24-12-2011, 12:51 AM
Wow! Some thread!!
Robin Moore inadvertently (I think) suggests that there should be "no more" money for Seniors chess. There isn't and never has been any financial support at all, not even for any event entry fees.
No senior to my knowledge has asked for an "appearance fee" - an unfortunate choice of phrase to say the least (except perhaps in connection with the full open Olympiad team). Nor does any senior expect that CS can afford to spend more than at most a minimal amount on contributing to costs of participation.
My personal view is that CS should at least "try" to meet any unavoidable FIDE/ECU/organisational entry fees for all formally appointed national representatives (junior, "open", senior), but that if the money just isn't there, so be it.
No one moreover wants to "raid" junior budgets. Why should anyone even think that that might be the case? That's where the future lies. That doesn't, however, exclude the value of having a rational debate on what's affordable across junior, "open", senior international events.
I also don't ascribe to the view that seniors have somehow "outperformed" juniors or open representatives in any way recently. I find the whole idea of doing this at least a trifle daft. But the over-60s "game" is certainly getting stronger in Scotland and becoming more ambitious. I hope that international success for Scotland at any level inspires everyone, not least to try to do better themselves. It still does me.
There are no easy answers and one of the "problems" is that there are so many international events available these days for our top players - junior, "open", senior. Players have to make sometimes difficult choices and money and time are scarce. I do think that there is scope for more fund-raising. I've done sponsored simuls and talks for the Scottish Junior Chess Association Educational Trust. Bike rides, 10km runs etc can also raise the odd £1K or so if handled well.
We need less whingeing about what others may or may not have done or do (especially by some who don't appear to know what many players at all levels in Scotland have actually done over the years and decades) ... and a lot more thinking outside the box!
Oh, and one thought on coaching ... Nigel Short is actually quite good on this in the current NIC magazine, particularly about the need to expect (Botvinnik-school style) the trainee to be putting in by far the greatest amount of any work! Successful coaching is without any doubt a most difficult art!
We're all in in it together, of course ... across the generations! Happy Christmas!!
Robin Moore inadvertently (I think) suggests that there should be "no more" money for Seniors chess. There isn't and never has been any financial support at all, not even for any event entry fees.
No senior to my knowledge has asked for an "appearance fee" - an unfortunate choice of phrase to say the least (except perhaps in connection with the full open Olympiad team). Nor does any senior expect that CS can afford to spend more than at most a minimal amount on contributing to costs of participation.
My personal view is that CS should at least "try" to meet any unavoidable FIDE/ECU/organisational entry fees for all formally appointed national representatives (junior, "open", senior), but that if the money just isn't there, so be it.
No one moreover wants to "raid" junior budgets. Why should anyone even think that that might be the case? That's where the future lies. That doesn't, however, exclude the value of having a rational debate on what's affordable across junior, "open", senior international events.
I also don't ascribe to the view that seniors have somehow "outperformed" juniors or open representatives in any way recently. I find the whole idea of doing this at least a trifle daft. But the over-60s "game" is certainly getting stronger in Scotland and becoming more ambitious. I hope that international success for Scotland at any level inspires everyone, not least to try to do better themselves. It still does me.
There are no easy answers and one of the "problems" is that there are so many international events available these days for our top players - junior, "open", senior. Players have to make sometimes difficult choices and money and time are scarce. I do think that there is scope for more fund-raising. I've done sponsored simuls and talks for the Scottish Junior Chess Association Educational Trust. Bike rides, 10km runs etc can also raise the odd £1K or so if handled well.
We need less whingeing about what others may or may not have done or do (especially by some who don't appear to know what many players at all levels in Scotland have actually done over the years and decades) ... and a lot more thinking outside the box!
Oh, and one thought on coaching ... Nigel Short is actually quite good on this in the current NIC magazine, particularly about the need to expect (Botvinnik-school style) the trainee to be putting in by far the greatest amount of any work! Successful coaching is without any doubt a most difficult art!
We're all in in it together, of course ... across the generations! Happy Christmas!!