These tournaments have been reviewed for 2013-14 and a number of changes will be implemented this season. For details see the Tournaments and Events section.

Keith Rose
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:homedirector@chessscotland.com">homedirector@chessscotland.com</a><!-- e -->

Following a review of the Richardson and Spens tournaments I can announce the following changes for season 2013-4:

Richardson -

• No longer restricted to CS-member clubs. Any Scottish club may enter;
• Grading order – clarified as published grading for the current season with a 50 point variation permitted;
• There will be a consolation knockout for first round losers similar to the Campbell Rosebowl for the Spens. There will be a trophy but for the moment I am referring to the event as the Richardson Consolation Event until I have time to look into a trophy and a name.

Spens -

• No longer restricted to CS-member clubs. Any Scottish club may enter;
• Grading order – clarified as current published grading, no variation permitted;
• Clubs may enter more than one team

All team finals will be held at Grangemouth on 19 April 2014 starting at 13:00 – no agreement will be given to play any final at another place or time.

This information has been sent to Secretaries of all clubs in Scotland that we have contact details for.

Keith Rose
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:homedirector@chessscotland.com">homedirector@chessscotland.com</a><!-- e -->

Following a review of the MacIsaac and Nancy Elder tournaments I can announce the following changes for season 2013-4:

MacIsaac -
Each club may enter:

• previous season’s club champion or one substitute graded 1850 or higher;
• one further member graded 1850 or higher;
• the winner of the MacIsaac in the previous season is entitled to enter but no substitutes are permitted if he/she does not take up entry rights.
• Each player will have 2 hours 30 minutes to play all moves. In order to facilitate midweek arrangements this may be reduced by mutual agreement to not less than 1 hour 30 minutes each player to play all moves

So potentially up to 3 entries for one club, 2 entries for others.

Nancy Elder -
Entry is no longer restricted to members of CS-member clubs

• Entry is available to any player subject to an upper grading limit of 1850 (1775 junior);
• The number of entries is unrestricted;
• Each player will have 2 hours 30 minutes to play all moves. This may be reduced by mutual agreement to not less than 1 hour 30 minutes to play all moves in order to facilitate midweek arrangements.

Applicable to both MacIsaac and Spens:

If there are a sufficient number of entries then I will group/zone as far as I can in the early stages.

Games may be played using the internet subject to the following conditions:
• Only available to players living more than 60 miles apart by road travel;
• Play in this way must be by mutual consent, failing which a face-to-face meeting in the normal way would be required;
• Use of a specific webserver would also have to be mutually agreed and arranged;
• Given that it would be impossible to ensure unassisted play or to prove suspicions of assisted play, players would have to accept beforehand that there could be no challenge on these grounds;
• Games must be submitted for analysis
• Games would not be graded unless there is an arbiter present at both ends throughout the game;
This option would not be available for the Semi-Final or Final

Entry fees and entry procedure for MacIsaac and Nancy Elder still need to be determined.

This information has been sent to Secretaries of all clubs in Scotland and to all Individual members of Chess Scotland that we have contact details for.

Keith Rose
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:homedirector@chessscotland.com">homedirector@chessscotland.com</a><!-- e -->

Hi Folks,
Yes it's that time again!!!

The forms have been sent out to last years captains and Dick Heathwood has been given a copy to hopefully get up on the CS website.

You can also get them on snclchess.weebly.com and I'm sure if I ask him nicely Andy Howie will put them up on snclchess.co.uk

I will email copies to the other clubs that I can get addresses for.

If you don't get a copy or can't download from any of these sites please email me at <!-- e --><a href="mailtonclchess@live.co.uk">snclchess@live.co.uk</a><!-- e -->

Lets see if we can hit 40 teams this year and open up a div 5!!!!!

GG

Live games at Largs?

It is with deep sadness and regret that I learned today of the passing of Inverness Chess Club stalwart Robert Rough last night.

Robert was very much involved in making last weekend’s 1st Inverness Chess Congress happen and his enthusiasm and love of chess was clearly apparent when I met him in Inverness earlier this year to talk about the event.

Robert was also one of the first people to enter the 1st Prestwick Airport Congress and I know he took part in numerous chess event at home and abroad.

I would like to pass on my condolences to his family and friends at this sad time.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b039vp4k/HARDtalk_Garry_Kasparov/">http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... _Kasparov/</a><!-- m -->

Vladimir Putin appears to be relishing his role at the centre of the diplomatic manoeuvring over Syria - it reinforces his image as the strong man in the Kremlin. But just how strong is he?

A recent round of Russian municipal elections gave the anti-Putin movement a much needed morale boost. HARDtalk speaks to the opposition activist and former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov. Is there any serious challenge to the supremacy of Putinism?

There is a problem with online grades at the moment. Programmers will investigate ASAP.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/inverness-joins-fight-to-secure-the-future-of-chess.22086819">http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home ... s.22086819</a><!-- m -->

Have just read this

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5814">http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5814</a><!-- m -->

on the ECForum. Hopefully Jonathan Edwards and the others are ok.