16-07-2019, 09:55 AM
I would like to put on record my thanks to those Scottish chess players who answered my questions yesterday about Scottish Championship eligibility. I was researching a possible article on the issue of the 2019 Championship outcome for Chessbase.com, but decided ultimately not to go ahead with publication.
I felt it would reflect negatively on Scottish chess, which was not my intention, and harm Scottish chess players, for whom I have the greatest affection and among whom I have many great friends.
I am, however, extremely critical about the lack of information and clarity about who is eligible to compete for the Scottish Champion title, as I felt very bad for Colin McNab, a dear friend of mine, who clearly thought that Matt Turner was not eligible and therefore took a very quick draw, foregoing any attempt to play for first prize.
Not only were there no clear notices on display at the tournament hall about who was and was not eligible, but the 4-word phrase in the entry form ('satisfying Scottish nationality (SCO)') seems to me extremely ambiguous. There is also no information about the 'Scottish Championship Entry Rules' on the 'Information' page on the Chess Scotland website: https://www.chessscotland.com/information/rules/
Tournament Director Alex McFarlane seems to think that phrase was sufficient to inform everyone, but given what I am now learning about the somewhat confusing history of the requirements to play for Scottish teams and to be eligible for SCO affiliation with FIDE, it is perhaps not surprising that no players in the tournament (including even Matt Turner) appeared to know that he was in fact eligible for the Scottish title. Matt told me himself in an email yesterday that the first time he heard he was eligible to win the title was when Jonathan Grant mentioned it to him half an hour before the prizegiving.
I am, of course, purely a disinterested (but sympathetic) outsider, but I do hope Chess Scotland manages to get its information out there properly and clearly in future.
A good start would be a simple apology and putting those 'Scottish Championship Entry Rules' up on the website!
I would particularly like to thank Chess Scotland President Jim Webster for taking the time to talk personally to me (off the record) by phone yesterday. His thoughtful comments, and promise that any problems will be rectified for next year, have gone a long way to satisfy me that the situation will be resolved.
And I do hope to play again in the Scottish International Open if the organisers will have me
I felt it would reflect negatively on Scottish chess, which was not my intention, and harm Scottish chess players, for whom I have the greatest affection and among whom I have many great friends.
I am, however, extremely critical about the lack of information and clarity about who is eligible to compete for the Scottish Champion title, as I felt very bad for Colin McNab, a dear friend of mine, who clearly thought that Matt Turner was not eligible and therefore took a very quick draw, foregoing any attempt to play for first prize.
Not only were there no clear notices on display at the tournament hall about who was and was not eligible, but the 4-word phrase in the entry form ('satisfying Scottish nationality (SCO)') seems to me extremely ambiguous. There is also no information about the 'Scottish Championship Entry Rules' on the 'Information' page on the Chess Scotland website: https://www.chessscotland.com/information/rules/
Tournament Director Alex McFarlane seems to think that phrase was sufficient to inform everyone, but given what I am now learning about the somewhat confusing history of the requirements to play for Scottish teams and to be eligible for SCO affiliation with FIDE, it is perhaps not surprising that no players in the tournament (including even Matt Turner) appeared to know that he was in fact eligible for the Scottish title. Matt told me himself in an email yesterday that the first time he heard he was eligible to win the title was when Jonathan Grant mentioned it to him half an hour before the prizegiving.
I am, of course, purely a disinterested (but sympathetic) outsider, but I do hope Chess Scotland manages to get its information out there properly and clearly in future.
A good start would be a simple apology and putting those 'Scottish Championship Entry Rules' up on the website!
I would particularly like to thank Chess Scotland President Jim Webster for taking the time to talk personally to me (off the record) by phone yesterday. His thoughtful comments, and promise that any problems will be rectified for next year, have gone a long way to satisfy me that the situation will be resolved.
And I do hope to play again in the Scottish International Open if the organisers will have me