Chess Scotland Noticeboard

robin moore · King Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 164

Thought it might be nice to open a fun topic about which congresses/events we like and why we enjoy them so much. So I will go first in no fancy order or category...

Best home baking... Ayrshire individual at Troon, Stewarton allegro.

Best hot rolls....Grangemouth

Best hot meals....Marymass

Best transport links....Prestwick

Best regularish venue....Oban

Best one-off venue...Edinburgh city chambers, Kelvingrove, Scone airport.

Best parking....Glenrothes

No doubt guys from the East side of our country would like to contribute !

DGCongalton · Queen Joined: 07 Nov 2010 Posts: 113

I think I played every congress last season and I enjoyed every one. Maybe I'm wrong but I really don't think there's much wrong with the Scottish congress circuit at all. Sure, some are two days and some are three, some have one, two or three sections some have four or more. Some in church halls, some in very nice hotels. Some with large entries where you can meet everyone, some with small entries where you get to know everyone (and get some free tuition thrown in).

It's that variety that's the spice.

August - Marymass and the annual rush to get my car out before the police block the short route for the Marymass parade. Just made it this year under the watchful gaze of two motorcycle cops.

September - Grangemouth. The Town Hall. Stay the other side of the Forth and drive over the Kincardine Bridge. Never been over it before. Like it. So drive back over and back again. Breakfast at the canteen in the morning and then after lunch Bernard Cassidy finsihing off his cream cake before shaking my hand at the commencement of the game, going on to destroy my carefully crafted game plan and spoiling my perfect score. Full of flu on the Sunday, playing scary chess against Kai Pannwitz, being taught a lesson by someone who wasn't born when there was that big hoo-ha about the millenium and finishing on 2 out of 5, having been 2 out of 2 after oh, two rounds (maths was one of my strong subjects at school, honest).

October - Dundee. An extra day off work. Travel up on the Thursday, so I'm fully fresh to do battle. Driving over the Tay bridge for the first time. Enjoying it so much, I went straight back over and back again. Hardto take in the views with the cones and the barriers and those other pesky cars. Fully fresh on the Friday night, losing to Declan Shafi, who's even younger than Kai (I think, they both have trouble seeing over the table at an adult congress Smile

) Declan announcing across the playing area "Dad, I won". Me sinking below the table as all turn round to see who's on the receiving end of this announcement. Staying in a different hotel every night to get the best rate. Recovering from the round 1 defeat to score 4 out of 5 and finish 3rd equal. Being slighly embarrased about collecting my prize as one of the other joint third's donated his prize to charity. Hey, I had fuel costs. Driving home quite happy on the Monday (Yep, stayed an extra night in another hotel).

November - Glasgow. Used to go to the Kelvin Hall when I was wee (a long, long time ago) for the carnival and the circus. Always remember the ping-pong balls in the clowns mouths. One my first game, so no clown comments. Had a look at the indoor athletics arena, thought about running round the track but didn't want thrown out and besides I wasn't wearing a shellsuit. Day two - found a short cut over the squinty bridge. Had never been over that before, liked it so much I went back over it and back again. Kelvingrove museum - totally surreal. Fantastic venue. I have no problem concentrating with a bit of background noise. I can thank my work for that. Play a few moves, have a wander round the exhibits. Take care not to stray into the Egyptian section - brings back memories of madness in Cairo. Don't ask but I have Egyptian resident stamped on my passport! Organ music at half-time - quite bizarre.

December - Snow and Ice stop play. Withdrawal symptons being suffered. Decide to organise Prestwick. The devil and idle hands.

January - Lothians. Set off in perfect conditions on the Friday evening. Slight snowfall by Kilmarnock. Have to stop just East of Glasgow to clear windscreen of snow and ice and salt cause scooshies are frozen and I'm having a little problem seeing where the bejezus I'm going. Must play chess! Have to play chess! Get to Livingston hotel slightly behind schedule. Snow is rather deep. Still deep next morning but Mway is clear. It's a weekend of draws but it's good to be back. We minor players are priviledged, perfect playing conditions, plenty of space.

February - Hamilton - In Airdrie. My internal compass goes awry. Problems locating the venue (should I invest in Sat-Nav). Find the right street but the one-way system takes me away from it. Noooo! Drive up, across, down, across and come out where I started. Nooo! Cakes and doughnuts - if you're quick. Filled rolls for breakfast at reasonable prices. 3 out of 5 but who cares. It's the taking part and Daniel Deary still hasn't beaten me. Dark by time head home on the Sunday. Miss a turning and I know I'm going the wrong way but surely they'll be a sign for the M8 soon. Not before the sign for West Lothian. Join the M8 near Livingston amd start heading back West. Well I like driving and what else would I be doing on a Sunday night.

