e2e4 Grand Prix

[Richard Bates]

Just as a matter of interest, why is the "British Championship Prix" not open to FMs?

Simply because FM's do not appear to enter the British very often. There are only a handful (two I think last year) and I want to maximise the value of the prize we are offering.

OK, I understand - assuming that i correctly interpret this to mean that if an FM won, you wouldn't expect them to claim the bulk of their prize (because the prize isn't transferable)? Not convinced that an FM would necessarily be less likely to take up their place than any other winner, purely by virtue of them being an FM (which seems to be what is implied) but there we are.

[Paul Cooksey]

Speaking for myself, its not the entry fee, its the qualification.

Booking a couple of weeks in August needs planning. I'd want to have qualified first. So that would probably mean playing a few weekend tournaments. If I am going to take a couple of weeks off to play, simpler to book somewhere I can just enter.

I was really pleased the first time I qualified. (although not to Purton like levels ). So I see some benefit in the tradition. But I would say it is a bigger factor than price.

[Sean Hewitt]

OK, I understand - assuming that i correctly interpret this to mean that if an FM won, you wouldn't expect them to claim the bulk of their prize (because the prize isn't transferable)? Not convinced that an FM would necessarily be less likely to take up their place than any other winner, purely by virtue of them being an FM (which seems to be what is implied) but there we are.

You might be right. However, looking at the current scores of FM's I think it's going to be a moot point as they are not going to trouble the scorers.

[Richard Bates]

Speaking for myself, its not the entry fee, its the qualification.

Booking a couple of weeks in August needs planning. I'd want to have qualified first. So that would probably mean playing a few weekend tournaments. If I am going to take a couple of weeks off to play, simpler to book somewhere I can just enter.

I was really pleased the first time I qualified. (although not to Purton like levels ). So I see some benefit in the tradition. But I would say it is a bigger factor than price.

Fair point. And of course i guess for advanced planning purposes there is the issue of the possibility that they might not qualify - weaker players are more likely to be able to book and accept the Major Open as a viable alternative option if the qualification doesn't happen. Albeit these days if one was motivated there is the option of qualifying one year and taking up the qualification place in a subsequent year.

None of these objections apply to those who can qualify by virtue of high grade/rating of course. Not sure how many of those there are.

[Paul Cooksey]

Albeit these days if one was motivated there is the option of qualifying one year and taking up the qualification place in a subsequent year.

didn't know you could carry qualification over.

None of these objections apply to those who can qualify by virtue of high grade/rating of course. Not sure how many of those there are.

Suspect not many, except those on their way to a higher title. The current qualification exemptions are for those who have at least an outside shot of winning, I assume. Whether you would want FMs making up the numbers, is about the aims of the tournament I suppose.

[Ian Thompson]

Thanks Richard - again, probably right, and I agree with Sean. However I am not convinced that lack of a discounted entry fee is what puts FMs off playing in the British!

I don't think you can look at a list of who has the FM title and say that FMs are put off because few of them play. Some of them have given up playing chess, some live abroad and some may have wanted to play but didn't qualify. What you could look at is the number who have qualified and what proportion of them actually take up their place, although that may be pessimistic because it doesn't allow for those who wanted to play but didn't qualify.

The stats for me are:

Last played - 1997
Last qualified - 2010
Hope to play again - never

[Richard Bates]

Albeit these days if one was motivated there is the option of qualifying one year and taking up the qualification place in a subsequent year.

didn't know you could carry qualification over.

Although before you get too excited I don't know the rules - whether it is at organisers' discretion, only applicable to certain events (eg. qualification events late in the year), has to be formally requested at the time (with a deposit?) etc. Just that there are half a dozen players on the 2011 qualification list recorded as "place carried over from 2010".

[Phil Makepeace]

I had no particular problem with carrying over my place from 2009 to 2010. I just gave the tournament secretary plenty of notice. Whether or not my qualifying place being from the 2008 Major Open made the process easier, I don't know. I hope not.

Also, not to pick him out specially, but to pick Julian Way out specially: how did he get his FM title last year, despite not having a rating then?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Also, not to pick him out specially, but to pick Julian Way out specially: how did he get his FM title last year, despite not having a rating then?

Based on a past rating of 2300 - which is now sufficient for the FM title. (It wasn't, in and of itself, when he was rated 2300+.)

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Talking of British Championship qualification, is there a list anywhere of those currently qualified and how they are qualified?

[Alex Holowczak]

Talking of British Championship qualification, is there a list anywhere of those currently qualified and how they are qualified?

Where would you expect to find such a list? On the tab called "Qualifiers for 2011" on the British Championship website, perhaps?

[Roger de Coverly]

Where would you expect to find such a list? On the tab called "Qualifiers for 2011" on the British Championship website, perhaps?

It isn't up to date though. I know of two practical examples not on the list, one from the Frome Congress and the other from the Reserve list.

[Adam Raoof]

What I was hinting at below is that I agree that FMs should be given discounted entry - Richard is correct, and we'll do that in future for all FMs.

However if you take a look at the list of methods by which you can qualify for the British it is a) very complicated and b) doesn't help most FMs, who don't have the rating required.

Anyone who wants to start another thread and have a go at simplifying those regulations please feel free - it would be a more productive discussion.

http://www.britishchess2011.com/qualify ... s_2011.htm

[Sean Hewitt]

What I was hinting at below is that I agree that FMs should be given discounted entry - Richard is correct, and we'll do that in future for all FMs.

However if you take a look at the list of methods by which you can qualify for the British it is a) very complicated and b) doesn't help most FMs, who don't have the rating required.

Anyone who wants to start another thread and have a go at simplifying those regulations please feel free - it would be a more productive discussion.

http://www.britishchess2011.com/qualify ... s_2011.htm

It should be simple, and it can be.

FM, IM and GM (together with the equivalent female titles) should be pre-qualified. IM & GM play for free (if they enter by a certain date), FMs receive 50% discount.

Juniors can qualify by rating / grade as now. You may need to allow women to qualify by rating too.

Nominations should be exceptional. Host city is the obvious one.

All other players should have to qualify. How you arrange qualification is a matter of taste. I'm not convinced about the perfomance in a FIDE rated event criteria. Obviously it must include qualification via tournaments but whether that should be as now is a different debate.

[Alex Holowczak]

There should be a criterion that says anyone who played for England in the previous year's Olympiad or European Team Championship has the right to participate. (This covers the women who Sean thinks would need to qualify by rating.)

I'd change the definition of "British". I gather the rules make reference to British subjects, which is all well and good, but no one born after 1983 is a British subject, unless you're considered a "British subject without citizenship". I'm a British citizen because I was born in 1990. I can qualify by residence. Someone born in the UK after 1983, but living abroad, technically wouldn't be eligible to compete under the current rules.

There is the situation where people registered as ENG on the FIDE-rating list can't compete in the British Championship, because they're not British subjects - or citizens for that matter - and don't qualify by residence. If they're good enough to play for England, they should be good enough to play in our National Championship.

I think the host county had a nomination until recently; I don't know if that has been removed. It should cover Sean's host city nomination criterion.