Richardson and Spens 2013-14

[Adam Bremner]

If you were up to date with the discussion, FIDE have said that non-playing captains could be FIDE registered at 20 euros a head, problematic on it's own. Last year's Final fiasco has nothing to do with it.

I was up to date. What I was saying was that with no final expense from last year, that money was earmarked for the Richardson anyway, so could it not be used to help cover these costs?

[Andrew McHarg]

...or the Dingly Dell 'D' team.

I wonder if this is the team Andy Howie plays for.

[Andrew McHarg]

...a junior with a published grade of 1706 already has a live grade of 2053

Very impressive. I remember playing him the season before last and he was under 1300 then if I remember correctly - but he was clearly playing very much better than that.

[hamish olson]

Joe makes a fair point about rapidly improving juniors. At the moment a junior with a published grade of 1706 already has a live grade of 2053 and the season has not long started. Not sure how you would deal with something like that regarding board order.

I am very very much aware of this as I made a very generous contribution of 59 (!) points towards his 200 up rule occurring (he'd obviously have gotten it anyways).
Simplest solution to this is to get the rules to account for 200 up - being placed on bottom boards in team events because my start of season grade was 600 when my live grade was 1500 was a bit irritating for me anyways (doubt my opponents were too chuffed losing to a 600 either!).

[Alex McFarlane]

What I was saying was that with no final expense from last year, that money was earmarked for the Richardson anyway, so could it not be used to help cover these costs?

Adam,
The cost is only a small part of it. Chess Scotland would not be too happy to put forward unqualified people as National Arbiters. (Remember the trouble in England involving Gawain Jones in an event - he had a run in with an unqualified NA.)

Therefore each club would need to nominate a non-playing captain to attend a course. This person would then be unable to play in any part of the event (FIDE regulation) even if his team was a player short. If that Captain was unavailable for any round then a substitute would have to be found from those who had not already played.

The arrangements and pre-planning required for these circumstances makes it unlikely to be popular with clubs/

If the Richardson is to be FIDE rated the only practical way is to have a central venue. Even that requires one of the few licensed arbiters to be available.

[Clement Sreeves]

I must be missing something obvious, because I'm struggling to see why a 50/80 point rule with teams announced say, 24 hours in advance, would not work well.

[andyburnett]

Someone who has a bigger database/better chess engine/more money/more time/highly graded friend has more advantage in preparation. Is this fair ?
Should football teams have to be named 24 hours before a match ?
Same sex marriage - everyone had a vote - majority don't want it - all parties want it - will become law - is it democratic ?
Andy B played since 1901 - oldest man in Britain ?

More random thoughts

Those aren't things that can be legislated for in the rules though, are they? By that reasoning we wouldn't have competitive anything!

Don't really watch or care about football, but it's hardly the same thing is it? 'Ooooh, that Wayne Rooney Beckham Lineker guy is playing! We'll practice defending against free-kicks and poaching!'

When exactly did you vote on same-sex marriage laws Andy? Of course, there never should be a need for such a vote - it should be a universal human right.

"As it stands I think an abstention is fair"

Not sure what you mean Andy, by saying an abstention is fair - but anyway it’s not what happened; as the EW captain allowed Craig’s selection from the multiple choice (that didn't include the best choice a la Hamish, I think we may be in agreement there) to go forward knowing that Andy Muir was going to count it as representing the EW position, it therefore was the EW position in the captains vote. Slightly unusual perhaps, but Andy was just trying to get the vote completed. In your ‘Castlehill’ example, are you making a point about EW or the actual Castlehill vote? I don’t know anything about how Castlehill voted. Agreed, irregularities in voting can cause problems and should be avoided, but not worth a fuss over this issue in my view, when we can always try and get it right next year. Anyway with any luck I’m out of this one until April next year - I hope you do play (so that you can increase your ‘say’ in things :-) ) Cheers

Sorry Walter, I must have misunderstood your previous post. If Ed. West were OK with Craig's view alone being considered and counted, then it ought to have been counted. Not ideal, but these things rarely are.
I don't know anything about the Castlehill vote either, I was just using it as a hypothetical scenario - apologies if this wasn't clear.

Guess which team holds the trumps this year ? Dragons
Tate 2276, Burnett 2248, Bathie 2227, Orr 2212 , Minnican 2204.
If its Dragons v Hamilton poor Joe Redpath has to prepare for four different players. However I'm sure he'll do his best and play a good game anyway.

Yet again you are completely missing the point Andy - why should ANY team hold the trumps?

[amuir]

Clement/Andy B/others : regarding FIDE rated & board order:
Please propose/suggest at an AGM for next year, perhaps from Edinburgh or Dragons Chess Clubs.

I still think Edinburgh organising their own FIDE rated/fixed pairings/9 round tournament would top any Richardson proposals. I got my rating/title from these tournaments, not Richardson.

Many good thoughts but this years rules are now set. Keith and I have spent a lot of time already.

[PatCoffey]

There is a practical issue with submitting team lists before the match which is what happens if there is a withdrawal?

What are the sanctions...would the team default the board? (not fair to anyone).

I think in one Richardson final we had a same day withdrawal through illness from our would be B1 and the team had to all move up a board...this is fine and a sub was pulled in for B8 (800+points lower rated than our would be B1) but in an event with team sheets submitted 24 hrs in advance we could have been accussed of skulduggery despite the fact that the team had been seriously weakened.

The Richardson is a nice but amateur event and really should be played in the spirit of a friendly competition....which has simply not always been the case.

Why not be innovative and play the Richardson event as a tribute to the late world champ and just all play Fischer Random....its still chess and preparation is now out of the window.

[Keith Rose]

Drawn at Dundee & Angus Congress, 12 October:

Richardson Cup 2013-14

Prelim 1 Castlehill vs. Cathcart

Prelim 2 Dundee vs. Glasgow Polytechnic

Qrtr 1 Dundee or Glasgow Polytechnic vs. Edinburgh

Qrtr 2 Oban vs. Wandering Dragons

Qrtr 3 Bon Accord vs. Castlehill or Cathcart

Qrtr 4 Edinburgh West vs. Hamilton


Spens Cup 2013-14

Qrtr 1 Irvine vs. Kilmarnock B

Qrtr 2 Edinburgh Civil Service vs. Kilmarnock

Qrtr 3 Hamilton vs. Dunbar

Qrtr 4 Phones vs. Troon


Drawn by Mike Roth