26-03-2022, 11:55 PM
(24-03-2022, 08:35 AM)Matthew Turner Wrote: I have followed this thread, but not been actively involved. Many of arguments have been rehearsed at length and people are welcome to trawl through the information out there if they so wish.
It is up to Chess Scotland and our members to determine the eligibility criteria and I've never requested or campaigned for any changes.
I am either eligible or not and I fully accept the decision that members come to. I appreciate Andy Muir's attempt to find a halfway house solution, but that doesn't seem to help 'continuity' and be in the longer terms interests of Scottish Chess. So, I would not be playing under that arrangement.
Alan Tate has been in contact with me, firstly alerting me to this thread! and then more latterly on the logistical impacts of a positive vote on motion 2 (that is not presume anything, but merely to plan for all eventualities). Whilst those conversations are private, Alan did ask me to clarify a previous comment and for those not au fait with previous discussions I will restate that here "Irrespective of eligibility, I will only play with the support of the rest of the team"
The last decade has, in my opinion, seen Scottish Chess and particularly Scottish Junior Chess regress. I had hoped by this point we'd be discussing whether I was good enough to represent Scotland rather than Scottish enough. I hope we won't be returning to the same arguments in another decade.
I will continue to follow this thread, but I am not intending to comment on a regular basis. If someone would like a particular point clarifying then you are of course most welcome to message me.
Matthew, I'm not sure how your views on Scottish Junior Chess relates to the rest of the thread conversation. Some of us have been working hard in the area of bringing on Scottish juniors and have seen some really good juniors coming through in the past few years.