Folks,

It's time for some home truths.

I haven't posted for some time but in the interests of moving forward, particularly in junior chess, both at national and international level, I wish you to sit down and consider the following...

A huge amount of unselfish, unpaid work is done behind the scenes and has been for many years.

Donald, Jacqui, Phil, Michael, Alan, Andrew, Calum, Clement, Adam, Neil, Matthew, Heather, Jonathan, David, Andy, Hugh, Mike, Bryan, Mahir......the list is endless and apologies for the dozens of others I have not mentioned but it would be impossible to mention everyone. I wouldn't like to even dream of the sacrifices given by a well known family from Maybole in Ayrshire. All of these folk give up their time, unpaid, to support junior chess at home and abroad including giving up their own holidays.

Now I know most or all of them may be a wee bit embarrassed that I am bringing this up but it's time that they were recognised for the fantastic work they have done both in the present and in the past.

I would also like you to consider the commitments and sacrifices that have been made over a long number of years by families to support junior players. Flights, transfers, accommodation, entry money etc all paid for by parents.

I am going to give you one example...A set of parents spent £5500 of their own money supporting their child at one year's international events alone recently. That's not including trekking up and down the country supporting Scottish congresses.

I am not posting this to chastise anyone in anyway, far from it. I just want everyone to draw a deep breath and consider the passion and commitment these folks have in supporting junior chess.

If you feel you wish to help in any way at all in junior chess, whether within or outwith ChessScotland, be it setting and clearing tables at an SJC event, being a chaperone at a national event or giving a lift to folk to the airport for an international event, whatever, step forward because Scottish junior chess will always need your very much appreciated support.

The deep pride and delight you will feel at every success is worth it, I assure you.

I paid £299.99 for this pile of crap.


<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youtu.be/hoRW4WzagB4">http://youtu.be/hoRW4WzagB4</a><!-- m -->

There are still a few places available for the one day event to be held on Sunday September 1 2013 in the Wandering Dragons venue at 11 Drummond Place in Edinburgh.

If you are graded 2000 or over and would be interested in playing please contact Alan Minnican <!-- e --><a href="mailto:alanminnican@hotmail.com">alanminnican@hotmail.com</a><!-- e -->

List of entrants: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://chessscotland.com/tournament.php?tid=9340113072866">http://chessscotland.com/tournament.php ... 0113072866</a><!-- m -->


Address: Polish Combatant Association Ltd,
11 Drummond Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6PJ
Start Date: Sunday 01/09/2013

Events: Open
Entries to: <!-- e --><a href="mailto:alanminnican@hotmail.com">alanminnican@hotmail.com</a><!-- e -->
Limited to 32 players and is by invitation only.

Posted on behalf of Alan Minnican

Hi all

Can someone please advise who organises the Tiger Cubs at 1 Alva St these days? I'd appreciate if you could PM/email me their phone number and email address. Have friends who have a son who would like to find out about joining.

Thanks
Andrew

Sorry Andy, this is definitely the incorrect title for what you are aiming for.

There have been all too many schisms within Scottish Chess over the last 15 or so years. What is needed now is a revision of the Constitution rather than a reformation.

Any news on an Oban Congress this year?

I have set up a Chess Scotland Facebook page, also a Chess Scotland Twitter account (@ChessScotland). I will be posting any tournaments and news to both so please feel free to follow

Andy

This has been a great tournament to watch so far and with only the semifinals and finals to go looks like there will be more exciting chess to come.

What about peoples favourite games from this tournament? for me.. well

Best game
Rd 4 game 1 Kamsky - Mamedyarov
A 30 move game where Kamsky offers pieces all over the place

[pgn]1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.f4 d6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Qf3 a6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Kh1 Bd7 12.Rae1 b5 13.a3 Rab8 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Qh3 Rfd8 16.Bd2 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.f5 Nxd2 19.fxe6 Ne4 20.exf7+ Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxe4 g6 23.Ref4 Kg7 24.e6 Rf8 25.Qe3 Bc5 26.Qe1 Bd6 27.Rh4 Be7 28.Qe3 h5 29.Qd4+ Kh6 30.Rxh5+[/pgn]

Most interesting to watch live
Rd 4 game 8 Tomashevsky - Morozevich
All 169 moves, in a 10 minute + increments game that runs for over 1 hour

Best ending
Rd 4 game 4 Svidler - Le
Only because of the technique and speed at which Svidler finished off a K+N+B v K, with less than 2 minutes on the clock from move 124 - 135.
--- I can do it, but certainly not in less than 2 minutes and taking only 10 moves to force resignation.

Try it!

[pos]8/3B4/8/k1N5/2K5/8/8/8 b KQkq - 1 0[/pos]

Happy Birthday Pat.

Courtesy of the ECF site which is congratulating you.

Without their input,who would have known?

Is there such functionality on our site?

The pdf that can be found here:-
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ovq8xe24u7e2zx...%80%A6.pdf

is the 'contract' that Jeremy had to sign and commit to for his swimming. Make no mistake if swimmers do not stick to this there are consequences.

I am not suggesting that anything as strict as this is required but why not something along these lines?