Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

National developments, strategies and ideas.
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Joseph Conlon
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:18 pm

Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Joseph Conlon » Tue Feb 23, 2021 7:31 pm

With the government roadmap out, it appears that according to the roadmap, junior chess may be able to restart from 12th April, as part of step 2.

I am starting this thread in order to have a separate dedicated thread for those who run junior OTB events and want to restart sooner rather than later and wish to discuss ideas, plans etc.

Personally, I have just emailed the venue I use to ask them when they will be taking bookings again :)

Nick Grey
Posts: 1838
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:16 am

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:57 pm

Children allowed to attend indoor play activities, with up to 15 parents or guardians allowed to join them. I think Stage four
No earlier than 21 June:

All legal limits on social contact will be removed.

Joseph Conlon
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:18 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Joseph Conlon » Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:23 pm

Children's chess should come with stage 2:
Screenshot 2021-02-23 at 18.41.09.png
Screenshot 2021-02-23 at 18.41.09.png (118 KiB) Viewed 1950 times

Nick Grey
Posts: 1838
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:16 am

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:48 pm

Good luck.

Simon Rogers
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Simon Rogers » Mon Mar 01, 2021 10:32 am

Joseph Conlon wrote:
Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:23 pm
Children's chess should come with stage 2:

Screenshot 2021-02-23 at 18.41.09.png
Great news Joseph. Let us know when your tournament is in April with an entry form and I'll inform our Juniors.
Good luck.
When are you reopening your Junior Chess Club?

Joseph Conlon
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:18 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Joseph Conlon » Mon Mar 01, 2021 10:39 am

I don't run a junior chess club, so that may have to wait a long time.

Joseph Conlon
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:18 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Joseph Conlon » Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:28 pm

Having booked the school I normally use for a junior event on the 12th April, I use this spot to note that, despite relatively closed advertising, the event reached its capacity of 32 yesterday, 4 weeks in advance.

This compares with my event in October, which had 13 players in total, and a planned one in January which had 20 registered two weeks in advance when lockdown was announced and the event was cancelled.

At least at junior level, the demand is there for OTB chess once it is allowed.

https://forms.gle/md7quhQGgkopJphi6

Wadih Khoury
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:14 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Wadih Khoury » Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:21 am

By the way, is the restriction to U12 due to government guidelines or just a choice?

Also, as a parent, how easy is it to organise? Do you need insurance or arcane administrative skills or is it as "simple" as focusing on the chess aspects: booking a venue, advertising, getting an arbiter, doing the pairing, submitting to the ECF, etc.. ?

Simon Rogers
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Simon Rogers » Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:09 am

Hats off to Joseph for arranging this tournament.
Is there any future dates?

Joseph Conlon
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:18 pm

Re: Junior organisers running OTB tournaments

Post by Joseph Conlon » Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:45 pm

Wadih Khoury wrote:
Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:21 am
By the way, is the restriction to U12 due to government guidelines or just a choice?

Also, as a parent, how easy is it to organise? Do you need insurance or arcane administrative skills or is it as "simple" as focusing on the chess aspects: booking a venue, advertising, getting an arbiter, doing the pairing, submitting to the ECF, etc.. ?
U12 was a choice - its me trying to draw an approximate dividing line where covid transmissibility goes up as children develop the bodies of adults and start transmitting covid as well as adults do.

I think the balance of risks is well in favour of children playing chess again but also want to minimise the chance of covid transmission.

For the rest, have replied privately.

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