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+--- Thread: Richardson Format Poll (/thread-1245.html)
Richardson Format Poll - George Neave - 13-06-2015
For Richardson Cup
Re: Richardson Format Poll - hamish olson - 13-06-2015
My objection to the changes is the central venue thing - Richardson is quite literally the only high level classical chess that I get to play in my hometown. Bon Accord would struggle to field a team if there were lots of long drives to Grangemouth, and would probably focus on working our way up in SNCL instead.
SNCL is very good but we don't need two team championships exactly the same, and if the Richardson tries to imitate the SNCL it's just going to be a pale imitation as SNCL is the more established event in this format, with less stringent rules regarding team composition (something that would be a lot less fundamental to change about the Richardson) and a proven track record.
Richardson is a great tournament. Bon Accord's first Richardson win in 2014 is something I will look back on as one of the happiest moments of my chess "career". I don't think we should be changing the tournament so fundamentally when it's great already, it's just got a decline in entry which is largely a symptom of the decline of club chess in Scotland, and I think that is where we need to focus our efforts.
Re: Richardson Format Poll - George Neave - 14-06-2015
I was thinking once we have chosen between knock out, groups and super final, next we can do similar polls on team sizes, location etc.
Re: Richardson Format Poll - Alan Tate - 14-06-2015
Option 1 but without the 'no change' part.
Re: Richardson Format Poll - Adam Bremner - 14-06-2015
Unsurprisingly, I am with Hamish on this. I just don't think a super final idea would work very well. May was floated as a date, but then you would probably wipe out all students from playing, although obviously this could change. The more relevant issue with it, is the Richardson attracts loads of players currently who do not play congresses (just check the team lineups from this year and see how many names are not playing congresses) for whatever reason, be it family commitments, costs, or flat out not having the time to spend a whole weekend on chess. As soon as the format changes to something requiring a whole weekend I reckon the standard would drop significantly.