31-08-2013, 04:31 PM
In the past these tournaments have been restricted to one player per CS-member club, and there has been no requirement for the individuals to be members of Chess Scotland.
If the tournaments are opened to all members of CS-member clubs (without limit of numbers), it would seem reasonable to continue without a requirement for the players to be individual members of CS.
But if the tournaments are opened to all players, regardless of club membership, then there is a case for restricting entry to individual CS members. I am not saying there should be such a restriction, but if the tournaments are being run by CS it would seem reasonable to restrict the benefit to CS members (like the Grand Prix and the Scottish Championships). In that case I would, however, argue that juniors up to age 11 (at least) should not need to be CS members to take part.
In essence, we are talking about new tournaments, rather than about the MacIsaac and the Nancy Elder as they were envisaged and as they used to be. But if no new approach is tried, the tournaments will die and their names will disappear into history. At least by trying something new we may be able to preserve them and thereby continue to honour the memory of the people whose work they commemorate.
If the tournaments are opened to all members of CS-member clubs (without limit of numbers), it would seem reasonable to continue without a requirement for the players to be individual members of CS.
But if the tournaments are opened to all players, regardless of club membership, then there is a case for restricting entry to individual CS members. I am not saying there should be such a restriction, but if the tournaments are being run by CS it would seem reasonable to restrict the benefit to CS members (like the Grand Prix and the Scottish Championships). In that case I would, however, argue that juniors up to age 11 (at least) should not need to be CS members to take part.
In essence, we are talking about new tournaments, rather than about the MacIsaac and the Nancy Elder as they were envisaged and as they used to be. But if no new approach is tried, the tournaments will die and their names will disappear into history. At least by trying something new we may be able to preserve them and thereby continue to honour the memory of the people whose work they commemorate.