British Championship Congress 2022

[David Gilbert]

Lee Bullock’s four entries this morning ensures that Hawaiian party wear will be on display at the Riviera Centre and on the streets of Torquay. The British Championships wouldn’t be the British without Lee and his signature shirts and shorts, rain or shine!

Numbers have grown to 804 this morning, including 208 in the Blitz and Rapidplays, so we’re getting there. Expect a rush over the coming days as players aim to beat the higher entry fees.

[JustinHorton]

Well I am pleased to see I am no longer the lowest-rated player in the Championship.

[Reg Clucas]

I haven’t seen any announcement about a new crew have you?

Is it too much to hope that Andrew Martin will do it again?

[Lee Bullock]

Me and Tim Hilton nearly done the commentary as a fun 10/15 mins in place of Danny G and Adam hunt at the last Torquay British haha. If the money is right we will do it. I will play my games in the commentary room and do the commentary as well

[JustinHorton]

Disappointed to see that Torquay's only evening fixture during the Championships is an away game

[J T Melsom]

Those yellow shirts might trigger a few memories. I went to Plainmoor for a fixture last century but not since. Anyway before I digress too far I'll take the chance to wish forum members good luck in their efforts over the chess board. Not everybody can win, but I hope that the chess contains moments of interest and enjoyment.

[JustinHorton]

Exeter by contrast do have a home game, and against Wycombe no less

[Mick Norris]

Disappointed to see that Torquay's only evening fixture during the Championships is an away game

That's at Newtown Abbott? Not far if so

Anyway, best of luck in the chess

[David Sedgwick]

See you there?

You make a good case, but Madras is more appealing.

Ditto Olomouc!

Each according to their own, but the three best venues at which I have played in, officiated at or spectated at chess events are the following (not in order):

1. The venue for the European Team Championships 1997 in Pula, Croatia. For some reason that event has come back into my mind during the last two weeks.

2. The Riviera Centre, Torquay, England.

3. The Augustus Suite, Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar. Sadly, that venue is being demolished.

[David Sedgwick]

You make a good case, but Madras is more appealing.

Most people attending the FIDE Congress are going to Chennai. Madras disappeared from the atlas in 1996, the year before I first went to one of the venues in my post above.

(Carl, please feel free to move this post to the "Pedants United" thread.)

[Tim Spanton]

You make a good case, but Madras is more appealing.

Ditto Olomouc!

Each according to their own, but the three best venues at which I have played in, officiated at or spectated at chess events are the following (not in order):

1. The venue for the European Team Championships 1997 in Pula, Croatia. For some reason that event has come back into my mind during the last two weeks.

2. The Riviera Centre, Torquay, England.

3. The Augustus Suite, Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar. Sadly, that venue is being demolished.

The Riviera Centre is a great venue, but what with 'Paignton' et al I feel I have seen enough of Torquay for a while

[Alan Walton]

Each according to their own, but the three best venues at which I have played in, officiated at or spectated at chess events are the following (not in order):

1. The venue for the European Team Championships 1997 in Pula, Croatia. For some reason that event has come back into my mind during the last two weeks.

2. The Riviera Centre, Torquay, England.

3. The Augustus Suite, Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar. Sadly, that venue is being demolished.

The venue at the Caleta is awful, trapped like sardines (some boards you actually cannot get out and walk without disturbing your neighbour) and impossible to walk around the only two aisles in the room without bumping into some spectator or fellow competitor.

The Riviera Centre personally speaking is a generic conference/sport facility like most others I have played at over the years, and is nowhere near the best I have played at either

I did like the venues used in the 2017 and 2018 Euro Club (Antalya, Turkey and Porto Carras, Greece) and the facilities in Toronto were something special; the quirky venue for the Xtracon in Denmark is another good one, and the impressive Harpa in Reykjavik is the best looking I have played at

The main reason I don't play these events in the UK is the cost, you just seem to get better value for money going abroad nowadays (though still not started this again since COVID)

[Kevin Thurlow]

"and the impressive Harpa in Reykjavik is the best looking I have played at"

Agreed, and they extend the "happy hour" in the bar to the entire playing session

"The main reason I don't play these events in the UK is the cost"

Reykjavik falls down there, but it's ok if you have an Icelandic friend who can offer accomodation...

[Alan Walton]

"and the impressive Harpa in Reykjavik is the best looking I have played at"

Agreed, and they extend the "happy hour" in the bar to the entire playing session

"The main reason I don't play these events in the UK is the cost"

Reykjavik falls down there, but it's ok if you have an Icelandic friend who can offer accomodation...

Agree, but I used Iceland as a treat, and it most probably cost the same as the time I stayed in Sheffield for the British; always good to go to interesting places, and admittedly once you get used to the "happy hour" system in the pubs in Reykjavik it wasn't more expensive than in some places in central Manchester or the hotels you visit in some English tournaments

[David Sedgwick]

The venue at the Caleta is awful, trapped like sardines (some boards you actually cannot get out and walk without disturbing your neighbour) and impossible to walk around the only two aisles in the room without bumping into some spectator or fellow competitor.

I was talking more about the venue itself than the playing conditions, but I appreciate that the latter are very important. I don't accept that conditions at the Caleta were anything like as bad as those at Citadines Hotel (the London League venue) prior to the pandemic.

I was fortunate only to play in the morning tournaments, where overcrowding was less of an issue.

We shall see what happens, if anything, when the new hotel is built on the site.