Not sure how many on here are aware of this Early Day Motion. I first heard about it through a link on the TWIC website.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/public...umber=2158

Quote:That this House recognises the positive social and intellectual benefits for all children across the social spectrum of learning chess at a young age and the relatively low costs of teaching it in schools; notes that while chess currently receives no financial support from the Government, many European countries including Sweden and France financially support chess in schools; further notes that the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth would welcome UK support for the Chess in Schools project being developed by the ECU and the Kasparov Chess Foundation; welcomes the work of the UK-based charity Chess in Schools and Communities which teaches chess to primary school children from less affluent backgrounds; and calls on the Government to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to learn chess at primary school within existing resources.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.scotsman.com/spectrum/Pawn-stars-Scots-chess-players.6846413.jp">http://www.scotsman.com/spectrum/Pawn-s ... 6846413.jp</a><!-- m -->

Due to the fact they interviewed both me and Rudolf Austin it could have turned
out to be a disaster for Scottish Chess. I think we got away with it.......this time.

The Dundee congresses proposed use of the livestream facility for broadcasting at next weekend’s event, Prestwick’s intention to broadcast commentary at the 2012 congress and the thread on online junior coaching has set the little wheels and cogs crunching in my head about a Chess Scotland livestream channel.

Some of the following is also on the junior thread and I apologise for repeating myself. I said I apologise for repeating myself.

By using Livestream, it is my understanding that broadcasts can be made at no cost to the provider or to the user. I believe that the Livestream facility can also allow the viewer to see what is on the producers screen. There is also a chat facility which allows communication between the provider and the audience.

The free version has no restriction on who can view or the number of viewers (once a channel has been verified).

The provision of a Chess Scotland channel may spread public awareness of the game, the channel could be used for

• the broadcast of congresses

• the broadcasting of the Scottish Championships

• A monthly Chess Reporting Scotland

• The Presidential Speech each Christmas and New Year

• Last night of the Pawns for those with musical talents

• Live 100 club draw.

• Junior and adult training

• Award ceremonies – Chess Scotland equivalent of the Oscars and the award for best supporting actor in a Chess Soap goes to …

• Question time – A panel made up of our top chess players could be grilled on what they think of the current situation of the game in Scotland. Nominations for the role of mediator could be made on the forum.

• The Kings Road – A gritty soap about a town of chess players and the drama, scandal and intrigue of their lives. This Thursday – Big Al is devastated at being omitted from the first team’s trip to Auchtershoogle, Rab the Rook returns a day early from the Mull of Kintyre congress to find his wife big Senga entertaining Dougie the Poisoned Pawn over his Battle of Bannockburn chess set.

This League is open to all Secondary Schools in Glasgow & District.

There are five tournaments available:

1) Junior League For teams of 4 players in S1 or S2
2) Intermediate League For teams of 4 players in S3 or S4
3) Senior League For teams of 4 players in S5 or S6
(Younger players may play in the Intermediate and Senior leagues)
4) Girls’ League For teams of 4 girls from S1-S6
5) P.B.Anderson Trophy For teams of 4 players from S1-S6.
(This is a knockout competition with an age handicap to help younger players)

An entry fee of £15.00 is paid to the League and for this sum, schools can enter one team in each category. Once entries are received, a draw is made by the Secretary who ensures that the number of home and away matches is spread evenly in the fixture list. If there is a large number of entries, then 2 columns would be made so that the maximum number of games in each tournament is kept to 5 or 6. Matches are played after school from November until May, on a date which is arranged between the two team organisers but before a deadline date which is given for each round. Individual teams of 4 players should be arranged in order of playing strength. Winning schools receive a trophy which they keep for a year; as well as individual medals. Depending on the number of teams in the league - runners-up may also receive individual medals.

At present, the number of schools entering is small but it is hoped that if this increases, the schools would be grouped geographically to minimise travelling time.

Please complete the following entry form and return with the entry fee to the Secretary by Friday 28th October 2011:

Mrs Christine MacGregor. Woodfarm High School, Robslee Road, GLASGOW G46 7BL

Enquiries or questions can be sent to: <!-- e --><a href="mailto:chess@50chessgames.freeserve.co.uk">chess@50chessgames.freeserve.co.uk</a><!-- e -->
Notice of your interest/ participation can be sent here in advance of the closing date.
Cheques for £15.00 should be made payable to: Glasgow & District Schools Chess League.

There have been a number of changes in the area of PVG (child protection) and a new service for the benefit of clubs and congresses has now progressed beyond the pilot stage. The existing pilot scheme approach has now been formally launched on a national basis. The principles of the service are set out in the paragraph headed “Clubs & Congresses” in http://www.chessscotland.com/membership/PVGpolicy.htm. The detailed operation of the service is explained in the page http://www.chessscotland.com/membership/...resses.htm.

The Chess Scotland Lead Signatory, Steve Mannion Snr, and the Additional Signatory, Dick Heathwood, hope that clubs and congresses throughout Scotland will find this a useful service to build confidence that legal obligations are being met at local clubs and congresses.

The service is mainly addressing situations where clubs and congresses are specifically aimed at the participation of juniors but may be considered relevant in other cases, e.g. where a “normal” local club for adults operates a junior training programme or a congress is running a junior event.

