Glenrothes Congress 2015

[Douglas Bryson]

The Glenrothes Congress organisers have indicated that the event is cancelled and will not take place this year. Last one took place in March 2014.

[George Neave]

Very disappointing. Weekend congresses in long term decline - in the East now we have only 3 opportunities a year: Edinburgh, Dundee & Lothians. Time to get a new hobby it seems

[RFRASER]

It may possibly be an idea for the organisers to ensure the event is taken from the calendar on the Chess Scotland home page. I recently took annual leave for this event, booked a hotel room and I would hate anyone else to make the same mistake.

[George Pyrich]

I'm sorry about this situation but I've already asked that notice be placed on the web site. Also I didn't realise that people booked accommodation so far in advance.

Unfortunately it's been necessary to cancel the congress as my wife and I are moving abroad. However, this would likely have been our last year anyway - put simply, the congress has been losing money annually for last 5 years or so - £400 last year alone (insufficient entries and very substantial price hikes by the cash-starved local authority). Indeed had it not been for the generosity of a local benefactor the congress would have folded some years ago.

Thanks to everyone who supported the congress over the 26 years it ran.

[PRoberts]

I'd like to thank George Pyrich, Walter Pearson and others who organised the Glenrothes Congress since the first event in 1989. For a time it was one of the few events which awarded 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw...I shall miss those spring days walking in the rain to and from the Lomond Centre and gaining inspiration from the statues of the hippos!

[George Neave]

I'd like to thank George Pyrich, Walter Pearson and others who organised the Glenrothes Congress since the first event in 1989. For a time it was one of the few events which awarded 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw...I shall miss those spring days walking in the rain to and from the Lomond Centre and gaining inspiration from the statues of the hippos!

Agreed on all points. Tragic to see it go. Truly the end of an era.

...I assume George and partner are joining a fellow former Glenrothes resident and are off to Slovakia where you can play IMs every weekend and where it takes just 6 weeks to make FM I am so jealous!

[Alex Gillies]

We can't keep losing these key congresses

Thanks george etc for your efforts - difficult shoes to fill

[Jonathan Livingstone]

I'd like to thank George Pyrich, Walter Pearson and others who organised the Glenrothes Congress since the first event in 1989. For a time it was one of the few events which awarded 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw...I shall miss those spring days walking in the rain to and from the Lomond Centre and gaining inspiration from the statues of the hippos!

I also have fond memories of Glenrothes going way back to being a chess playing kid. Other than the chess, the Lomond Centre's arcade machine Toki (a fire breathing ape), which we all formed a queue to play and the football matches outside leave happy memories. Murad's fantastic win last year was a highlight in itself. It was very simple, no fuss, efficient tournament last year, every round started bang on time. Great job George - thankyou and best wishes for your new life abroad! Hopefully someone will pick it up for future seasons, I'd like to go back to Glenrothes.



Will also echo George N's comment, on the lack of congresses in the South-East being a worry. However I would only say we only have 2 congresses in the Edinburgh & Dundee as Lothian's (a fine event) is a 1-day allegro. Even Dundee is pushing it to describe it as local for some of us. We might need another one of those CS working groups to be tasked with kick starting tournament life in our area.

[Jonathan Livingstone]

Correction to my above post, as have realised we do have the 3 events if we include Dundee, as I have got confused by the weekends Westerhailes Allegro which is of course a different event to the Lothian's at Westerhailes which is a weekender.

[steve smith]

I'd like to thank George Pyrich, Walter Pearson and others who organised the Glenrothes Congress since the first event in 1989. For a time it was one of the few events which awarded 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw...I shall miss those spring days walking in the rain to and from the Lomond Centre and gaining inspiration from the statues of the hippos!

I'd like to add my thanks to George, Walter and the others. I've attended the majority of the congresses at the Lomond Centre and shall greatly miss chess weekends in my native Fife.

Best wishes to George in your new environment.