13-01-2014, 03:24 PM
SJC started running events in 2004 & they included the SJC Primary Team. Yes CS were also running their own event but the two organisations ran it with slightly different formats.
CS held heats in schools during the school day. The organisers travelled to the various areas to make this possible & the schools accommodated by one being the host in each area ie: Lothians, East Renfrewshire. The qualifiers from the heats then went onto play in the finals which were held in Paisley on a weekend.
SJC also initially ran heats in different areas but at a neutral venue & on a weekend. The finals were also held on a weekend & initially in Dunkeld.
In 2009 when SJC/CS combined to run the event as the SJC personel were also junior directors of Chess Scotland, just one finals day was held to enable all to enter. This was partly because some really good teams were getting knocked out at heat level as some areas like Lothians had numerous strong teams but based on ratios they were not all qualifying & yet in other areas all teams were relatively weaker & getting qualification. This seemed a much fairer way to run things.
This year will be SJC's 10th anniversary of running the event & intend to continue to run the one day event as they do not feel there is enough space on the calendar to revert back to regional heats, held at weekends. Obviously if CS decide to hold their own event again & revert back to holding heats in schools during the week it wouldn't impact the calendar.
I think the main point for all parents & children to note on any junior events is the branding & SJC clearly mark their events as SJC where as when we have combined events in the past they have been double branded to show that it is also Chess Scotland.
There are two sets of Primary Team & P5 & under shields. One set is marked Chess Scotland & the other SJC.
CS held heats in schools during the school day. The organisers travelled to the various areas to make this possible & the schools accommodated by one being the host in each area ie: Lothians, East Renfrewshire. The qualifiers from the heats then went onto play in the finals which were held in Paisley on a weekend.
SJC also initially ran heats in different areas but at a neutral venue & on a weekend. The finals were also held on a weekend & initially in Dunkeld.
In 2009 when SJC/CS combined to run the event as the SJC personel were also junior directors of Chess Scotland, just one finals day was held to enable all to enter. This was partly because some really good teams were getting knocked out at heat level as some areas like Lothians had numerous strong teams but based on ratios they were not all qualifying & yet in other areas all teams were relatively weaker & getting qualification. This seemed a much fairer way to run things.
This year will be SJC's 10th anniversary of running the event & intend to continue to run the one day event as they do not feel there is enough space on the calendar to revert back to regional heats, held at weekends. Obviously if CS decide to hold their own event again & revert back to holding heats in schools during the week it wouldn't impact the calendar.
I think the main point for all parents & children to note on any junior events is the branding & SJC clearly mark their events as SJC where as when we have combined events in the past they have been double branded to show that it is also Chess Scotland.
There are two sets of Primary Team & P5 & under shields. One set is marked Chess Scotland & the other SJC.