Next Lothian Junior Chess Event

[Andy Howie]

I don't think anyone has tried that one yet!

[andyburnett]

Is the calendar so full that this couldn't have been foreseen or avoided?

Perhaps the adult involved in organising the junior team should be 'sanctioned', but the kids themselves should not be punished for this. Mike , were you aware that some of the kids playing your event had already been committed to playing the SNCL? This kind of silliness really needs to stop...

[PShafi]

Is the calendar so full that this couldn't have been foreseen or avoided?

Perhaps the adult involved in organising the junior team should be 'sanctioned', but the kids themselves should not be punished for this. Mike , were you aware that some of the kids playing your event had already been committed to playing the SNCL? This kind of silliness really needs to stop...

Also, according to the NEJCA website, the NEJCA Keith Hoban junior event has been switched the 28th too. many of the Aberdeen and Dundee top ranked juniors play in this event.

Now it clashes with the SNCL which is a shame.

[Mike Scott]

No I had no idea that so many junior teams were involved and I am sure that the LJC were not aware of it either when the date was set.

Look I agree that it is unfortunate that there is a clash but to be honest when the dates are chosen and the venues booked many months in advance there was no reason to think that the players that typically attend the LJC events would consider playing in the SNCL. I assumed after Harry's original comment that the players involved in the first league day would not be joining us.

Speaking personally I would have encouraged the players & teams that played in the SNCL to live up to their commitments. I would not want to be organizing an event that results in problems for another.

[Jim Webster]

Is the calendar so full that this couldn't have been foreseen or avoided?

Also, according to the NEJCA website, the NEJCA Keith Hoban junior event has been switched the 28th too

Our next event at the Wester Hailes Education Centre is the "Lothian Junior Chess Championships" on Sunday 28th Feb

What I personally find strange is that the SNCL dates were announced as early as 25/10/2015 so surely these date conflicts should/could have been avoided by the relevant organisers.

[robin moore]

I believe I am correct in saying that the LJC events were added to their website on the 1st October.

[andyburnett]

No I had no idea that so many junior teams were involved and I am sure that the LJC were not aware of it either when the date was set.

Look I agree that it is unfortunate that there is a clash but to be honest when the dates are chosen and the venues booked many months in advance there was no reason to think that the players that typically attend the LJC events would consider playing in the SNCL. I assumed after Harry's original comment that the players involved in the first league day would not be joining us.

Speaking personally I would have encouraged the players & teams that played in the SNCL to live up to their commitments. I would not want to be organizing an event that results in problems for another.

Hi Mike, thanks for replying There has to be some of preventing this kind of thing in the future, but to be honest on this occasion it has to come down to the SNCL junior team's organisers/captain, and or parents of the children involved, allowing them to cancel one while attending the other

[David G Congalton]

The organisers of junior tournaments throughout Scotland deserve praise and encouragement not sanctions and scoldings. I think that what LJC have got rolling is fantastic and I intend to have a look for myself on Sunday once I've fulfilled my obligation to drop equipment off at SNCL.

The junior players who came to the rescue for the last two rounds of SNCL by answering the call and putting together a team deserve praise and encouragement too. They did not play in rounds 1 to 4 and only entered 5 and 6 to make up numbers. Yes, it would have been nice if they could have played in the last round but given the choice of a fun day with loads of other kids or a fun day with not so many kids and less games it's unsurprising that they've chosen the LJC event.

The SNCL is a fantastic event, well run and enjoyed by all who take part but it is pitched at players who you would not normally expect to play in a junior event. As Mike points out it has been an unexpected plus that some of the kids whom the LJC events are pitched at have felt that they would like to have a go at a couple of SNCL matches. The kids who have taken part so far at the lower levels have probably enjoyed the experience and hopefully gained something from it but to force them to take part in an event they were only filling in in, is wrong for so many reasons.

I have no problems with junior and "adult" events clashing. I view it as positive for the future that there are so many junior events being arranged and would hope that other areas, including my home County area, can develop similar successful kids events over the coming years. If we have kids playing every weekend throughout Scotland then the future of SNCL will also be secure and those like me who enjoy the SNCL set up will have someone to get beat by for many years to come.

[Mike Scott]

Jim said

SNCL dates were announced as early as 25/10/2015

Sorry but our event was certainly booked and I believe announced before that so those blaming LJC for clash should perhaps think again?

To repeat myself and other members of the committee who play in the SNCL do not see it as a real clash as David said. The reality of selecting a date that is free of other events that may not even be on the calendar when rooms are booked and which enough helpers can commit to is not as easy as many think. For example had the event been moved back a week it would have clashed with the Perth Congress.

I note David's comments about the role of the junior teams and the fact that they only played in the last weekend and did so to make up numbers? Is that the case? If so to complain about our event seems churlish, especially if it was in the calendar first!

[Jim Webster]

Sorry but our event was certainly booked and I believe announced before that so those blaming LJC for clash should perhaps think again?

When I posted the earlier comment I could not find the posting date of the LJC event so let me clear some thing up. It's not about whose fixture was posted first, second or even last - it should all be about exposing as many players as possible, young and old, to competitive chess outside of the club environment. There is room for all (unfortunately) and I would far rather see an abundance of events for all rather than too few.

I am not blaming anyone for date clashes, I simply don't understand why this subject is coming to the fore now when dates are posted so far in advance.

The organisers of junior tournaments throughout Scotland deserve praise and encouragement not sanctions and scoldings. I think that what LJC have got rolling is fantastic

I wholeheartedly agree with David's comment and would also like to say WELL DONE.

This coming weekend at the SNCL there is a new team stepping in to fill a void and as a result there should be no default fixtures and, by the way also bringing another 2 or 3 juniors into team chess.