World Youth Championships

[robin moore]

On our last couple of days at Bulgaria at the Euroyouth, I had time to relax a bit and talk to the players and listen to their overall views of the tournament. Everyone said they had learned a great deal, felt they were better players and were sure they could improve on their score if given the same opportunity again. We are a small nation and don't get many chances to bring our best juniors together with a top coach ( like Alan Tate) apart from the main international events. We may have to think seriously (if finances allow !) about residential weekends, pre-world, pre-euro etc. Travelodges are cheap if you grab their bargains and we could set up training there for a couple of weekends prior to the events. The other possible is to use the Friday of weekend congresses. The organisers of the congress have to pay for the hall hire for Friday anyway, I am sure they won't mind a dozen or so juniors and a few adults descending on their venue for training especially if they will sort tables, chairs and put out chess-sets ! Besides, they will get most of them entering their congress. Thoughts please? (Especially congress organisers).

Robin.