08-09-2016, 09:16 AM
Martin,
I want to be clear that I am advocating not grading events played by fellow classmates at school. These grades are built up by playing the same children continuously and often equate to hundreds of games. The grade is completely false and often artificially way too high.
If children play in organised NEJCA, LJC or CFK and similar events all sections should be graded as they are now. If children playing at school level wish to attain a grade the option is there to achieve one very quickly at these excellent events.
Let me tell you about something that happened while I was a selector (I still have the emails). The Liverpool Quadrangular selections had just been completed when I received an email from a very selfish local junior organiser telling me that all selectors should resign as they hadn't selected a child from his area. He had informed this child's father who was now in the process of taking out an injunction in order to stop ChessScotland competing in the event even though accommodation and transport had been paid for. This child had built up a completely false grade by simply playing against schoolmates but the father had been convinced by the local junior organiser that it was accurate. Thankfully, the father backed down and CS were able to attend the event.
Some time later this child was wrongly selected for a full international (I was no longer a selector). This child couldn't even write the moves down and was unclear on some rules. Needless to say this child was humiliated and lost every game, never to play chess again. I don't wish that situation ever to occur in the future.
I want to be clear that I am advocating not grading events played by fellow classmates at school. These grades are built up by playing the same children continuously and often equate to hundreds of games. The grade is completely false and often artificially way too high.
If children play in organised NEJCA, LJC or CFK and similar events all sections should be graded as they are now. If children playing at school level wish to attain a grade the option is there to achieve one very quickly at these excellent events.
Let me tell you about something that happened while I was a selector (I still have the emails). The Liverpool Quadrangular selections had just been completed when I received an email from a very selfish local junior organiser telling me that all selectors should resign as they hadn't selected a child from his area. He had informed this child's father who was now in the process of taking out an injunction in order to stop ChessScotland competing in the event even though accommodation and transport had been paid for. This child had built up a completely false grade by simply playing against schoolmates but the father had been convinced by the local junior organiser that it was accurate. Thankfully, the father backed down and CS were able to attend the event.
Some time later this child was wrongly selected for a full international (I was no longer a selector). This child couldn't even write the moves down and was unclear on some rules. Needless to say this child was humiliated and lost every game, never to play chess again. I don't wish that situation ever to occur in the future.