Hi Guys
 
This is the link for tonight’s tournament on chess.com
 
https://www.chess.com/live#r=491055
 
The tournament is an arena tournaments which means you can play as many or as few games as you like . If you have a free chess.com account , the only other stipulation is that you join the Lanarkshire Chess Club invitational on chess.com which I or the other admin’s can facilitate. Please contact me on 07899 832770 if you have any queries
 
Ian

Tonight the Lanarkshire Chess League invitational is holding a 10 minute + 5 sec incremental tournament ( which we try to un every week). Its being held on chess.com
Click on this link https://www.chess.com/live#r=478427  if you are not at member already on the Lanarkshire Chess League invitational , please join and I’ll make sure I process your membership ( try and do this before 7.00 pm if you can)
 
As its an arena tournament you can play as many or as few games as you wish The tournament  starts at 7.30pm and finishes at 9.00 pm (90 minutes). You can enter or leave at any point if you wish
 
I hope you can make it!
 
Ian Brownlee

Reluctantly, I am afraid we have to cancel the rest of the Richardson Cup 2019-2020. I have tried my best at keeping the tournament going but I feel we have run out of time. The Spens Cup was already cancelled as per the temporary rule which was put in place (i.e Captains group decision) The feeling three months ago was to see how this would pan out. We are all hoping the the Richardson and Spens cups may take place over the board much later on in the year with a clean slate. Presently there are no plans to replicate these tournaments online , although i would be happy to run  similar tournaments either on Lichess or Chess.com if there was sufficient interest. Such tournaments would probably not be graded and would only be used as fun. I've also had interest from four regional leagues to run a regional chess league , again if sufficient interest warranted such a tournament.
 
From a purely personal view, I think clubs will have to find out for themselves if they can secure premises in the current climate (and also be aware that the new norm may include new procedures such as tracking and protecting home and away members as well as shorter time controls ) before OTB chess can safely return

On this weekend, not very many people looking to play yet.

Please enter if you can.

http://congress.org.uk/congress/90/home

The president of FIDE has published an open letter, here , asking some questions on cheating in chess and giving an email address to give your opinion on the 6 issues he raises, if you're interested.

2nd 4NCL Online Congress
 

We, Chess Scotland, have reached out to the Scottish Government for guidance on when we can return to both club / league and tournament chess.
 
It looks like Clubs will be able to start back from 14th of September when the restriction on indoor events are lifted, however that date may change and is not set in stone.  There will be an upper limit to how many can meet indoors and that will determine whether leagues can start.  
 
Tournaments will not be able to start at this time.  We gave indicative numbers we get at our events and they would be too big.
 
The SG agreed with the Guidance we have and said that would have to be in place as also agreed there should be the recording of who is there (names and addresses) in case someone in the clubs comes down with C-19 to allow track and trace.
 
So no clubs should be open at the moment.  If they are, they are in breach of the SG guidelines. 
 
For reference, to allow clubs to open hopefully on the 14th of next month, the following have to apply.
 
Venues will be limited to x number of people (to be determined by the Government)
Players and Arbiters only allowed in the playing hall, when matches finish, players must leave the hall
All equipment must be sanitised before the start of play of play
Hand sanitizers must be available
Face coverings to be worn at all time 
Venues must have adequate ventilation to prevent virus load building up
Players must sign a declaration that they do not have any symptoms of Covid 19 before being allowed into the playing hall 
Boards have to be separated by 1.5 - 2m
Someone at the Club must be responsible for recording the names and addresses of all attendees each evening.

It will also be posted on the website news.

To follow the live games over the weekend, click here.

Currently on Round 3, tomorrow (Sunday) is rounds 4 to 6.

Scarborough Chess Congress

Unfortunately, the Organising Committee of the Scarborough Congress has been forced to admit defeat in its efforts to hold the event this year.

We have been informed that the local authority will not make a decision on allowing venues like the Spa Centre to open before 1st October.  The company in charge of the Centre will then have to confirm the financial viability of staging events before 2021, many users having already cancelled.  That is almost certain to cause a further delay to an already tight schedule, even if it will be possible to stage the Congress.

With that timescale, and the many other uncertainties surrounding the event, it has been decided that it is in the best interests of all concerned that the decision to cancel is made now.  

We apologise to our many regulars but circumstances are beyond our control.  We look forward to returning in 2021.