March - Glenrothes. Internal compass fixed and a day off work just in case it goes wrong. Donald Wilson is outside the venue as I arrive. I wonder if he's there to welcome everybody personally. Spacious venue. Win my first game but get drwan against Bernard in round 2 who destroys my carefully crafted but slightly altered game-plan. I play exceptionally well in round 3 to 5 but somehow I end up with 1 out of 3 from 3 positions I'm sure I'm winning by a mile. The mysteries of chess.

April - Edinburgh. Harry Potter and all that. Find myself the wrong side of Princes Street on the way there (Yeah Sat-Nav). There's a certain thrill to driving through the gates at the school and up the driveway. Don't ask me why. Superb backdrop. Can any other tournament match it. Castle, St Giles, Old Edinburgh. Who cares about the chess. A first round game against the sadly departed Johnny Marr, which is a joy. A last round game against Lindsay Shovlin. The sun is shining. Right in her eyes. Ha ha ha. Do I do the gentlemanly thing or take advantage of the situation? If it was a title decider would my decision have been different.

April - Stirling. Go the long way via Loch Lomomd. It's the cheesecake at the Duck Bay Marina that decides the route. Slightly dissed on arrival. Not many entries. First round bye. Never judge a book. Stay in hotel. Well posh! Breakfast in bed. Well posh! Win my first game. Well chuffed. Play my first WFM. Well brought back to earth. Well beat. Andrew Green gives some first rate tuition. Even an old dog can learn new tricks. The small entry field gives a chance to get to know people more than I might normally. My fourth round opponent beats me and then goes to hospital. My legs hurt from walking up hills. Head home, miss my turning, miss Loch Lomond, miss Duck Bay, miss the cheesecake. Sat Nav - muppet.

April - West of Scotland. Airdrie. Events every week. Brilliant. Michael Hanley's filled rolls. Cakes and doughnuts, if you're quick. Table service offered. Get lost again. Thought it might be just Airdrie but it's looking like it's me. Play my first Major, reasonably encouraged. A win and two draws. Most satisfied on my long, long journey home.

May - Prestwick. I enjoy organising my first congress. Fairly easy, just leave the running of the actual event to Donald Wilson, Andy Howie, John McNichol and Paul MacDonald, while I socialise. Simples.

May - East of Scotland. Grangemouth. Second Major and two points. Okay, one was a bye. Meant to drop stuff off at my cousins in Falkirk on way. Never been there before, after driving round Falkirk for an hour I still haven't been there. Specific rather than general directions might have been an idea. My cunning plan of losing my first two games, getting the third round bye and making arrangements to meet my cousin works to perfection. I drop the gifts off at his house. The kids are delighted.

June - Scottish. Edinburgh. Can't get time off, so have to settle for weekend event and a half point Friday bye. Arrive late on the Saturday morning. Parked at park n ride but manage to get lost on foot. Venue is well smart and food is reasonably priced in canteen plus there's real chess players to go watch upstairs, a GM no less. Saturday is thoroughly enjoyable. Sunday morning brings another first. Board 3 on a sensory board and live on the internet. No pressure then! Brilliant idea. Must confess first thing I do when I get home is log on and look up game. It's all downhill after round 4 though and defeat in the last round to Jamie Underwood is hard to take. Damn these juniors. A disappointing end but what a fantastic season.

Derek Howie · Bishop Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 28 Location: Glasgow

You must really hate playing these kids, David. Very Happy

Angus McDonald · King Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 162

Highly entertaining read about a year's congresses!

Chess not interesting! I say, Rubbish to that.

So many worse things adults and children could be doing with their time.

and while I'm at it it's clear the riots in London are a result of the government taking away the ECF's funding.

Be warned re Scotland. Smile

AMcHarg · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:00 am Post subject:

Insightful David, an interesting read... you surely love Chess (and bridges - strangely?)! Smile

Do you love the view from bridges, or actually bridges themselves?

Kai's grade was a load of lies last season Derek, he is waaaay better than the number that was next to his name. Laughing

Potentially a title there in future if he keeps at it. A bit like your son, come to think of it - his grade is a pile of lies too. I have my own formula, you take their grade and you add on 300 elo per month since last July (well okay not quite, but you get the picture). Smile

AMcHarg · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:00 am Post subject:

admin · Site Admin Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 1386

DGCongalton · Queen Joined: 07 Nov 2010 Posts: 113

Derek - I have long complained about the inclusion of juniors in, what are essentially adult events. I am also none too happy that a lot of the current crop, including Colin, are getting experience and training both at home and abroad from the likes of Phil Thomas, Callum McQueen, Andrew Green, Alan Tate and others. This is clearly not a level playing field and extremely unfair.

These children have no mercy and are ruthless at times, whilst utilising the "Oh I'm only a nice, wee child would you like a draw" method of guilt trip, as soon as they sense the position is moving away from them. At my level the majority of adults are terrified to refuse in case they blunder and suffer the ignomy of defeat, having turned down a draw, with what after all is, a very often, very small child!!

Be warned juniors, expect no draws. learn your endgames and have your pocket hankies ready to wipe away your tears, if you are playing me this season. This may be the last chance I have of beating some of you before you disappear off into the world of the Opens.

