Sun Feb 05, 2023 6:10 pm
Ken Norman wrote:
Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:28 pm
If Paignton does reappear it would be a good idea for a Seniors section to be included.
As opposed to what? We barely get any entries from players aged under 50 as it is.
Some of us would like 70+ or even 75+ events to avoid having to play those youngsters born in the 1950s.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Ronnie Burton
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Ronnie Burton » Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:27 pm

Hi Keith

Regarding Paignton Congress - How sure are you this will go ahead ? First week September many hotels will be busy with holiday makers.

Any ideal with venue for this. Entries should be over 100 players.

Keith Arkell
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Re: FIDE senior events in 2023

Post by Keith Arkell » Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:24 pm

I've no idea about the Venue, Ronnie, but about a year ago I was told by the powers that be they the event would happen this year.