Scotland V Basque Federation

[robin moore]

From the CS homepage...

Basque International Chess Festival, 29 November (added Oct 2, 2014)

Chess Scotland have accepted an invitation to play the Basque Chess Federation on Saturday 29 November 2014 in Azkoitia, Spain. Teams will consist of 4 male and 2 female players. It is expected that the Basque Chess Federation will meet costs.

Players who wish to be available for selection should contact Andrew Muir by midnight Saturday 11 October.

Can Andy M please publish a link to the details of this event and clarify the total costs involved (if any) to ChessScotland .

[hamish olson]

If it wasn't defamatory I would question your sanity

Only a fool can't see that.

Taking two selective quotes in isolation here
& Speaking as an impartial observer.



Kevin,
You have, in my opinion been defamatory.

It is clear to me that you are questioning Andy Muir's sanity by a nudge nudge wink wink routine.

And then you continued by telling the readership that only a fool would disagree.

Referring back to Andy Muir’s actual actions - - -Potential Chess opponents should only in the most extreme circumstances be refused after taking into account political considerations and possible press write ups. All this criticism of Andy Muir, yet nobody else could be bothered to put themselves forward for the Adult International Directorship at the agm so he can’t be doing that bad a job can he?

Any one who disagrees with that last paragraph of mine is welcome to disagree. It would not make them insane or unbalanced or foolish

Agreed!

[Alex Gillies]

Does seem that George has a point : Scotland could well be being used as a political pawn. I'm surprised Spain are funding it for us ? perhaps we should try Ireland or Greece ?

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12803/772/ Article from Last month.

Players should be free to go provided CS approve it. Anyone with strong moral concerns either way should raise it with CS rather than the players.

You will not get 100% either way but its better that issues are raised so that informed choices are made.

[andyburnett]

Whether there is any real political agenda, or simply that the Basques feel an affinity with Scotland (or 45% of us anyway I can't answer for certain, but here is the communique CS originally received.

I haven't been told that this is in any way 'secret', so hopefully no-one will take issue with me posting it here! The English is a bit ropey.

P.S. Was there anything politically going on in 1984 which would have instigated a Basque-Italy match-up?

Dear friends of the Scottish Chess Federation:
>
> With the reason of the 30th anniversary of the Basque Chess Selection, is
> being organized a International Chess Festival of Chess (EXPOCHESS) from
> 27
> to 30 of November 2014.
>
> Exhibitions and competitions of painting and photography with the thematic
> of the Chess will be made. Also, conferences about the Chess in the school
> and its use in the prevention of the Alzheimer's will be made.
>
> The main event will be the tribute to the Basque Chess Selection of Chess,
> with an International match of Main National Selections of Chess; in
> commemoration of the match disputed in Azkoitia 09/12/1984 in which the
> Basque Chess Selection of Chess was faced with Italy (EUS-ITA: 5'5-1'5).
>
> We need to know if you would be willing to participate in the tribute to
> our
> selection with a match of main selections of Chess.
>
> The Chess Festival will be held in Azkoitia, Guipuzcoa (Spain). The match
> against your selectión would be disputed on Saturday November 29, 2014.
>
> In the event of you are interested, we would treat the conditions of your
> participation in concerning of travel and accommodation.
>
> Receive a warm greeting,
>
>
>
> José Manuel Sierra Lozano
>
> Communication & Marketing

[Phil Thomas]

Does seem that George has a point : Scotland could well be being used as a political pawn. I'm surprised Spain are funding it for us ? perhaps we should try Ireland or Greece ?

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12803/772/ Article from Last month.

Players should be free to go provided CS approve it. Anyone with strong moral concerns either way should raise it with CS rather than the players.

You will not get 100% either way but its better that issues are raised so that informed choices are made.

Ironic that this thread was started to discuss the European club cup held is Bilbao.

Since Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque region I'd like to ask the players if, before they chose to attend, they considered the possible political ramifications of their decision to compete.

Or did they follow the logic that I would have used.

Safe part of the world - tick.
Easy and cheap to get to - tick
Want to play - tick
No further questions.

[Derek Howie]

From the CS homepage...

Basque International Chess Festival, 29 November (added Oct 2, 2014)

Chess Scotland have accepted an invitation to play the Basque Chess Federation on Saturday 29 November 2014 in Azkoitia, Spain. Teams will consist of 4 male and 2 female players. It is expected that the Basque Chess Federation will meet costs.

Players who wish to be available for selection should contact Andrew Muir by midnight Saturday 11 October.

Can Andy M please publish a link to the details of this event and clarify the total costs involved (if any) to ChessScotland .

Why have we accepted when the costs are unknown? Should we not have established the exact costs before accepting, rather than going with only an expectation?

Has this potentially committed CS to expenditure just to promote the political ideals of certain CS directors?

Should CS not stay out of politics?

[Phil Thomas]

Derek,

it was established at the agm in August that no directors had overspent their budget - including the year 2013-2014 for which accounts were soon to be published. Unless we have have information to the contrary we can only assume that the management board and finance director are continuing to comply with that policy.

I reckon it was an error for Andy Muir to post on this notice board pointing out the political connotations which might be picked up by a journalist. The response was predictable. However if there are good chess based reasons then it would be acceptable to send a team.

As has been said a few times before - and not just by me- Directors are appointed to direct. They account for themselves
At the agm in person.
On the website with their annual report.
In the CS accounts retrospectively for their budgetary control.
With the finance director in real time for any budgetary overspend.



Andy (Muir)
The real question is
How will the team be selected?

[amuir]

Robin, The Basque Federation does not have a website and they have offered to pay costs.
I could ask them to transfer funds upfront now. Should I do this ?

Derek, I argue that we are staying out of politics by only playing chess. You could argue that sending teams to Olympiads in Russia, the Philippines, Norway and to Bilbao for the club cup are all political in some way, but then we would never play any international matches if we took that line. A country always organises a tournament for some reason. Even the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games in Scotland this year could be construed as political too.

Phil, team will be chosen by selectors.

[robin moore]

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This link could be helpful but it does not appear to mention the event. I have no strong views on any possible politics involved. If the Basque federation are picking up the tab for everything I don't see why we shouldn't go for it.

[Patrick McGovern]

I agree with Robin and (unusually) Phil.