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Interesting post Gary on what is already a very good thread.
I wish to comment on one aspect of your post, namely that we might be able to attract players to play Fide events in Scottish congresses. If you mean folks from the British Isles, possibly some interest might be generated. If you mean folks outwith these islands, I would say definitely not as the accommodation costs are far higher than say an event in Spain or the Czech Republic.
To give you an example, I played in a nine round Fide event in Mallorca in May. The accommodation was in a three star hotel which cost 25 euros per night all-inclusive sharing a twin room. Scottish events can't compete on price against that.
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I think we could attract both from the rest of the UK and from Europe Robin. Weekend events wouldn't be that much more expensive for our friends across the channel accommodation wise and with a falling pound things will be getting even cheaper for them to come and sample the Scottish chess scene. We would also be targeting the short stay market, which I feel will be more accepting of higher costs.
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very interesting sentiments Gary and I agree with what you say and you and I have had several conversations about what can be done. The choice between Perth and Grangemouth will be down to cost and possible sponsorship.
I also agree with the comments about reinvigorating the game here and many individuals are both inside and out of CS are doing their thing up and down the country As home director my focus must be primarily for CS and its events and initiatives...
As I've said before and I'll say it again money and marketing are the basic pillars we have to get right here and CS are endeavouring to work in these areas. The current success enjoyed by GB in the Rio Olympics can be tracked backed massive lottery funding many years ago. We only need a miniscule percentage of that pipeline to get us up and running.
To paraphrase a leading marketer I spoke to recently , we have a story to tell (sell?) and that is a good starting point. It's not doom and gloom by any means, we just have to work a bit harder.
Online chess btw is on the up and very successful, even in tiny Scotland. We have markets to plunder and on OTB chess we need to persuade people to go to our local clubs and to our congresses, and if that means the carrot is a FIDE rating then so be it. Our junior players need a bit of incentive to get stronger without having to travel abroad. Dispite its reputation sometimes, chess can be a very sociable pastime; Csn't we sell that?
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Jim Webster Wrote:robin moore Wrote:To give you an example, I played in a nine round Fide event in Mallorca in May. The accommodation was in a three star hotel which cost 25 euros per night all-inclusive sharing a twin room. Scottish events can't compete on price against that.
I'm not too sure that 25euros/night is all that typical for accommodation when playing overseas.
Playing in official FIDE tournaments is quite a bit more expensive than 'ordinary' tournaments.
Some of us "oldies" are going to Czech Republic to play in the World Seniors and the hotel cost, for all 4 hotels on offer, is 70 euros/night, and it's an 11 round event with 1 rest day in the middle.
Having said that I also play in Jersey at the beginning of April and that costs £51.00/night half board. This is a 9 round FIDE rated event, played over 8 days.
Jim, if you play in a championship Fide event like the World Seniors you have to stay in the "official" hotel where it is a complete rip off on the accommodation front. If you play in the example I quoted the hotel choice is your own.
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listen guys, we all have the best interests of chess in Scotland at heart, why don't we meet up before the AGM and have an unofficial pow wow and see what can be done? Have an unofficial home board committee meeting and thrash out some ideas. Lets do something about it
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It's not the CS tournaments that are contentious though? It's the congresses, which aren't run by CS. The rapid play I doubt anyone cares and the Fide rating of the Richardson gets voted on by the captains. No one objects to the Scottish being Fide rated and I am struggling to think of another tournament run by CS so I think Ian's response is pretty decent.
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