Am I alone in thinking that the idea of tournaments with a rating ceiling is a slightly unfair one, since they ensure that a good number of players simply can't participate in any section at all? I'm not having a go at anyone here - it's the organisers' right to set up whatever sections they choose to - but I'm curious to hear others' views.

Under 300:
1st Robbie McKichan Prestwick 8/8
2nd Richard Menzies Bishopton 7/8
3rd Abhinav Datta st Cadocs Giffnock 5.5/8

Medals for 50% and above:
5/8 Martin Lang Hallside Cambuslang
Declan McBride St Marys Hamilton
4.5/8 Kieran Kennedy St john the Baptist Uddingston
Aedan McGhie Alexandra Airdrie
Ryan Cunningham Bothwell
4/8 Aimi Reid Paisley
Jake Sanger Prestwick
Thomas Taylor Prestwick
Jennifer Lowe Keir Hardie Motherwell
Jack McKie St Josephs Blantyre

Under 600:
1st Euan Hamilton George Watsons Edinburgh 6/7
2nd Andrew Bodie Jordanhill 5/7
3rd Joe McKie St Josephs Blantyre 5/7

Medals for 50% and above:
4.5/7 Lauren Hulme Keir Hardie Motherwell
Benjamin Ridge Steiner School Edinburgh
4/7 Andrew McNeil Paisley
Patrick Norris St john the Baptist Uddingston
3.5/7 Fraser Kennedy Hamilton

Under 1000:
1st Craig Gillies St Aloysius Chapelhall 5/7
2nd Caitlin Reid Paisley 5/7
3rd Aidan Jenkins St John the Baptist Uddingston 4.5/7

Medals for 50% and above:
4/7 Christopher Usher Paisley
Avran Millar Austin Friars Carlisle
Andrew Gillies St Aloysius Chapelhall
3.5/7 Jan Van Heese Hamilton

Open:
1st (Adult) Alex Gillies Shettleston
1st (Junior) Camas Millar Austin Friars Carlisle

Michael.

Back in the 70's/80's there was a prize for the first English (or British?) GM which helped encourage Miles, Keene, Stean et al I have no idea how big a factor it really was nor what the prize was worth but it does make me wonder whether CS could do something similar. Rather than provide subsidies for specific events, it provides prizes to players achieving certain goals.

This could be quite socialist (lots of small prizes linked to easier goals), quite right wing (a few big prizes that will only be won occasionally) or something in between.

Thoughts?

I am pleased to say that the tournament is now up and running in an experimental APA format. I would be even further pleased if Club Secretaries who have not yet done so would kindly let me have the fullcontact details of their nominees. I believe Castlehill, Cathcart and Dundee&Vic have done this already so, if not guilty, please ignore this message! The following Clubs would assist me greatly by e-mailing contact details to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:'servenetster@gmail.com">'servenetster@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->' as soon as possible (An SMS to 07916129975 would do equally well.) Edinburgh Kilmarnock and Hamilton. Thank you! Chris 'Laidlaw' (Hampton)

I was hoping to attend the Hamilton Congress in February. However my travel plans are limited to the train which isn't a problem on the Saturday. On Sunday however the train won't get me in to Airdrie until 11am.

Is anyone in or around the Barrhead area attending the Hamilton Congress, willing to take me over for the petrol money? I can get the train home no problem.

Regards

Joe

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping to convince my son's head teacher about the benefits of a primary school chess club. However before approaching her I would like to know if there are funding programs available in Scotland similar to the work CSC do in England and Wales in the case she tries to palm me due to costs. I have gathered a few things compiled by Mr McFarlane with regards to chess in schools. However I believe funding may pose the biggest problem whilst trying to convince her of the benefits.

Any helpful information about this would be appreciated.

Kind Regards

Joe.

i am getting Stauntons book 2nd edition from 1850 any idea on value? condition is (very) good.

Andy has achieved the FIDE Arbiter title. From the FIDE website.

From 5 to 9 December 2011 a FIDE Arbiters' Seminar was organized in London, England, by Chess in Schools and Communities and the Chess Arbiters' Association, in cooperation with the English Chess Federation and under the auspices of FIDE.

The venue of the Seminar was the Olympia Conference Centre, Kensington, London.

The Lecturers were IA Alex McFarlane (SCO), FIDE Lecturer, and IA David Sedgwick (ENG), FIDE Lecturer.

The lectures were in the English language.

Two (2) people from Scotland and Latvia participated in the Seminar and in the examination test held after the lectures. Both succeeded in the test and, as indicated below, they will be awarded a FA Norm or the FA Title (according to Art 3.10 of the Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters) after the approval of the next FIDE Presidential Board.

Andrew Howie SCO 2403986 FA Title
Vairis Kurpnieks LAT 11602074 FA Norm

IA Panagiotis Nikolopoulos
Chairman
FIDE Arbiters’ Commission

Three weeks to go and at least 17 entries already.

I don't think I played Perth before, in my previous chess life, so I'm thoroughly looking forward to this event.

I think there may be one or two surprise results during the weekend.

Showing boards 1-4 from the minor

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<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.chessscotland.com/livegames/Lothiansallegro/r4/tfd.htm">http://www.chessscotland.com/livegames/ ... r4/tfd.htm</a><!-- m --> Round 4
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.chessscotland.com/livegames/Lothiansallegro/r5/tfd.htm">http://www.chessscotland.com/livegames/ ... r5/tfd.htm</a><!-- m --> Round 5