17-03-2016, 02:40 PM
Andrew McHarg Wrote:Having played in Blackpool at the weekend I can't say I found the table height to be a problem. And it would appear they were fine for the vast majority of the other players as well (even the juniors). It would seem disproportionate and unworkable to expect tournament organisers to ensure all their tables are 74cm high; running events is already expensive and tricky enough without added silliness like that. Do we even know for sure that the tables at Blackpool weren't 74cm high?I think that I must correct a wrong impression. I am not complaining about Blackpool or any other congress. All events need to work with what they are given. Your suggestion of a cushion is a good one, and I thank you for it: if only I could make space for it but I really have no more room. When travelling by train I find it best to use the overhead luggage rack but it is not very big so only small luggage is possible. I do need to make sure that I will be allowed to stand if this is the only way I can see the board properly - without gamesmanship by my opponents. On that score too I have no complaints about Blackpool. If I have any complaints it would be about the behaviour of my opponent in a league match in Edinburgh at Pentland Hills Chess club - even this might not have been deliberate. Also I expect (but it might not be the case) that everyone who is happy with the height of the tables is taller than me (I am 5' 7"). What I really looking for are real practical suggestions to deal with the problem. I only mentioned the FIDE standard to show that it is not unreasonable to have a problem with a height out of line with the standard.
Maybe you should make space for a cushion in your luggage Donald?
Good sense is of all things in the world the most equally distributed, for everybody thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that even those most difficult to please do not commonly desire more of it than they already possess. Descartes