22-11-2012, 10:19 PM
Personally I don't really like playing on digital boards (I was gutted when I got a digital board in first two rounds of SNCL :\), although I'm kind of resigned to it being way of the future and at least from spectator's viewpoint I can see how it's beneficial so maybe in 5 to 10 years time it will be no different to digital clocks that are now regularly used instead of old analogue ones. I suspect one of the problems at least from my perspective is that as chess sets are a slightly different model to ones used universally in chess clubs throughout scotland that I find piece recognition a bit awkward and pieces aren't as familiar as I'm used to.
I've also seen some people mention that it's an honour to play on digital boards. Logically it would seem that best solution that should keep everyone happy is to ensure that people who consider it an honour to play on digital boards do so while people who want to avoid them don't have to play on them. This means that for example in case of Oban congress simplest solution would have been to switch board 1 and board 5 so you would have boards 2-5 broadcast and board 1 with person who didn't want a digital board not having it.
Of course problem is that organisers rarely know in advance if someone will refuse to play on a digital board and inherent problem isn't refusal itself but rather short notice. Solution to that is simply to have a digital opt out box in entry form so let's say you get a standard congress you get let's say a £20 entry fee, £2 CS/junior etc discount and then a £2 fee to be guaranteed not to play on a digital board. When draw is made cards with scores can have a red sticker to indicate opt out and top x boards with both players willing to play on digital boards play on them. I'm all for top boards in every event being broadcast instead of just open. If organisers want titled players to play on digital boards they simply need to specify that free entry for titled players is only available if they do not opt out. Irony is that with that solution you could potentially fund digital boards for congresses from players who don't want to use them.
I would also like to add that work everyone has done to raise money for sensory boards is a good thing for chess in scotland and that all the hard work is appreciated.
I've also seen some people mention that it's an honour to play on digital boards. Logically it would seem that best solution that should keep everyone happy is to ensure that people who consider it an honour to play on digital boards do so while people who want to avoid them don't have to play on them. This means that for example in case of Oban congress simplest solution would have been to switch board 1 and board 5 so you would have boards 2-5 broadcast and board 1 with person who didn't want a digital board not having it.
Of course problem is that organisers rarely know in advance if someone will refuse to play on a digital board and inherent problem isn't refusal itself but rather short notice. Solution to that is simply to have a digital opt out box in entry form so let's say you get a standard congress you get let's say a £20 entry fee, £2 CS/junior etc discount and then a £2 fee to be guaranteed not to play on a digital board. When draw is made cards with scores can have a red sticker to indicate opt out and top x boards with both players willing to play on digital boards play on them. I'm all for top boards in every event being broadcast instead of just open. If organisers want titled players to play on digital boards they simply need to specify that free entry for titled players is only available if they do not opt out. Irony is that with that solution you could potentially fund digital boards for congresses from players who don't want to use them.
I would also like to add that work everyone has done to raise money for sensory boards is a good thing for chess in scotland and that all the hard work is appreciated.