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(04-07-2020, 10:51 AM)Alex McFarlane Wrote: Hi George,
I cannot answer for Dundee but the events I'm involved with organising before the end of the year are uncertain for a number of reasons.
a) Assuming the venue is open can proper cleaning take place between rounds?
b) What social distancing will apply? Even a one metre space would mean some venues are not financially viable.
c) Will accommodation be available for the players?
d) Will enough players enter?
Taking Scarborough as an example. Even the smallest social distancing figures in use currently anywhere would half the entry. That would mean a four figure loss.
Assuming the venue will allow normal entry numbers, how many will actually turn up? Many players are in the vulnerable category. Even those that aren't may struggle to find hotel/B&B accommodation.
Another factor is the venue. Some are now looking for confirmation of provisional bookings. Are organisers willing to commit to that expense without being certain. The easier/safer option is to pull the plug.
Scarborough is monitoring the situation on a day to day basis. We still hope it will happen!
I was hoping to play. Accomodation might be a problem. Last time I looked no one was doing breakfast even travelodge which usually does unlimited breakfast buffet in the price. I usually go by train but would probably drive unless they change the trains so that windows open because indoors is not a problem if there is good ventilation (Florence Nightingale discovered this a long time ago.) That means I would lke to stay somewhere on top of the cliffs because parking is free and available there but last time I looked the cliff path and the cliff lift were closed. As to the venue - probably nothing else on so maybe more space would be available - including outside space. Don't fancy wearing a mask especially if venue is overheated as it usually is but I might consider a visor like doctors and nurses wear: we were told at the start that wearing masks did not help but then again we were told a lot of things that were not true. I live in hope.
Good sense is of all things in the world the most equally distributed, for everybody thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that even those most difficult to please do not commonly desire more of it than they already possess. Descartes
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Can we finish the 2019-20 Glasgow League ? I could play my opponent at my house
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I wonder how you do that as when you are visiting someone elses house you are supposed to socially distance. at 2m you wouldn't reach the other side of the board
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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Andy M , the decision has already been taken by the Glasgow Mann Comm to finish the season early. Even if you could play at home (and at the moment you cant ) you surely cant expect anyone to come to your house nor can the rest of your team be expected to play. Your team captain is stuck in Cyprus because of travel restrictions and I'm sure 16 team players dont want to play. Andy H is correct as well with the social distancing and delaying the guillotine for this season will only impact on future seasons. If you wish to play when why not play online with the several excellent tournaments already on the go , or help set up Paisley, as an online club like other Glasgow and Lanarkshire league clubs, then you can either play other clubs or play each other.
Trying to conclude the 2019-2020 season is simply not an option
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I don't think it's fair to award the 2019-20 Glasgow League title to Stepps or to relegate Polytechnic. How can we possibly start the 2020-21 season in these circumstances ?
They are currently playing OTB chess in Switzerland, Hungary, Iceland , NZ.
We have a very low death rate.
Lets play League & Richardson chess.
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I think we have seen from Spain what happens when we get a group of people indoors. They also had a low death rate and infection rate of late. We have a low death rate and a low infection rate, lets keep it that way for now and not take unnecessary risks so we can get back to some semblance of normality.
As it stand at the moment to have someone arbiting, they have to wear a mask all day at the tournament. You are going to struggle to find many that are going to do that for 10 hours a day
As for leagues etc, that is down to them as to how they finish. There is no right or wrong answer
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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Let me gaze into my crystal ball and see.
There has been a tournament in Austria that the competitors have caught Covid 19 at. Shows what happens when you go to early.
It is not just the hall we use. Everything has to be cleaned down after each round, this is not a minor undertaking.
Then you have the issue of finding arbiters who are willing to do the tournaments...
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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Jim's right , we need phase 4 in place before we (and the venues) can consider any type of OTB chess. ATM we can only learn from the few OTB tournaments abroad (e.g. Biel) and they could easily get into trouble themselves. The good news is that, in my opinion, if the current spikes are managed carefully , Phase 4 could be here by September or October so it can be reviewed then. Andy I know from your other post that you are worried about your membership but i'm sure it will be taken into consideration where we are with Covid-19. There's not much point in pushing this until its safer and clearer as to where we are.
I would suggest anyone wondering where we are should keep in touch with their regional league via their own chess clubs as steps are being taken by the regional leagues as to what may happen in the very near future.
Without Phase 4 in place there is no way we can have any OTB chess (again my own personal opinion)