As I don't play Prestwick, I shall of course be making the Prestwick congress as junior friendly as possible. Hee hee hee. I've moved it forward a week so it falls on the bank holiday, so the wee lambs don't need to worry about school the next day. The Junior Trophy will be up for grabs again and I hope Anna Milton will be there to defend it. Juniors who played in 2011 could get £7 off the entry fee if they're CS members (Family memberships count), with the £2 loyalty & £5 junior CS discount. I haven't done a full costing yet as I'm pursuing alternative income avenues to entry fees but I'm trying to get an adult entry fee of £24 before discount and junior of £12 before discount.

In addition to these incentives I'm hoping to have a strong player to go through games with the juniors.

I'm also considering free entry for all juniors in a family, where an adult in the same family plays and pays. I'm working on the small print for this idea. It may be that the offer is only available to CS members who have some form of full membership with magazine or perhaps they could donate any deductions to congress funds and pay £24. It's an attempt to make Prestwick family friendly but as I say I've got to do some work on the numbers.

Additionally, there will be a Saturday Junior tournament for those not quite ready for congress chess. The idea being to generate more interest in the area among kids that play so there can be a new crop of mini monsters who can strike fear into our adult hearts in the coming seasons.

Seriously, in all honesty, I can say, hand on heart, getting beat by juniors hurts no more and no less than being defeated by adults. I will say some of my most enjoyable games have been against the little people, as they can get quite scary at times. The games not the little people.

robin moore · King Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 164

Juniors are a natural hazard in any (moderately) old stager's efforts to try and improve his game and attempt to play at levels where he will have to do his best to chalk any reasonable points. Aye, it's me I am talking about and at the last round of the Marymass this year I ran into one of these so called young persons masquerading as a learning junior in what effectively was a challengers. Murad Abdulla (aged 10-grade 1400 odd) was absolutely destroying me with the black bits when he fell for my only desperate dastardly trap I could set and I managed to wriggle out with a draw. Joe Parks, last years Ayrshire champion, said to me before the game, Robin, watch this boy, he murdered me in the last round and his analysis was excellent. Joe was right and I am warning you now, this boy is not 1400-odd. He just might be something a little bit special.

DGCongalton · Queen Joined: 07 Nov 2010 Posts: 113

Yes, I'll second that Robin. Played Murad at Glasgow, with white, in round 5 and I think he'd even admit I had the better of him when we agreed a draw. Played e4 e5, Guioco Piano and he was in trouble but I was feeling benevolent that day. I should have taken my chance. Two months later and I have white at Lothians. The boy obviously learns from past games, I played e4 he plays c5 and then gives me a lesson on how to play the Sicilian.

Thankfully, he appears to enjoy playing up and he'll be your problem for a while, all be it maybe a short while before he's bothering those in the Open.

We do seem to have quite a few of these potential rising stars who have left, are leaving or just about to leave the minor sections this season. Kids who at the start of last season showed promise and are starting to fulfill it. Murad, Kai, Colin Howie, Andrew McCusker and Daniel Deary to name just a few and a few others that are maybe just about to make that move from naive junior to adult slayer. Is there an unusually high number around at the moment?

robin moore · King Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 164

I think that a huge amount of credit must go to the team behind these young juniors training. You all know who I am talking about, take a look at the Dolphin house pictures from Culzean, the talented young coaching group from the Glorney cup, the consistent Faber team results, the well organised forays at Euro and World level, with terrific master level support. It's not luck or coincidence, it's volunteers prepared to give up their spare time for no reward other than personal satisfaction. We are so lucky to have them on our side and I am sure I speak for all of us.

Jim Johnston · Rook Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 44

Great Post!

Liked it so much I went back over it again...

Angus McDonald · King Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 162

There is definitely some rich talent at the younger levels.

I look forward to seeing what the Euroyouth Squad will do.

Murad is exceptional and so are the others mentioned. Murad's performance is no flash in the pan either. That's been coming for a year or so imho.

Apart from his own talent credit should also go to some of the coaching he receives from his father and others at the Bon Accord club. Not myself, but other adults at the club that nobody hears much about.

Wishing you all great success at the Euroyouth.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 1386

Angus,

Once again I have to agree with you and I think that is the key part. To get these juniors to the stage of giving the adults a real run for their money ala Murad, Colin, Kai, Daniel, Andrew et al they need a strong foundation at club level. If more clubs would take the time to bring on juniors, then the Adults would probably end up giving up chess as the kids would rule the congresses:D

Angus McDonald · King Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 162

Yes Andy, Strong clubs and CS will become stronger and we'll get those boards! Smile

Should have mentioned the coaching from older juniors also but they were included in Adults!

Just a note that I notice the British is in North of England next year (not that far South!) think it's North Shields. For parents of talented juniors a lot of the younger Scottish players have the talent to do well in the age group championships there and they are usually strong events.