• The congress will be featured on local t.v. The Dundee Channel will make a video report during the weekend that will be aired shortly after the event

• Free WiFi in the venue;

• We will broadcast live play from two boards of the Open. We will have monitors set up in the lounge to show those games for the interest of anyone whose game(s) finish earlier. You could use your own internet-enabled devices. Unfortunately the CS boards are not available to us.

• Graham Mooney (FIDE 1938, CS 1816) will conduct coaching/commentary on the live games of the first three rounds. This is aimed at juniors and interested adults and each session will start 2 hours after the start of the rounds. These sessions will open with a run through of play to that time then commentary on moves as they are played, all on an interactive question and discussion basis. Graham can’t be with us on Sunday, unfortunately.

• We will have live streaming video of boards one and two of the Open again

• The draws for the Richardson and Spens Cups will be live on video (2:15 Saturday 15th)

I am going to run this by everyone and I would appreciate as much feedback as possible in any form. I would like to use the Czech Open event including the European Amateur Chess Championships 18th-29th July 2012 as a stepping post for our older juniors into overseas adult events. I played there this year along with ten or so others from Scotland of all levels of ability and we loved this event. Direct flights from Edinburgh-Prague, 30 minute shuttle bus transfer from the airport to the train station, 1 hour in train from Prague to Pardubice. It's a 15 minute walk from the train station to the magnificent Czech arena venue for registration, payment and collection of your accomodation voucher. From there it's a ten minute walk to the university hostel. Rooms sleep 4, with own kitchen, shower room and balcony. There is a large supermarket across the road from the uni where we stocked up on fresh groceries for breakfast and lunch. The tournament is very well organised, with evening social events including hog roasts, live bands and dancing. They have other organised trips and sports events. Pardubice itself has an old town with good restaurants that are very, very reasonably priced including the best pizza restaurant I have ever been in. These restaurants are mostly outside on a beautiful town square. The tournaments themselves are strong, sub 2000, sub 2200 etc (right up to the main event that Alan Tate gained his third IM norm in this year containing 50+ Grandmasters) and are full of enthusiastic adult amateurs and juniors from all over Europe. Pardubice is very safe and very clean with a terrific transport system, including lanes for bikes and roller bladers ! There is a bike hire place at the supermarket across from the uni. As an organisation ChessScotland would send a "head of delegation" with you to support you. Although this is an individual event he would be available for duties like arranging transport, booking accomodation, placing entries and dealing directly with the organisers on your behalf. He would be staying at the uni but in seperate accomodation from you. Other duties may include things like making sure you have a daily copy of the draw and finding out where your seat is exactly ( don't laugh at this last one, it took me 15 minutes to find mine in the 3rd round as I had been moved to a seperate room !) He would also be there for social things like checking out places to eat and linking up with social events and their times and locations. Basically he would be there at all times to support you in any way required. The type of player this may appeal to may be guys and girls like....

Ali Roy, Maryann MacDonald, Alice Lampard, Rhian Hughes, Iain MacDonald, Andrew McClement, Shivan Murdochy, Jonny Scott, Hamish Olson, Andrew Newton and David Gillespie.

This is by no means a complete list as I am sure there are many others this may interest but the players listed above are all sensible young adults, many of whom I know well who I am sure would have a wonderful time at this event during July next year when they will have no exam issues.

Robin.

Congratulations to Kai and Kiron on continuing the junior's success after Grangemouth.

The local Travel Inns are taking advantage and are now charging £53 - Fri, £56 - Sat (Monifieth) and £53 - Fri, £55 - Sat (Dundee East). It seems the local managers no longer have discretion re prices so what you see on the PTI website is all there is.

Other options:

Dundee centre (lifts available):
Travelodge (Central, Dundee) - Fri - £42.80, Sat £49.90
Dundee Backpackers Hostel (http://tinyurl.com/3l4ktus - various prices

Other Dundee:
Travelodge (Strathmore Ave, Dundee) - Fri - £39.50, Sat £39.50 (15 minutes drive to venue)
Travel Inn Kingsway West - Fri - £51, Sat £54 (20 mins drive from venue)
Travelodge (Dundee, Kingsway West) - Fri - £42.95, Sat £45.95 (20 minutes drive to venue)

As at this morning, 3rd Oct, Booking.com (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tinyurl.com/68zmz6p">http://tinyurl.com/68zmz6p</a><!-- m -->) are showing the following availabilities in Broughty Ferry (5 minutes drive away - lifts available):

Jollys Hotel, Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, DD5 2BJ
3 single rooms @ £39
3 double/twin @ £55
Prices include breakfast.

Marlee Guest House, 3 Norrie Street, Broughty Ferry, DD5 2SD
3 double/twin @ £44 pp or £30 single occ.
Breakfast is £6.00 pp extra

Other hotels and B&Bs are available but at higher prices.

The draw can be downloaded from this page: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sncl.org.uk/sites/GCL/GCL_Divs/Rapidplay.html">http://www.sncl.org.uk/sites/GCL/GCL_Di ... dplay.html</a><!-- m --> and is also now the back page of the Contacts & Fixtures Handbook.

Held at a central venue this season (East Kilbride CC) at 7.30 on Thursday 13/10/11 and Thursday 22/03/12.

Each team should bring along 2 boards, 2 sets and 2 clocks.