Eligibility Votes - March 2022

[ruairidhmckay]

I decided that as these votes draw to a close, I would post some thoughts before the results were announced.

Firstly, in the overall scheme of things these votes are not very important, but I think the discussion and this forum more generally demonstrate some of the challenges facing Scottish Chess.

Since last time I visited Scotland, I have played many events in Ireland, some designed to get norms for aspiring Irish talents (even those born outside the Emerald Isle), some with lavish sponsorship, all organised with passion and enthusiasm.  Only last week, I was talking to a senior Irish official about plans for a major project in 2024.

I have also been involved (albeit in a fairly small way) in innovative plans for junior development in England.

This isn’t because I am somehow less committed to Scottish Chess, but like everyone else I have limited time and I want my efforts to have an impact.

I work with Andy Howie on a fairly regular basis for the benefit of chess in general, but not particularly Scottish Chess.  Back in 2011 there were a bunch of young Scottish chess players coming through organizing events and developing innovative ideas for chess development – where are they now.  

We have to recognize that the situation that exists in Scottish Chess at the moment in not conducive to developing our game and those with drive and enthusiasm to fuel our game going forward are pushed to look elsewhere.

I abstained on motion 1.  I want to back CS management and move on, but fundamentally I think it is wrong to put eligibility criteria in the constitution.  We have tied ourself in knots here and this risks hobbling a future organization.  Good luck dealing with our first trans competitors.

I voted yes on motion 2.  This is primarily for three reasons
1. Irrespective of the merits of this case, it sets a tone that we are an inclusive, welcoming organization  
2. It is not the case that I will deprive a hard working Scottish player of a place in the team.  That is simply not the reality; In the modern world it is difficult to take two and a half weeks out of your life to play an Olympiad (I have already ruled myself out of competing this year). It is more a case of the International Director searching for players than players battling for places!  Yes, it true that there would be an issue about what is best for Scottish Chess if there was a choice between myself and Freddie Gordon, but there would also be an issue if there was a choice between Andy Muir and Freddie Gordon.  To my mind that is a selection issue not one of eligibility.
3. I have enjoyed competing at the (Open) Scottish Championships and I feel that has been beneficial for Scottish Chess.  If one day the Championships became closed, it seems both wrong and detrimental to Scottish Chess that I be excluded.

If you have got this far, you have obviously committed a fair amount of time to reading this!  So, I would request that you spend a little more time thinking about what you can do to help Scottish Chess to move forward.  It is little use reflecting on where things have gone wrong;  I hope we can now move to thinking about how thing can improve.  The key is we need a lot of people doing a bit!

Can you make your chess club’s Christmas blitz a fundraiser to help a local junior get coaching before they compete in a major championship?

Can you organize a rota so that someone takes a couple of boards to a local park each Saturday?

Do you know someone in the council you can ask about buying chess boards and books for the local library?

Can you get the best player in the club to do a simultaneous display at the local shopping centre?

If you have other ideas, please post them on the forum and hopefully other will take up the challenge.

Best wishes.

Matt.

Hi Matt,

As the last incumbent of the International Junior Director post for 2 years before stepping down, I note with concern Andy H's acknowledgement that a successor has still not been identified since I let Management Committee know in October that I would be stepping down at the end of December. It was my hope that stepping back at the time I did would give someone else plenty of time to bed in before the Glorney this summer. 

I would share Andy B's concerns about the above post but I am hopeful that it misrepresents you. Having been involved in various levels of junior chess in Scotland since 2012, I am aware of exactly who the different coaches and volunteers are for whom Scottish juniors owe a debt of gratitude to for their efforts at both grassroots and elite level over the last decade.

I agree that Ireland does get many things right in terms of its junior chess structure and there are indeed many things they do that we could aspire to. One of the key things that Ireland has that we don't have is a GM like Alex Baburin who seems to regularly commit himself across the year to the development of his own federation's top juniors. I acknowledge your presence at some of the pre-pandemic OTB Glorneys over the past 10 years but I am hopeful that the recent vote could be a step towards more constructive involvement from you across the year towards the development of Scottish juniors including a working relationship with Chess Scotland's junior directors Harry Marron and whoever eventually takes over from me. 

Ruairidh