The ACO is back!

Details of upcoming UK events, please provide working links if possible.
Simon Rogers
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by Simon Rogers » Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:48 pm

I don't know why he is down as England. But I will be cheering him on.
Was he honoured in the Queen's birthday list recently?

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:05 am

NickFaulks wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:16 pm
Simon Rogers wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 6:23 pm
Good to see a very strong titled Bermudan playing there. I'm guessing he might be the favourite.
One of the favourites, certainly - but why is he shown as ENG?
Nick - I wondered about that. I think probably the registration form only asks for a home address. But it can easily be fixed if he contacts the organisers. Everyone gets a lanyard with their name and flag on the first day, so it's important. Some people might recall the complaint made an Italian player that the red in his Italian flag was too similar to the orange in the Irish flag!

PS: Your email is bouncing in-coming!

David Sedgwick
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:26 am

Simon Rogers wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:48 pm
Was he honoured in the Queen's birthday list recently?
Can you substantiate that suggestion? I have not been able to verify it.

David Sedgwick
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:29 am

NickFaulks wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:16 pm
One of the favourites, certainly - but why is he shown as ENG?
David Gilbert wrote:
Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:05 am
Nick - I wondered about that. I think probably the registration form only asks for a home address.
The organisers seem to be capable of using the FIDE website to obtain players' ratings. It's surprising that they can't also use it to get players' nationalities correct.

Simon Rogers
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by Simon Rogers » Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:30 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Sat Jul 03, 2021 12:26 am
Simon Rogers wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:48 pm
Was he honoured in the Queen's birthday list recently?
Can you substantiate that suggestion? I have not been able to verify it.
Bit of a joke between me and Nick.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Fri Jul 09, 2021 1:24 am

No more quarantines for the double vaccinated when returning from Greece. That brings the ACO’s Amateur championships at the Sheraton on the amber planet of Rhodes into play. It starts next week on 17 July 2021 and goes on until 26 July 2021. Seven rating bands at 200 point intervals. The forecast is for Sun, Sun, Sun and more Sun - well it’s July in Rhodes. And there are BA flights from Heathrow, but you’d need to stay an extra two nights. What a disaster. I’ll start packing on Monday then.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Fri Jul 09, 2021 9:46 pm

Here’s an exclusive. The ACO has been looking for an English GM to come to Crete in October to support the seniors with their post match analysis and maybe help with a chess lecture, and perhaps engage with the simul. So with a roll of distant drums, I hear Daniel King has taken the gig. That feels like a scoop. We look forward to seeing him there.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:57 pm

It’s only 80 degrees and blue skies here in Rhodes, so the Greeks are planning their holidays in London where there might be some decent weather. 81 players showed up for the ACO’s rated championships - the usual number is around 300. I’m the only English representative this time. Getting clearance through customs at this end took more that an hour if you came on a flight from the UK. Passengers from EU countries were waved through. We had to queue for three checks, passports, PLF and individual COVID tests (families got away with testing a single member). The Hotel is great, fantastic room on the fifth floor with a wonderful balcony view of the Mediterranean. There’s a short video and the playing area here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMvbz-xk7-Q News of Daniel King’s presence at Crete in October gets around. A Swiss player who isn’t old enough to play in the Seniors asked me whether I knew Daniel was coming.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Mon Aug 16, 2021 9:10 pm

Some of us are counting down the days (43) before we begin the exodus to the ACO’s Seniors Championship in Crete that start on 1 October 2021. In the latest figures we have lost one registration and gained another. That means we’re back to fifteen English, one Irish, one Welsh and two London-based Bermudans. Most (if not all) of those coming from these shores have already parted with their hard earned pounds and euros for their flights and entry fee. With 222 registrations so far the Hotel is set to be full of chess players (and their partners, friends and siblings), some with snorkels and others with water wings. I hear there are just two or three places left, so don’t hesitate if you’re thinking of making a late splash.

A word of warning. Coming home from Rhodes last month I took a three day test in the Hotel for a very reasonable €15 and had the negative result in three hours. When I got back to the UK I paid £59.99 for a Day 2 test with Medicinesonline. That was nearly three weeks ago. I still haven’t had the results. They fail to answer my emails and the telephone number rings for a minute before it reverts to engaged. Test & Trace told me to “forget about it - it’s too late now to take a Day 2 test”. I’m still cross - part of my payment was insurance against loss or damaged samples, but there’s no means to make a claim. My advice is never, ever, ever, use Medicinesonline for any COVID test, that's never, ever, ever - sorry if that’s too ambiguous!

NickFaulks
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Aug 16, 2021 9:23 pm

David Gilbert wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 9:10 pm
My advice is never, ever, ever, use Medicinesonline for any COVID test, that's never, ever, ever - sorry if that’s too ambiguous!
I expect they're all the same - the whole industry is a scam anyway.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:13 pm

Under starters orders! Getting to Heraklion today was a doddle. We’ll almost. I gave myself an extra two hours to find a functioning petrol station and join the queue. It turned out my local garage was open and the queue was less than twenty minutes so I arrived at Heathrow five hours early. No issues at customs or baggage check-in at this end and apart from flashing my PLF at a Greek customs man (that’s not a euphemism) that was that. No border COVID-check like we had in Rhodes last July. The Floridian lady sat next to me on the flight thought it quaint that people like me are going off to play chess at our age. In a roundabout of logic she told me (and this could be right or wrong) that Crete is about the same size as Israel. This is because she believes that New Jersey and Israel is are about the same and New Jersey is approximately the same size as Crete. That works?

It’s an early rest day tomorrow before battle commences on Saturday. I’m the 53rd rated player out of 57 in my section. Hmmm. I might begin my preparation with a visit to the water park to try-out the flumes, or just go to the beach with my factor 144 and fein interest in a chess book.

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:35 pm

New Jersey is about the same size as Israel, but Crete is a lot smaller than them.

David Gilbert
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Gilbert » Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:41 pm

The ACO is really back with a bang.

27 April 2022 - 5 May 2022 Super Seniors World Championships (65+) Atlantica Belvedere Hotel, Kos
6 May 2022 - 15 May 2022 ACO World Amateur Championships, Atlantica Belvedere Hotel, Kos
1 June 2022 - 10 June 2022 ACO World Amateur Team Championships (2 players - average ratings) Fodele Resort, Crete
1 October 2022 - 10 October 2022 ACO World Seniors Championships Fodele Resort, Crete
22 October 2022 - 31 October 2022 ACO world senior team championships (2 players - average ratings) Atlantica Belvedere Hotel, Kos

Something for everyone?

David Sedgwick
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:45 pm

David Gilbert wrote:
Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:41 pm
The ACO is really back with a bang.
Isn't it now? Five fake World Championships in six months.
David Gilbert wrote:
Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:41 pm
Something for everyone?
My top three requirements are:

1. That my participation in the tournament would not call into question my position, standing and reputation as a Category A International Arbiter;
2. That the tournament does not make false claims about its status;
3. That the tournament is FIDE rated.

Somehow, I don't think the ACO will have anything for me any time soon.

Ian Thompson
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Re: The ACO is back!

Post by Ian Thompson » Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:31 pm

David Gilbert wrote:
Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:41 pm
The ACO is really back with a bang.

Something for everyone?
If they were expecting to play 9 different opponents these four players might not agree.

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