11-12-2012, 11:03 AM
There may be a danger of a lack of disciplined focus and realism in some of the above!?
The budget is annually (at least in an Olympiad year) c. £6,500 and less in non-Olympiad, European Team Championship years primarily because the lion's share of the budget must properly (in my view) go to these events. Given the financial parameters I would continue to aspire to covering full expenses for Olympiads and up the cover on the Euro champs from around a third to a half. I would not provide fees to any Olympiad player ... but would encourage CS to help any selected player who feels that they might merit a fee to seek private sponsorship to cover this ... Debate!!
Could I also stress that these are unquestionably potentially norm achieving tournaments on virtually every board (ten of them). I am amazed that those complaining about the lack of support by CS for norm chances don't seem to notice that or value it - it's worth a lot! Any serious norm chaser should as their first priority aim to get a place in one or other of these teams and then go for it. As one or two players may duck Olympiad / Euro Team champs because they can't get private fee sponsorship, there are indeed massive current opportunities for selection by many of our untitled young players. Many of our older titled players owe at least some of their norms to playing in such events ... under the kind of financial conditions described above.
CS should moreover be seeking to support (one) nominated player in the annual European individual championships. I doubt that much can be afforded yet. But at the very least CS should be prepared to pay the entry fee. Possibly also, say a third of costs ... as long as the selectors consider that CS nominated entrant to be of sufficient strength (say minimum 2300 ELO or CS). CS should also do the same for its nominated female entrant.
As for the seniors, I think I have to pass to others to decide, as I'm involved. I did, however, suggest that CS should aspire to pay the formal entry fees for the main nominated player in the annual European and World Champs, again as long as they consider that this player is of sufficient minimum strength. I simply don't think that as a matter of principle, CS should do less for any of its properly nominated representatives in a formal FIDE or ECU championships ... it is a member of both orgs after all and should be trying to support these orgs' events as well as it can!
I don't think that CS should be supporting any other norm event other than its own annual Scottish Championships ... another outstanding contribution, given CS's exceptionally low budgetary base. Adding that one in, which is open to all norm seekers bar none at all, means to my mind that CS is already doing about as much as it can not just for norm seekers but also for Scottish chess as a whole ... and it's a lot.
CS contributions to other events must I think be seen as a frill ... with the possible exception of the annual Euro Club Championships ... here I think I'd also like to see CS aspire to pay the entry fee for all the reasons given above.
But CS should, of course, always be prepared to encourage and use any spare money to help any private Scottish sponsor organise more international events on Scottish soil, in so far as they can. But CS can't and shouldn't remotely be expected to somehow feather-bed all non-FIDE or non-ECU events ... that's where the private sector comes in. Moreover this is actually already happening ... CS arbiters, provision of digital clocks and the electronic demo boards linked to the internet (largely for free!?).
Possibly CS could consider awarding one or two annual grants to spend towards costs in participating in private international norm-bearing events (of an approved strength) of say circa £500 each to say one or two CS nominated u-25 players.
The budget is annually (at least in an Olympiad year) c. £6,500 and less in non-Olympiad, European Team Championship years primarily because the lion's share of the budget must properly (in my view) go to these events. Given the financial parameters I would continue to aspire to covering full expenses for Olympiads and up the cover on the Euro champs from around a third to a half. I would not provide fees to any Olympiad player ... but would encourage CS to help any selected player who feels that they might merit a fee to seek private sponsorship to cover this ... Debate!!
Could I also stress that these are unquestionably potentially norm achieving tournaments on virtually every board (ten of them). I am amazed that those complaining about the lack of support by CS for norm chances don't seem to notice that or value it - it's worth a lot! Any serious norm chaser should as their first priority aim to get a place in one or other of these teams and then go for it. As one or two players may duck Olympiad / Euro Team champs because they can't get private fee sponsorship, there are indeed massive current opportunities for selection by many of our untitled young players. Many of our older titled players owe at least some of their norms to playing in such events ... under the kind of financial conditions described above.
CS should moreover be seeking to support (one) nominated player in the annual European individual championships. I doubt that much can be afforded yet. But at the very least CS should be prepared to pay the entry fee. Possibly also, say a third of costs ... as long as the selectors consider that CS nominated entrant to be of sufficient strength (say minimum 2300 ELO or CS). CS should also do the same for its nominated female entrant.
As for the seniors, I think I have to pass to others to decide, as I'm involved. I did, however, suggest that CS should aspire to pay the formal entry fees for the main nominated player in the annual European and World Champs, again as long as they consider that this player is of sufficient minimum strength. I simply don't think that as a matter of principle, CS should do less for any of its properly nominated representatives in a formal FIDE or ECU championships ... it is a member of both orgs after all and should be trying to support these orgs' events as well as it can!
I don't think that CS should be supporting any other norm event other than its own annual Scottish Championships ... another outstanding contribution, given CS's exceptionally low budgetary base. Adding that one in, which is open to all norm seekers bar none at all, means to my mind that CS is already doing about as much as it can not just for norm seekers but also for Scottish chess as a whole ... and it's a lot.
CS contributions to other events must I think be seen as a frill ... with the possible exception of the annual Euro Club Championships ... here I think I'd also like to see CS aspire to pay the entry fee for all the reasons given above.
But CS should, of course, always be prepared to encourage and use any spare money to help any private Scottish sponsor organise more international events on Scottish soil, in so far as they can. But CS can't and shouldn't remotely be expected to somehow feather-bed all non-FIDE or non-ECU events ... that's where the private sector comes in. Moreover this is actually already happening ... CS arbiters, provision of digital clocks and the electronic demo boards linked to the internet (largely for free!?).
Possibly CS could consider awarding one or two annual grants to spend towards costs in participating in private international norm-bearing events (of an approved strength) of say circa £500 each to say one or two CS nominated u-25 players.